The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-09-02

I've got to leave when I'm dead and
gone"
"And you're good for o5, Nancy !"
laughed provoking Mrs. Bunnell.
Didn't happen to come to ye, s'pose,
that she'd maybe ruther live long O.
Fam Phelps, in house of her own, than
/ % hangin' on to your skirts, SO to
speak, till she was an old maid herself |?
Well, what's done's done. I'm sorry 70
see ye SO riled about it, but must be
goin'; sot sponge this mornin'. and
shouldn't wonder if twas clean over the
pan by this. Folks has got to have
breads wells butter" and with a nod
of farewell Mrs. Bunneu rustled out of
the room, her stiff calico seeming to his1
In echo to her derisive words as she
swept through the narrow door.
There amt no butter about her !"
groCw1led Miss Nancy. "Sophi' Bum
nell's prickly as a thistle, an alters
was.
swell, folks is made different said
Mrs. Beers, gently. "We amt all jest
alike, and it's quite q mercy we amt ::
all sugar or all salt would be as good "a
Gasteless, I guess. Mis- Bunnells real
good to the sick, I've always heerd tell.
and she's smart as whip, besides"
:" Yes, n whip with stinger, too"
was the curt answer.
"WeI, now" went on Mrs. Beers. 81
feel real hurt forge, Miss Nancy, about
Janey, but Tn certain sure she never
meant nothin' less than not to have We
to her weddin' why, 7 know her real
well; she's So sweet as cream, nat
urally. Depend ont, twas all mis-
take"
You no need to butter me up, Phi
landy Beers ! I guess know when Tn
throwed over wells the next one. Jane
hes gone an done 'xactly what I said
she shouldn't never do, and she knows
it. I've got means to live on, an more.
| amt no poor, despicable old maid.
I've got money in the bank and good
| farm, and I'll go in to Hartford to-mor-
rer If I'm spared and make my will to
lawyers, and I'll will every cent to fur
rim missions. I'll do it, sure's you're
born"
" Oh, now, don't ye do nothin' hssty,
Miss Nancyl Let's see about il, now
do; the's Almost always two sides to
things, and ye know the scriptur' recon-
mends for Us to be slow to wrath it's
real easy to talk, but ye can't untalk, ye
know"
Nor don't want to p was the irate
answer,
"Well, Unjust say good-day. I've got
to see to our folkses dinner some. Sar'
Ann can do the most ont, but she amt
very mighty, nd mothers laid up with
rheumatic"
And Mrs. Beers slid away quietly,
leaving Miss Nancy clone,
Words are words only, we say some
times, tut how they can hurt or heal
Miss Nancy was grieved to the heart
with JaDey's conduct, and, aawhen Mrs.
Bunnell exasperated her with sharp COM
ment and keen taunt, she was ready in
her rage to believe she would never
speak to her niece again but the Widow
Beers gentle suggestions fell on her
soul like dew, and against her will, or
her consciousness, soothed her excited
temper and wounded spirit
She was by no means ready to forgive
Janey but as she sat alone there and
reviewed all the past, thought of the
girls bright, loving patience, her thought
full care of her aunt and her likeness to
the dear dead brother, and then-being
just woman, for all her temper and
testy obstinacy-went back to the love
Of her own youth for an elder Sam
Phelps, and the agony of loss and NOR
kiG M +;o,, aI,o o,,I,1~o + ~. - y
to see what Janey had escaped, and what
she had found, and to look "also upon
the things of others"
She would have resented sharply any
. tntimation that "Philindy" Beers had
Modified her with the "butter" of her
kindly, loving nature and speech, but
there was no one by to make such init
nation, and when the sun set that night
and the lonely cid woman watched it
from her doorsteps sinking in all the
splendor of red and gold behind the
hills, she felt that it was going down
upon her wrath-and was reluctantly,
but honestly, disturbed by the conscious
ness.
Meantime, Mrs. Beers, having helped
"Sar' Ann "a poor old cousin to whom
she gave home-get the dinner and
clear it away, and then made her mother
comfortable for an afternoon nap, tied
ON her bonnet and set out for Janey
Phelps house, some two miles from her
own in the opposite direction from Miss
Nancy's; she found fancy looking like
a wild rose as she sat sewing on the east
doorstep, enjoying the calm warmth of
the late September day everything
about her exquisitely neat, her white
apron and pink calico dress setting out
with their clear tints her bright dark
hair and eyes and colorless but healthy
complexion, through whose smooth sur
face emotion always sent the very blush
OF rosy dawn. She flushed beautifully
now when she saw Mrs. Beers come
smiling down the road, and ran to open
the little gate for this first guest of her
Qew home.
Friendly greetings followed, and at
last Mrs. Beers slid into the purpose of
her visit. ''You kinder took us all by
surprise bout your weddin',' Janey. /
was beat to hear ont, must say
"Wel, Mis- Beers, we couldn't afford
to have much of weddin'. Sans folks
hive over to Hartland, most of them, an
Mis- Marsh hadn't really room to com
modate them, and I haven't got anybody
but Aunt Nancy, and she didn't come;
she feels hard towards Sam," and here
the bright eyes clouded.
Didn't send no answer to YEP" que
ried Mrs. Beers, automatically.
enc; I told Tommy Marsh to wait
for it, SOS to make sure and he said she
said there wasn't any answer"
my land !" calculated Mrs. Beers.
"Now, Janey, Miss Nancy never got
no note from We at all, and didn't never
have an idee that you was a goin' to be
married; she feels reel riled about it;
she feels hurt, an you can't no way
blame her. She done we'll by We jest so
far forth as she knowed, while you
stayed; you know she he'd reason ac-
cordin' to the natur' of women-folks not
to like the Phelpses eff she had knowed
your Sam, she'd hev liked him, she
couldn't help it; but you see she KEEP
mixin' him up with her Salr, the uncle,
who want no more like him than chalk's
like cheese and We know Miss Nancy's
real sot in her way. but she's good "a