Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1881-01-11
MIS- sc.ELI A NE Gus
MARRYING THBsCHoobMAsPBR,
ny. JUDGE CLARK.

rs too prevekin'w exclaimed Joshua
b. - Potter, with athwack Of his ist on the
bssaktast-tab that made the deli rattle. :
1T is SO, SO it is, said Aunt Rachel, -du-
titully chimiRg in With her husband. and
casting reproachial glance at her niece,
Patience Bethel, whess charming eyes shot
rebsllious flashes through the tears that
weuld come in spita Of her strongest efforts.
Gals don't get such chances eyory day.
tell you, continued Mr.. Peter. ezekiel
Sawpells is the forshandsdest young farmer
IN all Tabeggan, and the gal as turns UP
her nose at him, don't know which sida ef
her breads buttered."
"That she dou't!" returned Aunt Rachel
"and to think of threwin' over such a man
Ter an anbsknown, adventursome school.
master"
"lts what call toe provOkiu7" repeated
joshua Potter.
"Aad what's provokin'er STILL" Aunt
Rachel added, "thers's CSathy Cos, ready
TO snap at any otfcr 'Zek'el may mako. and
ten to one he'll make her one now lest far
spite, an she'll be jest meaa enough to saw
as how she cut Patience out"
81 "a suro she's welcome TO him !" was all
the latter dsigned to say, as she rose and
left the room.
"Ske's jest like hcr mother" was Aunt
haenel 8 com ment :Nothin' would do sis
ter Edith but marry that lits'ry chap. Rich>
ard Bethel, as was shifless enough to 20
an die in year, leavin' her with baby on
her hands. Then she was silly enough to
grlaye herself to death, an of course thu
baby fell to US. Well, one would "a thought
that ohild's early cxper'ence would "a been
warnin' TO her, but it .dees seem as If
what's bred in the bones tol'ahly sartin to
come cut in the flesh"
Leaving Uncle Joshua and Aunt Rachel
to finish their talk over family matters. let
us go back step and seo what gave rise 10
a few months before, a genteel-lsokinr
young man had applied to the Taber1ap
seheol committee for employment as
teacher. The committes shook their heads
at first. Mr.. Leon Payne might be a very
proper person, but then ho was q total stran-
ger, and brought no Recommendation. Still.
his terms were SO moderate that it was de-
olasd to take him quarter on trial
There was great deal of erunelins Mt
Arst. Mr. PayRs gave the boys altsgsther
too much play, their parents thought Then
He-could tess a ball or handIo a bat with
the bost ct them, and was not above mar
blss even. Iu all of which many saw a
weeful want of dignity. But when it was
found that the boys were getting on faster
in their studies than they had evor done
before, the grumbling measursbly abated;
and tie fathers of Taboggan were less sean.
dalizsd when they caught M Payne in n
crowd of noisy urchins, ''taw" in hand,
"knuekling down" with the rest on terms
Of complete equality.
Mr.. Payne was strikingIy handsome
man. He became quite favsrite with the
Iaboggan bellies, and excited the ire and
Jealousy of a hest of rural swains but for the
tact with which he avoided even the an.
pearaues of rivalry. His attentions TO tie
Iaboggan fair were SO general in character,
that the most suspieieus lover could and
nothing to complain Of in particular. Be-
| sides poor young sehoslnaster is no great
"cateh, and that considerations set n good
many minds at ease.
la one OF his Saturday ranblss, Mr..
Payne had lost his way, aud stopped to ask
it of young lady who came cantsrinr
across his path. When she rsinod un her
horse and turned her face to meet The oues.
tlener, the latter was SO struck With admi.
ration that, for moment, he forgot 10 our.
sue his inquiries, aud when he resumed
them, If was in manner 30 confused that
several minutes were consumed in obtaining
the desired information, after which The
Two parted, exchanging bows aad blushss.
This was the frst, but not the last meos>
ing Of Leon Payne aud Patience Bethel.
The young sehoOInaster became pretty
constant visitor at the house Of Joshua Pot
ter, Patienee's unels-so constant. indeed.
that both Uncle Joshua and Aunt Rsch 81
began to suspect him Of designs not quite
consistent with certain plans of theirs about
their niece and 'zek'el ~Sawpells,a a well-to-de
young farmer, rich In lands and goods ard
iatted calves, whom thsy had get their
hearts on having for sepkew>in>Isw.
For reason the worthy unels and aunt
concealed their upeasiness There was
nothing in the young peoples mestisg snd
talking over books to make the greund of
direct complaint. But things came to an
other passNwhen 'Zsk'sl SsvpeIIs cane, enc
day, with a smirking offer of his hand snd
heart to Patience, and was sent away With q
very lively flea. in his ear
Then Uncle Joshua and Aunt Rack sl laid
their headsstegethsr in solemn. eounsil
81. was quite ennat'raI," Uasle JOSHUA
said. "that aSgal sheuld gin man Ike
| ,zsk'el the mittea, onless there il another
| feller in the case."N
] Aunt Rachel uas:gnite of the ssnae mind