The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-03-24

she SAID. 1T would nave been we'll
for my mother had she not favored
you. If I had man, oh! but I'd make
him rue the day"
"And hearing ag that you did not turn
"What I heard only satisfied me,
Aunt Charity, that ! should find the
tribulation l do greatly need. Mr..
Prentiss came to me, and 1 spoke my
mind to him without delay I said
that desired his daughter in mar
riage." 49,
'sAnd what did he reply?"
''He answered that Eunice was u
well-favored girl, and that he could not
deny her to me, if she chose to take
me. I said that not Eunice, but mis-
tress Polly desired, and I confess he
seemed amazed and did stare at me
with certain fixed expression that
was painful TO look upon. Then he APP
preached me and said that he never
heard that I was imprudent in my
drink, and I had trouble to persuade
him that his suspicion wronged me.
Then he looked at me again, and even
limited that my reason had left me. At
last pursuaded him to send his daugh-
ter Polly to me. AS he omitted the
room he seized my hand and said:
"Nathan, pray that she may drive
you from the house. 1t would be q bless
| ing to you"
"Mistress Polly came into the best
room, my Aunt Charity, and, as the
door closed, she stood with her back
against it and smiled, and confess the
smile had naught of humor but only
scorn in it. I trembled at that smile,
| fearing she would drive me thence.
Speak up, Nathan Appleby," she
said, ''for never, since your mother
bore you, did you speak louder than a
cat news"
"IfI now remember right, [ ans
wercd her nothing, for my thoughts
| were in confusion.
| cart dumb?" she said. "Might as
well be for aught you can say. Your
face is like q jack lantern, and your
tongue as full Of speech. What's now
I sayw
81 asked her if her father did not
tell her.
Had he told me- said she, "you
would not see me here I would like
to know what you whose spunk is less
than worms, could have to say to
me from your own lips. Not to give
advice, I'll venture. Your no such
idiot as to try that. Come, I'll have it
out of you. Belize YOU would marry
me-"
":She said this, my Aunt Charity, DIS
in sarcasm; yet am glad she said it,
for my spirit seemed to melt like an
April snow bank, and had | not taken
her words on the echo, fear | could
not have made known my errand. Her
glance as ] said this was terrible, so that
[ turned my eyes to the window as for
a chance te escape violence. I cannot
recall all she said, but I do bear in
mind that she termed me a beetle, that
she said my legs were spindle shanks,
which is untrue; that she remarked
contemptuously upon the paleness of
my face, and il1ened me to Sandy Sam,
the idiot. | perceived, however, that
her violence was only Of the tongue,
though that is enough for one person:
She called me Il padora, whatever that
may be, and said that I should marry
her, and right away, and a sad day
would it be for me, too. She warned
me to have no delay, to cause the bans
to be published next Lords day, and as
soon thereafter as the law permits to
come for her, and she warned me to
keep out of her sight till then Other
painful words she said, which will not
repeat, my Aunt Charity, and thus has
she promised me-
"What think you all, neighbors, of
such a wooing as that ?" Mr.. Goodwing
inquired.
"That your spouse did say rightly
when she called him a stupid fool,'
said Mr.. Pantry.
:: "That it passes all comprehe nsion, -
said Squire Whytynge.
well, | say" remarked Mr.. Pur-
chase, whose domestic experience was
sad, g that he who knowingly puts his
| head in such a moose deserves to wear
it always. Vinegary women are wont
| to be smooth-tongued during courtship
and to make amends for it afterward.'
. "Well, tell us the rest, neighbor. u
said Mr.. Blumtield. "They were mar
ried?"
. Yes, they were married on the
t Lords day three weeks, and those who
+ saw them as they quilted her fathers
, house say that she berated him all the
way to his home"
f "And did he soon wish he were
, dead?" asked Mr.. Purchase in such a
] suggestive tone that Mr.. Blumfeld
again slyly nudged Mr.. Goodwing.
"He bore shrewishness uncomplain.
ingly for six months or more, though
he did grow pale and lose flesh greatly
and he did confess to me. upon one oc
casion, that he did not bear in mind
r when re married that death only part
! ed husband and wife. His silence en-
ragged her; but never did he speak q
| word in temper to her. Now I vii
| narrate to you that which is the mos
marvellous as well as amusing of all O.
, it. My spouse happened to fail in with
, Nathan's wife about year ago, and
will say, neighbors. that my spouse
though usually, smooth spoken, can sa,
/ a thing sharply if she so desires. Sht
l did tell Polly Appleby that it was ,
grlevous shame for her to belabor tina
7 patient man, Nathan"
"Man, Nathan's wife replied man
[ Being of your blood, it's no wonder he
, no man. He means like a calf an(
[ purs like a cat, and hath less spunl
| than either. A calf will bunt and a kit
ten will scratch?
: We'll, as to that, Madame Appleby
sharp speech never made calf to bun
| nor cat to scratch. Your speech il
t of no more account to him than it would
be to them, said my spouse
"With that Mrs. Appleby becam,
very wroth, and did call my spouse
padora.
"'Humph,' says my spouse, 4 coul,