Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-06-29

Miss keziah, resumlng her knitting.
She was greatly puzzled to account for
those Sunday clothes.
"Nothin' within the range of my
observation. There wont be much agoin'
on now till lection time; things'll he
pretty lively then"
"Want to buy any hay this year?''
chirped Miss Keziah. ''Mine is extra
good this season, my hired man says it's
the best harvest yield in town."
81 rayther guess I'll hev' enough to
carry me thro' the winter. If 1 don't /
shall know where to come for hay as is
hay. I declare your farm does beat all
/ feel kind o. rugged like when l think
the best farm in town is managed by
woman"
Miss Keziah smiled graciously, and
the deacon drew his chair little nearer
his hostess. .'It must be a great load
for We to carry alone. such large farm
is a tremendous responsibility for lone
woman"
"Oh, don't mind it; 1t keeps me
proper busy"
The deacon hitched his chair along a
few inches farther 'Ye'd oughter hev'
brother or cousin, or some relative
like, to share the burden with ye'."
"My shoulders are plenty strong"
returned Miss Keziah, good naturedly.
''Tm glad to show folks that there are
women who are good for something be-
sides giddy-gaddying and tattling.'
''Yis, WIS.," answered the deacon.
1--WE can all testify to your valley and
worth. You're real honor to your sex.
You're-you're bright and shinin' bea-
con light to the triffiin' and vain-minded
women of the world and the speaker
waved his hand at the conclusion of this
little oratorical flourish.
Then hitch, hitch, hitch went the
chair Miss Keziah-ward. ''Don't You
feel sort o lonely at spells, he asked,
insinuatingly.
Miss Keziah glanced suspiciously at
the rapidly advancing chair. She drop
ped her knitting and went to the fire and
piled up the blazing sticks OF wood:
Then she came back to the table, and
set her chair on the farther side OF 1t
thus putting a barrier between her and
her visitor. TIN never lonely, deacon
plenty to do is the best medicine for
loneliness.
"But woman's a tender, dependent
creatur'. Woman's vine," here the
deacon took up his weekly prayer-meet-
ing drawl. ''and needs suthin' to cling to
when the troublous, desolatin' waves and
winds o. affiiction and sorrer roll over
her.
STUFF and nonsense exclaimed Miss
Keziah, with contemptuous sniff. Il
shouldn't have expected that a man of
your sense, deacon, would repeat such
silly trash. 1 have no patience with the
people who are always talking as if
women couldn't stand alone, and needed
propping up like a rag doll that hadn't
any backbone. I'm no vine-or such
creeping, helpless thiEa, 1 can tell you.
/ can stand alone as well as anybody If
the Lord SO wills it, altho' 1 admit,
deacon, that its pleasanter to have some
lone keep You company.
''That's Jest it; We hev' hit the nail
squar' on the headl It's pleasanter to
hev' company on our soiourn on this
mortal earth"
The deacon seized his chair with both
hands. and by circuitous line of hitch
ing placed it within three feet of Miss
Keziah's table. you're a forehanded
woman, Miss Keziah; I'm a man of
prominence and influence in the commu-
lnity: it seems to me that it would be
good thing if we could walk hand-in-
hand thro' this vale of tears. Providence
seems to pint its finger that way" The
deacon was thinking at that very moment
of the money he would save by thrifty
manager like Miss Keziah In the place
of his inefficient, wasteful, hired woman.
Miss Keziah was dumbfounded. She
dropped her knitting, and the ball OF
warn rolled across the floor. ''Mercy =
she finally gasped-
sTIl make We first-rate husband, and
veil make me good wife. We've been
members of the same church for 80 years
or more, and we've been members of the
, spiritool family, we'll now be members OF
the same human family"
Miss Keziah Strengthened herself up
, In her high backed chair and drew In her
| chin, while her voice rang out shrill and
, clear. Il rather guess it'll take two to
make that bargain.
A second look at her aged admlrer,
who was edging up to her with a sheep
; ish simper, exasperated the old woman
beyond control.
1.-The old fool - she said, wrathfully.
The color came into the deacon's thin
cheeks. and he started to his feet, look
ing anxiously toward tine door, as If med
, itatine a hasty retreat. But the yarn
was wound around his boots and he was
forced to remain.
Miss Keziah likewise rose, and folding
her hands primly in front of her remark
, ed grimly: "When you first began your
talking hadn't the least idea what you
, were driving at. 1 thought you were
, limiting about Betsey Hill, and wanted to
r take me into your confidence. 1 never
dreamed that you meant me. Why, l
supposed that / wouldn't give up my
, freedom for the best man living. Betsy
! Hill is a pious, likely woman; she'll
make a good home for you and she needs
: home herself. -,
The deacon was completely w1thered.
and Miss Keziah continued: eff you II
step around little livelier, deacon, and
nick ND the stones on your lots and put
, them into good fences, and NOV down
I those pesky weeds, there's no earthly
reason why your farm shouldn't look as
we'll as mine. If I've said anything to
. hurt your feelings, deacon, hope You u
' overlook it. Why, you're all tangled "f
! in that yarn; I'll untangle it.
: The delay of unwinding the yarn IRON
the deacon's feet gave Miss keAaI
chance for further remark: "One WORD