Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-08-26
THE THREE-TOOTHED RAKE.

| suppose the girls of Mlllburn would all
resent the imputation, if l should say that
any of them envied little Phebe Bird when
she set up housekeeping with RigdWay
| Dayton, on the finest farm the country
afforded, in house that was in thorough
repair and fully furnished. 1t was an es-
| Enlistment to be proud of, and people
said if that young couple did not prosper
it would be their own fault.
"There, RIDGE" said Uncle Alex, sis
your farm, and stock, and house all paid
for, and now I shall do no more for you.
If you don't hoe out your row, you'll have
have to starve. 1 am going abroad, so
shan't be coming around to advise you and
scold you, and expect it will grow pretty
tough with you for awhile. But Phebe is
"a sensible girl, am happy to say, and 1
think leave you in pretty good hands,
| Ridge secretly felt rather pleased at the
prospect of being cleft" but lie did not
say so. Uncle Aleck was an excellent man
to provide, but he was little sharp in his
way, as the young man had occasion to
know at times in his juvenile years. The
old gentleman himself had been reared
under a system which might be formula
ted in the old cOuplet-
ga boy, a dog and a walnut tree,
The more you thrash them the better they be-"
The system had been greatly toned
down in the case Of his orphaned nephew
but Ridge thought it strict enough.
| His choice of a wife had pleased his
uncle as we'll as himself, for Phebe was a
very domestic girl as, well as a cultivated
one, and it. was the general verdict that
.'both had done WE'LL" Still Aunt Cynthia
did tell Ridgway she wished he chad got
wife that would make him stand around
a little more.'
| sob, she'll make me stand around
enough" laughed Ridge ''Y GU need not
be concerned about that"
s'She'll have need tor said Aunt Gym
thia, nodding her head sagaciously. She
had known his manner of life from his
youth up, and said he was always very
good boy if he only had steady hand
with him to keep him in order. But Ridge
believed ''aunts and uncles never did ap-
preciate a fellow" Now it was worth
while to have the worshipful direction of
such a sweet, appreciative little soul as
Phebe Birds and he did think himself a
lucky fellow. and he was.
A stout. capable hired man was engaged
at the outset, who understood his business
and appropriately, received good wages
So the cares of life sat very lightly on the
Eyoung farmers shoulders, though he felt
the responsibility of Atlas when he shoul-
dered the. world, having not only his own,
but his wifes domain to look after.
Just when the serpent entered into this
little Eden could not distinctly be told
have no doubt he wired in and wired
out,' among the vines and shrubbery OF
that first garden" for sometime before
he presented himself to our first mother.
If Ridgway was little exacting and
very particular, Phebe was very self-sacrl-
ficing and painstaklng; so there was little
jar in the machinery. He thought STRICT
order and system about work very ex-
cellent thing-for other people-especlally
a mans wife. Breakfast at seven, dinner
at twelve, and supper at six, always on the
table at the minute, was his standard, but
/ of course if he could not be on hand just
at that time, it was only necessary to keeE
things hot and at their best for half OF
d! three-quarters of an hour, and it would be
nice for her to fill up the time with sew
ing, or some little thing of that kind. Il
! need not baiost time to her by any means