The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1881-07-08

---'~ - 80 tHfH~r. AVW ! kIlUk 81 ~
she added. quickly, :" did hear one II
them. old Dorsey. say something about
that piciur when he was down here ono
day not long ago. II anybody knows
whose It's, rs likely 10 be Dorkev: but
he moved away six miles up the river
10 little clearing Of his own. where
he's sot down 20 raisin' peanuts and
watermclons for the market.
"Woud You b'lieve that his wife--a
smart, steady. driyin' sort o. woman
she was, and worth an ordinary dozen
o her kind-kcpt house and managed
halt the business for old Davis? / would
have been glad TO keep her. for We re
gettn' . good run o custom here,
which bears a little too hard on nv
shoulders. considerin' I'm not as young
a. used TO be. II Miss Mandy hadn /
hoped along jest about that time. I
don't skeerseIy know how l should q
got along. She was old Davis cousin.
and come long distance 70 paw him q
visit, jest in time 70 find him dead; and
she agreed to stay awhile and help me
q little for her board. She's mighty
spry and smart. Don't You agree with
me. Mr.. Courtenay? And such store -
she sets on YOU! Why. she says you re-
: perfect gentleman; Gnd il was she as
br' lied the partridges for your supper
last night. with her own hand. And
that reminds mc,n concluded Mrs.
Bowling. bustling up. "that I'd better
be seein' after dinner, now that these
pease are shollcdn
turned from the open window and
lay down on the old horse-hair sofa.
facing the picture. tried TO real 4
newspaper. but the black ewes over the
chimney-picce smiled down at me. and
the corners OF the rich. red lips curved
downward in sort Of sarcastic mock
cry. until ! dropped the paper ard fell
into reverie. fancying that painted
form before me reality.
Who was IL, and was she still living
and unmarried? Perhaps Donkey
could tell me; and l resolved to seek
him out on the morrow.
just rs made this resolve. the door
opened and Miss Mandy made her APP
pearance on "righting and busting
errand.
suppressed my Indignation on See
ing her wrap an old 'dusting-rag'
around her broom. and with It dab and
smear over the face Of my divinity
ABOVE the manteIpiece. fanc'ed she
did il. with special spite toward the
fresh. young loneliness. which. By con.
trast. rem tered her own scraggy form.
sallow face and deep-set, darK-circIed
eyes vet more unattractive.
I" La. Mr.. Courtenay!'' she ex-
claimed, turning and affecting 70 be-
come aware Of my presence; "who' d
have expected 70 ind you shutup here?
ReadngP Well you are literary char
acter: only I'm afraid il amt good for
you. II you came into these parts for
your health. The pincy-wcods Is q
powerful strengthened Of the lungs.
You ought TO walk about 'em more. and
drink the tar-spring water. 4 make q
int Of going 70 the tar-spring every
day or two. and won't object 70 show
ing you the way for once. Il you'd
choose 70 20 along with me and little
black Prue. take Prue along for want
Of more congenial company" added
Miss Mandy, with pcnsive shipper.
/ felt . little startled. More than
once OF late 1 had fancied that Miss
'Msndy had treated me with = favor
which shc youchsafed no other man in
whose company / had beheld her
had observed that she had somewhat
smartened her dress. appearing IN ear
rings and pink neck ribbon; and that
to-day her hair WAS twisted into innu-
merable little wiry rings and spirals
above her forehead.
She had offered to make me turpen-
tine-tea and pine-cone cordial. as being
beneficial to the general health; and
here she was now ;tually endeavoring
% inveigle me into lonely walk
through the pines &C the sentimental
hour Of twilight.
limited how delighted / should be
10 some time avail myself ~ her kind
offer To-day had business which
would take me TO a distance. And. b..
fore Miss Mandy had had time % com
plete her busting Of the parlor, was
on my way To Do,key's.
found the old man seated laz;ly IN
front Of his log-cabin. surveying with
an air Of patriarchal satisfaction his
pigs and chickens, and his patches Of
peanuts and watcrmelons. while his
accomplished wife artistically nodded 4
pot Of freshly-churned butter. They
received me with great politeness; and.
after some preliminary talk. 1 inquired
about the picture.
"WeIl. sar.r said Donkey. thought
fully. II cant igzackly say who dat
| pictur's meant for. nebcr see nobody
like il. nor nigh 80 hon'some But dat
pictur' was madc--lenme see. put.
ting his knuckle 10 his bald forehead
--.'bout lectlc more'n tour years
age ~ = palntcr'gen iema ., q was "a
sake Oh his hcalf. He had conniption,
but de pincy-wood cure cured him.
Pears to me he guy ole Marsc Davis
dat pictur when he went way; an
hccrd marsc say twas powerful like.
f A. - .-. n 49, 49,