The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-05-21

Anu YOU askcu ucT 10 marry you
mo; | told her to think OF the story, and
give me an answer to-day"
He went about his business. stopped in
the kitchen little while irOwnIng to myself,
and then went to Emma Osborn's door and
knocked.
Jane" she says, excuse me, you can't
come IN Just now"
The first time ever felt humiliated went
down stairs again, and was nj the pic'board
when felt arms throwed about my neck, aud
there she was She'd been crying, ana seen
tears on her lashes yet.
I'm a-goiDg to marry Sllas," she says
"Well, seeing 1t was easy To make up your
mind, what are you acrying about theny' |
says.
Because pity him So" she says; land you
know ALL don't you, jancs'
81 should hope SO"
ITO think" she went on, "of this house
being taken for Vanie Prcsco,t-yuu see he
even told me her namc-and everything ready,
and she gong and marrying another man.
And, oh, Jane-that other man! Who was
he? Silas will not tell me"
won't Sllasy" | says; then all I've got Ia
say is, he's ioollsher man than thought;
and if you don't cherish him TIL etcrnIy you
are n bad false woman, do you hear for
Vanle Prescott ran off and married Il man
and-and the man was Silas' intimate friend,
my husbands brother; that's The reason lie
wouldn't tell his name"
She put her hand before her face, and stood
there quiet for long time. Then she put her
hand down,
And they say the age OF chlvalry is past, D."
she SAID.
"Of course" says /. And the room you
| now have"
WAS meant for her" she broke in He
has told me that"
! She went out of the kitchen then, and
watched her gong over toward the fields. She
looked so much better than she had formerly
looked, She had n pink IN her cheeks which
the fresh air aud freedom from care had gwen
her. | heard her calling, "Silas Silas!' fur,
ther and further oil, and lost her after u spell,
and SO come into the kitchen.
"lrs no use in my saying that after that 1t
was all fixed up between them. wasn't such
an old woman but iclt II liltle jealous Of the
thought that now they'd be blln' and COON,
and | would bc left pretty much to myself.
But | was wrong; they was that sensihc-l
didn't think n city school teacher could be as
sensible as Emmie Osborn proved They
would set on the porch often of evcn's and
often at such times would get up and leave
them; but they'd call me back, and make me
SIT there too Then after awhile | seen that |
couldn't expect to Stay here after they'd got
married. don't know why | didn't see II
before. I'd stay long enough 10 learn Emmle
Il few things and thcn-wcll, | was strong
enough not to be burden to nobody. But
the thought harrassed me. | hated the idea
of leaving Slas. Them who's been kind to
me like TO be with always-part.c Them
rs seem not TO know they've been KIND and
don't make no account of 1t. Often had my
low times alone in my room at nights, and
mr. in ~ htt huI,,
that had only been Il few weeks old when it
died, just as if they would stoop down and
help me. All, we'll The fall come in, and
Emmle she meant to stay here and never go
back to town no more, but would marry and
settle in month. Slas he undertook to 20
to town and fix up some little matters for her
and the night before he done it | seemed to
see that this gong to town totix up her things
was a hint that the new mistress was coming
IN. So left them in the se,tin''rOOm while
they were planning and arranging things, and
went out into the kitchen in the dark; and |
couldn't help putting my apron up over my
head and feelin' as if the world got very
cherries once in while, and that merely tax
ing in n wilder and feeding and clothing her
didn't mean all the comfort a poor woman
wants. While set there could hear their
voices now rising, now lowering, and | put
my head back against the wall, and didn't
seem to mind nothin', while | minded every.
thing. Pretty soon the door opened.
"Let me tell her" says Emmie; shed like
best to hear 1t from me-"
"No, I'd better tell her; she's knowed me so
long" says Sllas.
Ii seemed my head was on fire; they was to
tell me I'd best go; seen it right away. /
pulled down my apron | didn't feel lonesome |
no longer / rushed to the door and met the |
two
mo you don't" | says IN u fury; don't
you think of discharging me. Tn going |
I've made up my mind to that; but don't tell
me to go. know | amt no right here, but
for the love of heaven don't tell me you mean
to turn me out I'll go. You have been very
kind but Sllas Goodman dare you do ltY
how dare you"
| lost my breath. He put his hand on mine
Jane, we come to ask you IA favor if you
would stay with us always. I've felt you have
had too much to do alone, and Emmie and me
we've talked it over SO much of late and she
~ TO help you all you need. You have learnt
her so much, you know, and you have been
like a"
Like mother" says she, holding me
Did you ever hear the like of that? Never
mind what done, bu. from that time to This
I've been less suspicious of everybody. The
next day Sllas went to town. Emmle and me
vas busy all the forenoon, and | felt chatly II
md happy in Il new fashioned way-kind Of
'hamed like. Now hope an't hypocrite:
md when say hate ,ramps hope | amt
,inning--a nasty set of idle critters, mean and
hieving; oh, know all about them, have
lad experience enough. But when see one
If them coming up to the door that day lust
made IA dive 10 get at herd tr0alia, mind
'ou--when Emmie held me back !
Jane, ought we 10 be harsh to women? Re
member the man whose house we re in
| was kind of took back Emmic she went
o the door, and the woman comes into the
,itchen. Such an object-dirty amt TO name
or IT. hate dirt She was that bloated with
um, that wfully-looking, that | held back.
But Emmie, who ought to have been more
ervous than me, went straight up 10 her. OF