The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-08-26

"courted" pretty Nancy, and then run
away with Jason Swift's daughter, the
richest girl in Strafford, and left Nancy
to make the best Of il.
The tau,t made poor Nancy speech
less she looked at Mrs. Bunnell, as
that peace-breakIng woman afterward
expressed it, "jest like the unicorn ON q
needle paper a-starin' at the lion.
really looked to hev her rise up an paw
round and run her tongue out nj me"
But good Mrs. Beers said in her gen.
tie way before Miss Nancy could speak,
Like enough she writ to We, an some
how the letter went astray I've know'd
it so to be-"
"Talkl do talk!" shrieked Miss Nancy.
"She hain'tl 1 know she hain't she
knowed L wouldn't never go TO no
Phelps weddin' she done it a-purpose,
the mink T.
"0h, 7 guess not. purred Mrs. Beers.
Janey's Afgood girl; she's real feelin'.
| know Miss Mash has set by her like
an own darter since she's hired out
there"
"She hadn't no need to go there.
any wayl" broke in the exasperated
aunt. "She could ha' lived here till
the day after never, if she'd hev give
that TELLER the mitten. and he'd what
I've got to leave when I'm dead and
gone.
"And you're good for 81, Nancy I"
laughed provoking Mrs. Bunnell.
"Didnt happen to come to we, s'pose,
that she'd maybe ruther live long O.
Sam Phelps, in house OF her own, than
be .hangin' on to your skirts, SO to
speak, till she was an old maid herself {?
Well, what's done's done. I'm sorry to
see We so riled about it, bat / must be
goin'; sot sponge this mornin', and 1
shouldn't wonder if twas clean over the
pan by this. Folks has got to nave
breads wells butter" and with nod
OF farewell Mrs. Bunnell rustled out of
the room, her stiff calico seeming to hiss
In echo to her derisive words us she
swept Though the narrow door.
"There amt no butter about her I"
growled Miss Nancy. "Sophi' Bun
nell's priclly as thistle, an alters
was.
"Well, folks is made different" said
Mrs. Beers, gently. 1--WE amt all Jest
alike, and it's quite mercy we amt !;
all sugar or all salt would be as good as
tasteless, / guess. Mis- Bupnells real
| good to the sick, I've always heerd tell,
and she's smart as whip, BESIDES"
"Yes, n a whip with singer, too"
was the curt answer.
"Well, now" went on Mrs. Beers, 81
feel real Eurt forge, Miss Nancy, about
Janey, but I'm certain sure she never
meant nothin' less than not to have We
to her weddin' why, l know her real
| well she's rs sweet as cream, nat
urally. Depend ont, twas all mis-
! take" IH4
"Y You no need to butter me up, Phi
landy Beers guess 1 know when I'm
throwed over wells the next. one. Jane
hes gone an done 'xactly what ] said
she shouldnt never do, and she knows
! it. I've got means to live on. an more.
L amt no poor. despicable old maid.
I've got money in the bank and a good
farm, and I'll go in to Hartford to-mor-
rer if I'm spared and make my will to a
lawyers, and I'll will every cent to fur
rim missions. I'll do it, sure's you're
born"
ooh, now, don't we do nothin' hssty,
Miss Nancy Let's see about Il, now
do; the's Almost always two sides to
things, and we know the scriptur' recon-
mends for us to be slow to wrath it's
real easy to talk, but we can't untalk, We
know"
"Nor l don't want to r. was the irate
answer.
"Wen, | must say good-day. I've got
to see to our folkses dinner some. Sar'
Ann can do the most ont, but she amt
very mighty, nd mothers laid up with
rheumatic"
And Mrs. Beers slid away quietly,
leaving Miss Nancy alone.
Words are words only, we say some
times, Hut how they can hurt or heal
Miss Nancy was grieved to the heart
with Japey's conduct, and. when Mrs.
Bunnell exasperated her with sharp COM
ment and keen taunt, she was ready in
her rage to believe she would never
speak to her niece again but the Widow
Beers gentle suggestions fell on her
soul like dew, and against her will, or
her consciousness, soothed her excited
temper and wounded spirit.
She was by no means ready to forgive
Janey; but as she sat alone there and
reviewed all the past, thought OF the
girls bright, loving patience, her thought
ful'care of her aunt and her likeness TO
the dear dead brother, and then-being
a just woman, for all her temper and
testy obstinacy-went back to The love
of her own youth for an elder Sam
Phelps, and the agony of loss and NOR
tification she endured then, she began
TO see what Janey had escaped, and what
she had found, and to look "also upon
the things of others"
She would have resented sharply any
intimation that Philindy" Beers had
Modified her with the "butter" of her
kindly, loving nature and speech, but
there was no one by to make such init
nation, and when the sun set that night
and the lonely old woman watched it
from her doorsteps sinking in all the
splendor of red and gold behind the
hills. she felt that it was going down
upon her wrath-and was reluctantly,
but honestly, disturbed by the conscious
ness.
Meantime, Mrs. Beers, having helped
"Sar' Ann "a poor old cousin to whom
che pave n hOne--0et the dinner and