Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-07-27
BUTTER.
BY ROSE TERRY COOKE.

s'I amt one O. that kind, now l tell
We! Ell a things to say, I say it right
out; but Philindy Beers, she keeps a.
butterin' and a-butterin' and smoothin'
down and strokin' over. Why, there she
is %
Miss Nancy Tyron was tall and gaunt
and lean; scant gray hairs were brushed
back from her angular forehead and
twisted into tight knot behind, severe
~ fastened with a yellow horn comb;
her chin protruded little, her black
eyes stared and snapped and generally
expressed themselves in pungent way:
and her tongue-oh, her tongue it was
as untirlng, as restless, as noisy, but by
no means as useful, as nail-machine.
She had very little patience and very
little charity, but under her snappy way,
lay thoroughly honest and kind heart,
which she was ashamed to show.
"Well, now, Nancy p said her COM
panion, Mrs Bunnell, who had stepped
IL for neighborly visit, "you know
you're kinder arbitrary, you alIus was,
an you do like to speak In meetin's
whether there's congregation Or not,
you allus did; but I will say fort, your
bark S worse'n your bite, L"
Here Mrs. Beers knocked at the door.
"Come in p shouted Miss Nancy, never
stirring fran her chair-a fragrant viola
ton of Stafford etiquette.
Good-day, good-day! Why, Mis-
Bunnell, how be you? I haven't seen
you for quite a spell; and how do you
get along, Mis- Nancy?"
"So's to be crawlin'," snapped the
spinster, glaring straight at the round,
placid, smiling little figure of the Widow
Beers, who sat down in the nearest
rocker, and put pretty little basket on
the floor by her side. "Well, you do
look real spry; I'm glad to see We so
well. And you're usually well, [ see,
Mis- Bunnen. [ fetched around few
apples offn my Astrykan tree to Soph-
rony Jones; she's real miserble.''
"Serves her right" broke in Miss
Nancy. "What did she go'n' marry a
hif'less, low-lived teller like 'Lish Jones
for? She might ha' known that them
that makes brier beds for themselves has
to live On thorns."
"Well, she seems to think consider
able of him; I guess he's pretty good to
her s fur as he knows how to be-
HIM! his goodness won't go no
further'n hen-hop, shifted Miss Nancy
And seem | was a-comin' this way, y
placidly went Oh Mrs. Beers, CT thought
I'd fetch few on 'em to you. I reck'
lect you set by apples good deal"
"I'm obleeged to ye," said Miss Nan
cy, still curt and decisive, but not quite
SO fierce.
"Hadn't you better set em into the
buttery, Nancy?" suggested Mrs. Bun.
nell, looking unconscious of pun. but
Miss Nancy glared at her with honest
wrath.
Mrs. Beers began again in her milo
way. "They do say, up to the Centre,
that Parson Styles is laid up with g
dreadful spell O. quinsy."
6 guess he caught cold over to the
Ma'sh's weddin','' suggested Mrs. Bun
nell. " It did pour down; I come over
to-day half to see how you stood it,
Nancy"
"Stood what ?"
"Why, gettin' home from Mis- Ma'sh's
house a-Tuesday evenin'; the weddin',
ye know"
CT hain't been to no weddin': hes
Des1ah Mash made goose O. herself to
her time O. life?"
"Why, no! mercy sakes no! WHY
[ expected you knowed it; twas Janey
-Janey Tyron an Sam Phelps. /
s'posed, of course, seem you was her
aunt, you'd fetch around to see her
married"
Miss Nancy was crimson with rage.
"Jane Tyron an Sam Phelps! 1 guess
not! told her year back if I ever