The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-11-17
the MISSES TEMPLETGN'S
TEApOTS.

"Well, eff it don't beat all I'm
struck all of heapp
can what's MORE" pursued the
striker, leaning a little further from his
wagon, and speaking through tightly
shut teeth, as if thereby the sound
would be prevented from passing be-
yond the listener, "there amt no
backin' down, as You might think. If
ever you seen face sot, you'd a seen
it this mornin' an she lookin' back all
the time, too. as if was carryin' her to
the vault in the lower graveyard. de-
clare I'd just about as soon. l hain't
got over it yit."
But, for the land sake, why didn't
Dianthy stop her?"
"Past stoppin'. These still folks,
when they do take the bit between
their teeth. don't stop for whoa Di-
anthy wasn't mp, nuther. You'd ought
to hev seen her when druv up with
Lucindy. She came higher speakin'
out when I handed in that hair trunk
than she's done for ten year. But I
guess the town III be in an uproar
when it knows. IL amt agoin' to allow
it."
"How II it hender it, Lamson, I'd
like to know?"
"Don' know" said the first speaker,
"but there's got TO be way found.
Why, this mornin' Hiram come out, an
his wife, too. They're good sort O.
olks eff they do run the town farm, an
Hiram sez; Now, Miss Templeton, l
told you before. an 1 tell you now agin,
faint no use. You amt pauper, and
you jest can't an shan't change off,
i've settled it, sez she, hard an stiff
as Dianthy herself You're bound to
keep Lucindy, an ef l chooseto change
places with Lucindy, it's nobody's bust
ness but my own. Ef you won't let her
go, I'll stay here whether or no. Town
meetin' amt till spring, an I've made
up my mind. There amt nothin' but
death can change it. Lucindy clirn
up to the seat before Hiram could inter-
fere, an druv off, an how they'll settle
it L can't say, but there she is. The
last words heard her say was: Hiram,
there's no peace for me anywheres but
here, an here mean to stay"
"She's out O her mind" said old
Hubbard, picking up the rake dropped
in his first surprise. "There'll have to
be special meetin' called, an I'll see
about it this very day."
" Better let folks manage their own
affairs, returned Lamson, gathering up
the reins. 81 don know as I'd druv
her over if I'd understood exactly
what she wanted; an then agin I dom
know. But 1 will say i thought I'd
like to see how Dianthy would take it.
1t beats me. Chloe Templeton in the
poorhouse, an them Templetons 18th
money enough to buy you N me out this
minute"
"'Twouldnt take no great to do
that" said old Hubbard, returning to
his work, astonishment still predomi-
mating in his leathery face; and Lamson
drove on, the tall figure of woman
appearing in the open doorway of a
house above, as if she had been watch
ing the interview, and were half dis
posed to speak. Hubbard made step
forward as if uncertain whether to speak
or not, but retreated suddenly as the
door shut with a bang. "Templeton
temper" he said, shaking his grizzled
head; "but who'd "a thought Chloe had
any of it? callate she got desprit, an
struck out for any kind O. change, an
1 don't wonder nuther;" and with an
other shake he settled to work, pausing
at intervals to calculate, We'll, it
beats mel" '--
EHalf way up Breakneck, so towering
and assertive hill that anywhere but
in New Hampshire it must have been a
mountain. Even now its claims to that
title were not to be disregarded. Year
after year the .selectmen threatened to
labor no longer on q road more and
more given over to gullies and sudden
small land 81 les and big stones, which,
appearing n.ysteriously in the way,
could never be accounted for save by
diaboIic agency. Year after year the
two or three farmers who tempted
Providence by permanent wrestle with