Sharp County record., 1881-05-05

| in the rocking chair benz curiously upon us
, 1t was hard to understand how they could
+ have preserved such brightness and keenness
after peering into the mystery OF life for al
most ninety-nine years.
| "Nlis' jones' presently made her appear
ance-not the woman outwardly that our fan,
| cy had pictured she was little and light-haired
| and mild of aspect, but before long We espied
spark in the depths of her lght-blue eyes
| that reminded us of the tang that turks in a
certain mild sweet wine.
She showed us to our rooms, bleak and bare
| regions where fires were evidently unknown:
| and mountainous feather beds piled one above
another were the only signs OF an attempt at
comfort.
But her manner was as soft as her feather
beds, and she had been pretty woman once
and still showed de bedLr restes, and Ned de-
clared that if she tyrannized over old Jones it
was without doubt because he deserved it.
When we went down stairs we found the
supper-table set midway between the "cOm-
pany eendp and the common folks eend"
with strict impartiality Our seats were at the
"comuan, eend,n and we shared this distinc
tion with an affable and assured young man
whom Mis- Jones introduced as the school
master. "Ny niece, Mirandy," an angular
Young woman with protusion OF corkscreW
rngltts favored us with coquetish smiles, ey-
| lueltN WlIll Il view " ulSIul DlllS bhC oShDoA
mas er's peace: and we saw with alarm that
| Mis-, Jones observed this and that the spark in
her eve grew livelier and liyelier as she regard
ed US eadfastly-poor, guiltless creatures
who had not had the least intention OF flirting
with Mirandy! As we rose from The table the
little. Witch-like old woman beckoned me to-
ward her with a mysterious air.
Wishin' and dOin', the Lord he reckons
'em Jest the same and drowned folks never
come up" she said.
AT er supper Mr. Jones approached us with
an air of importance.
off YOU wouldn't take it unkindly and haint
no pertkler objections, Mis- Jones she'd be
obleeged to We if We would set in the common
folks eend tonight. You see the schoolmas-
ter. he's kind Of edgin' round Mirandy and it
would be pooty considable of a spec for Mir
andy to git him. Mis- Jones, she's high-mind-
ed and she's set her heart on Mirandy's gittin'
minister or a schOOlmaster and she's terrible
anxious. When they're Just beginning to
edge round they're scairt off terrible easy,
you know. They've been doin' their courtin'
in the company eend and there haint no other
place; and you know yourselves, that it's ter
rble kind of fusterin' and upsettin' to hev
folks round starin' and gawkin' where
there's courtin' goin' on. It's fusterin' bust
ness apyhow, courtn' is. got so worked
up doih' mine that haint never been exact
" C ear in my mind about who spoke the word,
Mis- Jones or me- / shouldn't want you to
mention it to her, but I've always run Of an
idee that she helped me along considerable"
We assured him that his confidence was
sacred and expressed our sense Of the prOprle-
ty of having the " company eend" strictly de-
voted to cOurting.
We stole but one sly glance toward the
" company eendn in the course ofthe evening.
That revealed to us the ringlets of Miss
Mirandy in close proximity to the schoolmas-
Ier's coat collar-frOm which we inferred that
NJ SIS Jones' high minded" hopes were deS-
tined to fulfllment.
Our hostess hoped that we would excuse her,
as there was to be a neighbOrhOod prayer
meetin' to Deacon Jones'n and she felt it to
be both a duty and privilege to go. As
''Biiah" didn't seem to feel a " call to CO."
he would entertain us.
Mr.. Jones' spirits seemed to rise with the de-
parture of his better half; he lost his air of
indecision and timidity and became brisk and
vOluble. He produced a convivial-looking
brown pitcher, representing a jolly Dutchman
with capaciOus stomach, and announced that
it contained cider which didn't i" taste no great
of rotten apples, nor yit of the kag;" which
was the Jonesville non-committal way of say
ing that it was nectar fit for the gods. A dish
of great, smooth-cheeked, mellow apples,
streaked with carmine and gold, he brought
forward next, and remarked that they were
" not what you could call gnurly," and he
guessed " the sun hadn't had no spite agin
'em.n
We ventured to suggest that it might be
considered a slight to offer no refreshments
to the F" company eend, but Mr.. Jones shook
his head sagely.
"It's terrible onsafe to meddle or make with
courtin'," he said. 81 aint a-sayin' nOthin'
agin it when it's on your own hook. | aint
a-givin' no advice, though there is them that
has vocation for matrimony and them that
haint The 'postle Paul, he gin advice. leave
it you to jedge whether or no the 'postle
Paul would be likely to gin good advice. But
la it amt no use a-talllin', merryin' is like
hangin', them that's born to it will ketch it
and there aint no help for 'em."
This philosophical reflection was accompa-
MED by a sigh in the depths of Mr.. Jones' cider
mug:
"What do they keer for cider and apples9"
he pursued, setting down his mug. "For the
time bein their minds is above 'em. And |
might break in upon 'em an unpropityous
minute, when Mirandy was a-bringin' him to
the pint. She's terrible smart girl, Mirandy
is-takes after her aunt-but the schoolmaster,
he's uncommon skittish about comm to the
pint and Mis- Jones, she cautioned me. Mis-
and | wouldn't want you to mention it in her
hearin', but she's apt to be trife techy with
them that haint, which haint her fault nor sur
prism"
Mr.. Jones sighed profoundly apparently at
his own lack of understanding and took a
long pull at the cider, as if to fortify himself
against Mis- Jones' "techiness."
"Gram," in a corner of the fireplace, alter
nately slept and clicked her knitting needles
like mad. Every time that she awoke she bent
her keen little black eyes upon me, summoned
me nearer by an imperious wave of her knit
ting needle, and repeated her mysterious COM
munication in a mOnOtonOus tone, as if it
were a formula that she had learned by heart.
"Wishin and doin' the Lord reckons 'em
just the same, and drowned folks never come
upn
81 don't understand" I said once, curious
to discover what was working in that old brain
which had lent itself to dreams and realities
for so many years until at last the two had be-
come hopelesslY Yintermingled and it occurred
to me that perhaps she was not so very differ
ent from many of us in that respect.
Understand! OF course you don't under
stand. Nobody understands Some folks SAYS
It was more than wishin', twas doin'. NJ aybe
It twas. IT was so long ago that I've forgot
and guess the Lord has forgot"
We asked several leading questions, but she
seemed suddenly to remember herself, looked
suspiciously at us and was silent, arousing
herself after moment and asking ina rational
way if it was thickly settled' where we
"came FROM" and saying she supposed we
"enjoy great privileges"
We understood that privileges referred
rrrlNl -