The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-01-13
THE BAREBACK BUG.

THE HARD.BACK BUG.
"Lor, yes. 1 hev he'd an offer, and
1 suppose / might hev been married
like other folks If it hadn't been for a
hard-back bug. That's what l always
called 'em, hard back bugs. That kind
with a shell and wings and whiskers
and bottle-eyes and ever so many legs,
that make a noise like a clock a-running
down. A scientific boarder we had one
summer gave me another name for 'em,
but that's $ mine, hard-back bugs. Ever
had one down your own back? Yes?
Then you know how it feels.
Il warn't one of those marrying kind
of folks ever. always said I'd hev
any one that was congenial and offered.
but I'd got to be thirty before there
seemed any likelihood of such a thing
happening, and then who should take a
liking to me but Major Miller. He was
q very fine man and owned nice farm,
and he was Major of militia. He was
just the stiffest man you ever saw;
swallowing the ramrod wouldn't ex-
plain it, and what he expected when he
talked was attention. If you didn't sit
and listen to every mortal word he ut
tered as you would to the minister of a
Sunday, off he'd 60 in a. temper; but l
didn't mind listening. and the Major
was quite intilectable, and the stories
he used to tell about himself and his
company were real interesting; and l
was sore o tired o. keepin' house for
Uncle Perkins. So when he asked me if
l had any objections to his calling OF
Thursday evenings l said should be
pleased to see him. So every Thursday
had the best parlor, and he came at
eight and went away at eleven, and
folks began to tease me considerable,
and / didn't mind much. And / went
over to the Majors house on the sly
once-he was a widower-and got the
black help to show me the furnitoor.
There was lots of it-proper good, too
and blankets and counterpanes. The
first Mrs. Miller had been forehanded
of 'em; and there was plenty of silver,
too.
And shall be glad 10 hev a lady
over the house. said black Sally.
Working for a man isn't all it's crack
ed up to be. They have lots of whims
and notions, and don't know what is
needed to make anything. So long as
1 suited I'd be glad to stay, if master
ever should marry again
$50 you see even black Sally knew
Well. after I'd seen all the things anG
knowed how good they were l made uE
my mind for sartain.
"And one August evening. after rt
righted the parlor and opened the win
dows to let in little cool air-a goose
/ was to do it, tool said to myself, 4
] reckon the Major will ask me to he,
him tonight, and reckon I'll say yes
if he does.' And just then heard hi.
knock at the door. In he walked, anC
down sat, with the worst of luck, a.
i you'll see, with nv back to the oper
window; and down sat the Major on an
] other chair. And after we'd had
little talk about the weather, and tn,
crops. and such polite subjects, ht
bitches his chair a little nearer, anC
says he:
".Miss Samanthy, I've got some
thing very particular to say to you, ano
hope you'll give me your most par
ticularest attention.
"And says l: Yes, Major, I'll dt
so,' and folded my hands in my lap anc
sat bolt upright and waited.
.''Miss Samanthy,' began the Major
you know I've been comm to see yo,
putty reg'lar for nigh about thre,
months. Now man of my decision o
character don't do that without som,
reason for doing it. suppose yo,
know I've made up my mind to"
'''Ohr says /, short and sudden;
couldn't help it. At that blessed min
ute something tickled my neck, and
heard little err! crrr that knowe,
was the voice of a hard-back bug
There was one on my collar, and
could no more have helped screech
ing than l could help breathing an,
live.
Jewell, Miss Samanthy,' says tn
Major, did 1 understand you to max
an exclamation?'
".Oh! no, Major says /, .nothin,
particular. Please go on
"Where was IP' says he. OH yes
couldn't have come here so long with
out making up my mind that you was
steady and keerful person, and on
that had sense enough to be able to liste
when folks of great experience was
talkin'. Most women can't sit still t
listen to nothing. They want to tall
and If they don't talk they'll fidge,
Now If / had wife that fdgetted'-
''"'Ohr says 1, again.
".I could no more help it than
: could before. That hard back bu
. had gone down my back, and wa
err ling, 'crr'-ing under my shoulder
!. blade.
".What did 1 understand you to n
; mark, Miss SamanthyP' says the Major
looking mortally offended.
, ".Tm sure / didn't remark nothing
Major says /. ..
"'I feel quite sure that you did. NJ
that like to contradict lady, says th
, Major.
".There's things on body's mind
says 1, that others don't know Of
II hadn't courage to say, 'on
: body's back That little 'screec
hadn't anything to do with your r.
marks, Major ,-...
al begged for your particular a
!! tention, Miss Samanthy,' said the Nj,
jor. Il never saw you so sing'lar
. your manner before. If what I'm sa,
ing is unpleasant to you
"Oh. no. says I; do go on, please
Then sat quite still, while that har,
back bug walked over me. A girl tn,
hasn't had an offer before, and gets or
at thirty, will bear a good deal for it.
!. sat like post and looked ut the Majo
|: and he went on.
"'A man should be the head of h
: house, calkerlate. When a woman
I voice Is heard continoonl, I say disc
pline is not observed In that family a.
should bs. I've always thought . WI