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

''I ain'to one o. that kind, now / tell
ye Ef athing's to say, i say it square
out; but Philindy Beers, she Keeps
a-butterin' ard brtterin' and smoothin'
down an strolSin' over. Why, there
she is !"
Miss Nancy Tryon was tall and gaunt
and lean; scant gray hair was brushed
back from her angular forehead and
twisted into a tight knot behind, Sc
verely fastened with yellow horn
comb her chin protruded a little, her
black eyes stared and snapped, and gem
orally expressed themselves III pungent
way and her tongue-ob, her tongue |!
it was as untiring, as restless, as noisy,
but Icy no means as useful, as u nail ma
chine. She had very little patience and
very little charity, but, under her
snappy way, her rapid judgments, her
curt decision, lay thoroughly honest
and kind heart, which she was ashamed
to show.
swell, now, Nancy" said her COM
panion, Mrs. Bunnell. who had stepped
III for neighborly visit. "You know
you're kinder arbitrary, you always Was.
and you do like to speak in meetin'
whether there's a congregation or not,
you always did; but | will say fort
your barks worse'n your bite, L"
Here Mrs. Beers knocked at the door.
Come in !" shouted Miss Nancy, never
stirring from her chair fragrant viola
ton of Strafford etiquette.
Good-day, good-day Why, Mis-
Bunnell, how be you? 1 haven't seen
you for quite spell; and how do YOU
get along, Miss Nancy p
''.Sos to be crawlin'," snapped the
-spinster, glaring straight Mt the round,
placid, smiling little figure of the Widow
Beers, who sat down in the nearest rock
6r, 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 yor'~e usually well, / see, Mis- Bun
nell. L fetched around few apples off'n
my Astrykan tree to Sophrony Jones;
she's real miser'ble."
"Serves her right" broke in Miss
Nancy. "What did she go'n marry
shifless, low-lived teller like Dish Jones
for? She might ha' known that them
that makes brier beds for themselves has
to lie on thorrs."
well, she seems to think consider
able OF him; guess he's pretty good to
her s,fur as he knows how to be-.
=" HIM his goodness won't 60 no fur
ther'n hen-hop," shifted Miss Nancy.
"And, SEEM was a-comin' this way"
placidly went on Mrs. Beers, 81 thought
I'd fetch few on 'em to you. 1 rek'lec
you set by apples a good deal"
Sim obleeged to ye," said Miss
Noncx- st;1l 49, 81 io.s:.,o To- l,,,t ~
quite so fierce.
Hadn't you better set 'em into the
buttery, Nancy?" suggested Mrs. Bun
nell, looking unconscious of a pun, but
Miss Nancy glared at her with honest
wrath.
Mrs. Beers began again in her mild
way. "They do say, up to the Centre,
that Parson Styles is laid up with
dreadful spell O. quinsy"
81 guess he caught cold oyer to the
Mash weddin'," suggested Mrs. Bun
nell. at did pour down; come over
to-day half to see how you stood it,
Nancy"
"Stood what?"
"Why, gettin' home from Mis- MASKS
house a-Tuesday evenin'; the weddin',
We know"
"I hain't been to no weddin'; hes De-
siah Mash made goose o herself to her
time o. life 2"
"Why, mol mercy sakes, mol Why, 1
expected you knowed it; twas Janey-
Janey Tryon an Sam Phelps. I s'posed,
of course, seein' you was her aunt, you'd
fetch around TO see her married"
Miss Nancy was crimson with rage.
"Jane Tryon an Sam Phelps / guess
mott told her year back eff ever
heerd of one o. them Phelps boys a-shin-
in up to her she needn't never look to
me for no settin' out. Sam Phelps of
all created critters, b'heve them Phelps
es is the meanest."
"You didn't always think so, did ye 2"
sarcastically inquired Mrs. Bunnell. who