The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-12-01

Uncle Sings folks stood IN establishment, and
Suke and Deacon Joel went thoughtfully on
and through their own gateway, short dis
lance beyond.
She'll find US out" he said to Suke as he
took off her binders. @She's that kind She'll
find out about what she's min to. I sh'd
feel like a goose if twas some folks, but
dunno as | care-for her!" he concluded, am
I'm glad Deacon Emmett happened down
at the train to give you a ride up, said Johns
wife, when the fir>t greetings were over
Il don't know" laughed Chrissy Il can't
vouch for it, but | do believe / could ha'
walked as fast as that animal of his trotted
Why, it give me the fdgets to see her poke
along. And all he did was to hitch at the
reins and cluck at her. I don't believe he had
a whip "A the wagonI"
whip? Quaddy!" said Uncle siny, using
his pet ejaculation. Il dunno as Suke ever
felt the tickle of whip-lash in her life Dea-
con Joel's father was jest so with his animals,
but his grandfather now-his grandfather was
different I've hearn my father tell how t
folks from all the country round ID bring in
their colts for old Squire Emmett TO break for
'em. Quaddyl guess there wouldn't no
body want Deacon Joel to break a colt for
'em, if Suke's the best he can do His father
was jestso. Nice men, nice men, both on
'em, but wonderful easy"
Il should think so, said Chrissy. deacon
Emmetts as gentle spoken as a baby; but it
struck me that he was kind O queer, J" tap
ping her forehead significantly and looking
inquiringly at Johns wife-"why he looked as
if he hardly knew whether to laugh or cry
when [ was tellin about the fresl@
"Mercy, no!" laughed Johns wife. @There
amt anything like that the matter with Deacon
Joel Why, bless you! he's one of our solid
men here-one of the pillars of the church.
He most always has a laughin' look on his
face, and | s'pose he did feel kind O liz cryin
when YOU told him about things out there
that must ha' been it"
There were long stories for Chrissy to tell
to eager listeners that night.
Sand your boxes from Middleport came to
Wecumseh," she said, as she ended a long
recital of the losses and hardships of the suf-
ferers. "This dress was in one of EN-; it was
sent by an old lady who wanted it given to
somebody named 'Christiana She said it
was the name of the woman who used to wear
it and she was dead. | thought remembered
most everybody in Middleport, but | couldn't
seem to think who it could be. I spose you
can tell, though"
Uncle Siny stroked his chin thoughtfully
@Les seel" he said. "There was Arson
Wilbur's wife. she was Christiany. Her
father was old Parson Racket He was
master hand at tellin' story Quaddy! he
never'd Spite good story cause he was in
the pulpit; I've hearn him tell some purity
tough yarns for parson right in the pulpit
But she must have been dead nigh twenty five
year by this time. There ant been many O.
the name of Christiany here. allns thought
your mother named you for old Miss Chris
tiany Petty. She use to think sight o. your
mother when she was little gal l never took
Emily there in the world, but Miss Petty use
to fetch out some sweet-hag or some cruller
babies, or somethin or other she'd laid
by for her. But she went to Boston fore your
mother was married and | amt never hearn
what become of her.
"When you get father to goin' on geneolo-
gies," laughed Johns wife, she dunno where
to stop. I've been thinkin', and I can't think
of any one around here but Deacon Emmetts
sister,-her name was Christiany"
Il didn't know Deacon Emmett ever had
sister" said Chrissy, vague fear growing
within her.
Gle me see, she must ha' been dead when
you was here-six years ago." said Johns
wife. ooh, yes it must be as much as eight
year since she died. But it couldn't ha' been
her, for her mothers dead, too. You said it
was the mother that wrote the note. l can't
see who it can be. "
But Chrissy saw, although she did not see
fit enlighten Johns wife. AS rapidly as she
had jumped at the wrong conclusion, did she
now jump at the right one; and when she got
to bed she lay and laughed with mixture
Of tenderness and humor, at the ridiculous
ness of the thing until the tears rolled down
her cheeks
1t was not long, however, before Johns wife,
too, saw, for Chrissy suddenly dropped all IN
quiry about "Christiana," and if anything was
said about her dress, FASTENED to change the
subject. And by and by the deacon began to
drop in in neighborly way, bringing basket
had struggled up from the cellar
when mis- Ebens" vigilant eve was
turned, or making some awkward excuse at
first, but soon dropping all excuses and
coming quite as though it was the natural
thing to do. Johns wife was shrewd
woman, and she began to put two and two to-
gether, and one day the answer to her prob
lem was unexpectedly proved for her. She
was in at neighbours who had been one of Mid
dleports relief committee, and they were
speaking of the boxes sent from Middleport,
when the neighbor casually spoke of the box
Deacon Emmett had brought down all packed
and nailed
Il expect they we're Christianys things,
likely" said the woman.
And Johns wife restrained the exclamation
that rose to her lips, and only said quietly:
Il shouldn't wonder at all"
But if John hadn't been in his grave these
that night, and have had secret that was
hard to keep poured into his ears.
1t seemed quite the natural thing too, as
Uncle Sings folks didn't hitch up to go down
to church twice a day Sunday, and as Chrissy,
being active and energetic, did "hitch up Ze-
kiels horses" (as she said with laugh, pulling
on her warm leggins and overshoes) and start
off, that Deacon JOEL passing her, alone in his
schooner wagon should insist upon her riding,
and very soon start little earlier, and call for
herof Sunday evening, quite as neighborly
kindness
Uncle Siny took all the deacons visits to
himself, to the inward enjoyment of Johns
wife, who, being a shrewd woman, as | said
before, kept her own counsel
why, Deacon" he said one night in burst
of neighborliness, its real good to have you
run in and be neighborly! l use tor say to
Johns wife, says [, we don't have many
neighbors, we're so scattered in this part O
the Port, but 1 wisht what we had 'ud run in
and be more sociable,' says I"
1--WE allus been a sort O. stay home
man." said the deacon, a little awkwardly,
"but, dunno why, it seemed kind O. lonesome
this fall
Crissy bent lower over the stocking she
was knitting to send to Michigan, feeling like
laughing and crying together at the simple
heartedness of the men.
"Yes, yes" said Uncle Siny, sympathet-
ically. "Quaddy! sh'd think it would be
wus'n lonesome to live with Mis- Eben in the
house. She's beaten for growin', now
amt she? If a woman'u come out with a
good rousin clap O thunder, and then clear
up, can STAN it, but Mis- Eben, now, she
hangs around in the northeast and rumbles
away all day. Lee me see! how long is il
she's been a-keepin' house for you? Why, il
must be goin' on nine years since your sister
died"
sudden thought struck the forgetful and
garrulous old soul
"Why, Deacon" he said, @she was named
Christiany, want she? We've been a-tryin
to think up all the Christianies around here
lately You see, when Chrissy there was out
in Michigan"
Down went Chrissys ball of yarn, and dowr
went the deacon after it.
Father" said Johns wife, "don't you thinl
the stove needs rattlin'? That new coal seems
to have the most clinker in it l ever saw Dc
you like the red-ash coal better than white-ast
Deacon Emmett?"
Il amt got a coal-stove in the house. Mis-
Eben she likes wood the best, and I've go
more swamp wood up at West Farm than can
burn"
Pant fit to burn, coal amt" growlet
/ Uncle Siny, taking up the poker @Gi' me {
/ well-seasoned hickory log, and l do want ne
better fire!"
That night, when Chrissy went upstairs
1 she laughed to herself in a shy way as she
! pulled out pins, and unlocked hooks and I'M
/ buttoned buttons; and when she had blown
/ out the light, and lay alone in the dark, she
/ whispered to herself:
4 "(hriSSV bronson 7 do hnliavo vou,ra 6