Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-05-04

he been seen shyly to offer her a nosegay
Of southernwood and cinnamon pinks,
which grew to great perfection in his gar
den, and OF which, in her girlhood, Miss
Cordelia had been very fond.
Many other admirers had Miss Oordelia,
but SIZE had turned cold shoulder upon
az. and seemed perfectly contented to live
on in her comfortable old house. with trim
box .oordered flower beds in the front yard.
lilac bushes crowding in at the windows,
with her handmaiden Tryphosa, who was
not. rs her name suggested. romantic
young maiden. but an ancient and angular
spinster, who believed in signs and omens,
and always "felt" coming events ain her
bones" Tryphosa was now gazing at the
Green silk with melancholy expression of
countenance.
Green means forsaken; there amt no
| denyin' it. And Seliny Wilson. that was
merried in green, was laid out q corpse In it
before the end Of the year; and Mertildy
Lyman, that was merried in white muslin
sprigged with green, and green bunnet
strings, she had drunken husband that
fell off the haymow, and dislooated his spi-
nal column and everybody knew her twins
want bright; and"
But ! am not going to be married In 1t,
you know, Tryphosa, said Miss Cordelia,
turning merry face up to Miss Tryphosas
doleful one. perhaps It Is only unluoky
as wedding dress. As for being forsaken,
! there doesn't seem to be anybody left to
forsake me but you, and ! am not afraid
that all the green dresses in the world can
make you do that"
There amt no luck about green nohow, :"
said Tryphosa. IF, twas laylock. now, OF
handsome brown"
L suppose really had ought to have
had black, said Miss Cordelia. meditatiye.
ly; but some way the spring coming ON,
with everything SO fresh and bright. made
me feel as used to long ago, and I've
anybody but you, T1yphosa-but ] made
believe was girl again. And that's why
| had this green silk.
And that's why you've been putting po-
sizes in your hair. Well, 1t beats all what
| difference there is In folks. Now spring
puts me in mind of .cleanin and soap
bilin and bitters-Land sakesl if there
amt Psrson Greedy comm up the walk.
and nothln' but the old coppererown for
nner, and all skin and bones at that, he
a-oomin' in the yard this blessed minute!"
| Miss Cordelia whskea the green silk out
of sight. and smoothed her crimps denure-
" down, as she fastened to greet her
! visitor.
1t happened that Miss Polly Watkins,
who went about the village peddiiug con-
| coction known as Watkins Unapproachable
Liniment, Was so fortunate as to be pass
ing just as the minister opened Miss Cor.
delils front yard gate.
Therel | knew we'll enough that there
want never So much smoke without some
fire. Miss Badger needn't think she could
make me believe that green silk gown With
train didn't moan something So it's the
minister. Well, men folks ia terrible short
sighted creturs. There is them in West
field that would make him good, sensible
wife"
Miss Polly was so unhappy as to go on
for nearly quarter Of mile before she
met anybody to whom she could tell her
news and then it was only DR.. Ramsay, jog
ging, along behind his old white horse, and
between him and Miss Polly there want"
as she expressed it. me great ikin', no
nore'n there Was apt to be between two Of
trade" But still news vas news, and
Miss Polly could not resist the temptation
Of an opportunity to share it.
We'll, things do turn out queerl" said
The doctor TO himself. meditative!y Ticking
fly of his old white horse as he logged
along again. II wouldn't have thought she
would have anybody, let alone the old par
son. If had thought-Why I'm ten years
gounger'n be is, and a sight better calcula.
led &c please the fair set. And that's
snug bit of property OF Miss Cordillys and
she's wholesome looking. good tempered
woman, to say nothing of being handsome,
which don't signify. I believe can cut
out the parson if l try. always said
would die bachelor, but it's wise man
that changes his mind"
And the doctor actually whipped his
hfr-a ont nf
IL trct, ent everybody ran to the window.
fot the doctor in hurry was sight that
the Oldest inhabitant had never seen.
In the mean time Miss Polly had met
Abner Phillips, one Of the back folks,
who lived three miles from the village.
But Ahner could not have been more inter-
ested IL Miss Polly's news if he had lived
| next door to the possessor of the green
silk. His homeward way led him past
John Parmenter's house, and John was
hoeing in his garden.
"W, al, now, Parson Greedy is eoin' to
! do cretty good thing for himself amt
| he?" drawled Abner, after the usual COM
pents and inquiries after the crops had
been exchanged. He knows which side
his bread is buttered on. Parsons gneral.
does" What is he going to do2". in
! CURED John Parmenter,
You don't mean to say you hain't heard?
VA al, declare, you don't know what's 60
n on so well as back folks does! He's a.
goin' to marrN Miss Cordilly Brewster,
Hes turrible tejus, the old parson is, and
she'll have to step around lively to fetch
| up them boys. But women-folks always
ioes set by minister"
After Abner had gone, John Parmenter
diopped his hoe, and stood wiping his fore
| mead with his handkerchief with bevil-
dered look.
I don't know why shouldn't have ex.
| peoted shed marry, but somehow didn't.
| never thought of such thing. I don't
know why should feel SO about it III
admit the courage to ask her when was
'oung and prosperous, surely couldn't
now. always began TO be coward the
minute I came il sight of her, never felt
| so before ehy other woman ! but then new.
er cared anything about any other. Any
way, can't rest until I find out whether it's
true or not. Cordelia can't object to telling
an old friend. Madam R1mor rules this
village; and shes very apt to be mistaken
So John set out to call on Miss Cordelia.
| AS he passed the bed of cinnamon pinks.
| be found that. although it was early in the
season, three had blossomed that very
morning. and he made them into little
| nose9ay with some sprays Of fragrant south
ernwood. And he was in such haste that
he forgot to conceal them from the pubic
gaze by bit of paper, as-feollng that it
was somewhat ridiculous for stout old
baehel or of forty-fve to be carrying about
little bouqHets-~Ae had on other occa.
sions.
The doctor was driving away from Miss
Cofdelia's door as John approached it. the
horse going at his old. fashioned jog, as il
there were nothing in the world that was
worth hurrying for
hope she isn't ill" thought John, and
then sudden suspicion seizsd him. Here
might be another rival, and more formida.
tle one than Parson GreelY. Were rivals
s)ringing up around him like mushrooms.
when he had never thought Of the pos 81.
bility Of the existence of one?
Miss Cordelia's cheeks were very much
flushed, and they grew redder still at sight
OF Johns nosegay.
John, strange 10 say, did not blush
or stammer as he presented it. Rivals
seemed to be Wonderfnl atimuluo IN he