The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-09-29

Wen, don't know as I'm thinking of
marrying" returned Miss Maria nra1ordestly;
put her color deepened a shade. and Mrs
'sDearme, mo- But none of rs can tel, YOU
see, what NAV be a-comin' round 10 ms was
jest a-thinkin'-'t that ma he me speak so
-oi my niece Phemy. You know she's calcu-
latlng to marry Philauder Dunn in the fall
and what poor Joseph viii do when She leaves
passes me. He's such a snol,en man,
housekeeper would run right ovsr him even
IL he could get one in West Canton. which
amt no ways likely. And bonsel,aeper's
poor substi ute for wife-don,t Won think so,
Miss Stonea'' ~
Aunt Phemy, as she took IN a St tch stole
a glance over her needles at her auditor, who
sat stifly before her. She ,ln5arstool. of
course, and surely that DEEPENING ausb in her
saliow cheek was a sign OF encourae cement
privately the good woman had ALWAYS dOubtei
Miss Maria's oracular utterances on the mar
rage question. She could not imagine sem
S St9e WOMAN uecliulh@ good Offer, and since
-lss Maria was that, and this plainly-as the
advertisements would say-s'a sn Derior oppOr-
tunitv,' she did notdoubt as TO her answer.
Il was a-telln' him onlg the other day.
sue went on palntlNelY, hitching her chair a
little nearer Miss Maria. That he'd ought to
be thinkin' of II seriously. Hetty's the last
one TO want him TO stay a widoweralways, and
Phemy she's set her heart on helm, married
come september Her fathers got everything
OF the best Tor her; he ALWAYS was a good
proyider. lletty, now, she was a naster-hand
iortine linen an ehany, an the house is full OF
Pm sure I've always heard Mr.. Badger
well spoken of, " rcjOined Miss Maria stifiy;
but she kept her eyes on her knitting.
Whatever you've heard, it's no more han
ne deserves lies Jest the best -dispositi0ne
m1n-always willing 10 put up with a cold
bite when Hctty had extra worJz a,,i get IA
her every last thing she wanted for the house.
The parlor sofy was got Jest the year before
she died, an she ok the best there was in
the store lie never spared no expense TO
please her,
Il a,a glad TO hear she was so wei or said
Miss Maria, dryly, as Aunt Phemy paused to
take breath.
swell YOU may so; but not so well of as
the next one III be- Hetty hal her hard times
wien they was drst married. They had 70
sefape along most any way some few wears
then. That's one good thing, | always saw,
about marryni late in life. IL YOU marry
young. Miss Maria, you do have a COOL deal
10 60 through. There's triAls and tnbulatioas
IN every state, rs The good book slgs. am
'lain't the worst luck TO keep single tail you
can really better YOURSELF
Miss Maria shut her lips and turned her
head from Aunt Phcmv, rs il she might make
a good many answers 10 that remark il she
chose; but her visitor dill not notice it. She
was carried quite away now by her own clio
qucnce. and Sue dill not doubt IN II he sans-
ter's silence means c0nseat- And as | was
sayin', | was telln' him only the ctlIer night
plenty to choose from in Canton. An he an
severed mc-yOu'd ought to heard him-'Ph
my, the amt but one woman in Canton that
cah take lie Tvs place An knew right q 7
nearer in an unmistakable manner; q but he's
SO shy he can't bear TO sneak
IL YOU mean me- VI = Maria all, clear
inS her throat 'I'm much Obliged, but !
couldn't tn nix OF leaving father
WHY. there's Prudence
"Prlly'S far tOA VOunH and niThty.n an
swcrel the spiuSter, TO whom-herself past tie
dangerp1int Of fortY-her sister, live years
Younger, seemed still girl. II cOul Int think
OF putting such a care on her. But there's
plenty more in Canton, as yon just saii,' she
added, with a family irOnical emphasis -
make nOdOubt some Of them would be glal of
the chancen
Bat Aunt Phcmv was too dazed to answer.
Was her brothcr-in law, Joseph Badger. being
retuseds She could not believe her ears.
And Just then old Mr.. Stone came hOhbling
up the path, supported hy cane au his
Younger dlughter. Miss Maria ran TO him a
once, and supplantiug Prldence, guided him
TO chair She was OccuA sled with him long
enough for her visitor 70 recover, and perhaps
she needed the time TO regain her own com
posture. When she turned again 10 Amt
Phemy the color was gone from her cheeks
and her manner was quite as usual But Mrs
smith did not ay 10 tea Her visit came %
m end rs soon as pOlitencss would permit,
and she left the hOuse a wiser If n9ta "a lder
the next morning. '-Pcrhans IFS for the best
after all, she said toherselE "Maria's capa-
Bile, bat 'ye always heard she haia temper
and Joseph Il IA her have Abby s ebbins
she's Younger. aud she's prettt-appearin', an
they's no danger but she'll be glad of the
chmce. COIN about sewin' i Z miserable life
In fact, Aunt Phemy felt her second - sion
one of peculiar beucvolence, and %Su4t,
warned bv her previous experience, she set
ibout it vi h more caution, and men iOue1 no
names until she was obliged, she felt yc-v
sure OF her prize this time But the rOsyl ttle
.eaTnstress, who had ouly her ingcrs, and her
rifle in the bank against he dty when those
myers failed her, proved no more tractabe
han Miss Maria She declined 70 be pitel on
her desOlate cOniltiOn; she only laughed
when Aunt i'hemy spoke OF the advantages OF
good home and provision for the future
You're very kind, I'm sure, Mrs. Smith;
)ut | see no reason to change my state
Pm satisfied 10 depend on myself, other folks
leedn worry over me. / know I'm sick jme-
lines, aud | can't always count on the work;
lut l do pretty well, considering. Is for a
home, could so TO James any day. AMI wei
.Ome. -
.'But that amt all the same, cried Aunt
Phemy; sam at course YOU don't W ant to go
% vonr sisters, with herseven children aad
sickiy husband. I always dit say that for 50
smart a girl as Jane was she had POOR luck
n rryug But hat needn't set you all agai1st
Il; AMI $ clear fiyin in the face OF Proyi
better take little tim. 10 think 10 over. |
suppose it's a mite surpr.s n 70 YOU may be y
~ don't need no time 10 think, retortcd
Miss Abby, grizzly. Pm not Obliged 10
marry for hon.; am IL | wanted to. /
needn't have waited till this time, thank
yOu.n
swell, l dunno what the world is comm
TO-" groaned Aunt Phemy, as she walked
nome, ''wheI women won't marry man like
Joseph Badger. It's all these new notions
about is bein' so fine 10 be independents; but
| did think Abbey Stebbins had more sense.
There's one comfort. she won't tell OF 1t.
wish could be as sure OF Maria | declare to
goodness b'iieve I'll tell Joseph he must git
4 wife for himself. didn't count on its bein'
any such work.
She wiped the sweat from her brow as she
spoke. The road was dusty, the day was hot,
and her Office was proving bur'lcasome- And
Just then, at 4 turn of tire country way, she
came on trim little cottage. Il declare, Pm
e'en q most tuckercd OUT she painted. "rIl
Jest go in an see the widlcr Holmes aspen,
an git rested She'd be n good one for pseph
II he want sot aginst wild lers. But there |
amt goin' to ask sny more folks to have him
jest YETI
The widow Holmes was slight, pale. with a
remnant OF lost beauty in her fadaI
cheeks. She had been left alone in the world
five years before, with only this little home
her aud starvation; but by stitching
in winter, aud city bOarders in summer she
picced out narrow living for hefself and her
overflowing, aud she came TO the ioOr hot and
flushed from the kitchen. But her greeting
was as cordial as heart could wish. 'sWhy.
IN real glad to see YOU, Mrs Smith. Do
come right in. pyc had to give TIE parlor IN
10 a boarder; buf there's no one IN this room
and you LOOK all beat out with the heat
''Well, l am considerable tiredr admitted
Mrs Smith, as she sank into the Old-fashioned
rocker the widow brought forward and took
a great turkey-feather fan from her hand
''I'd no idee it twas SO hot, or wouldn't a
come out. But now Pm afraid Pm disturbin'
you. You was doin' suthin' ont in the
kitchen, WANT you!" She glanced as she
spoke through the open door into the little
lean-to that serve at once as dining room and
kitchen. The sitting-room was cool and
pleasant, and though small and poorly fur
nished, was in perfect order She had seen
that as she took her seat, aud her re spect for
the widow rose as she noted the same spotless
neatness in the room beyond. s.Can't lest
go right out where you area You're putin
up fruit, / s'posel
SPIN just through, " answered the widow, |
Dbeying the hint by leading the way our.
'There it is; hushel OF blackberries and not /
4 berry lost, IL did do it. And want YOU to |
see the apple jelly made yesterday. Not that !
It's be ter than other f.fl-.- ..,...- ~, hnt