The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-10-05
BY EMILY p. WHEELER.

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young folks apart SO. You'd ought to be
married"
Uncle Joe Badger tipped his chair back
to a more comfortable angle, and looked
abstractedly at his boots. He was tail
and lank, and not at all good-looking
but very few people were that in West
Canton, and as owner of the Badger
farm, he felt able to dispense with other
claims to regard. Besides, good looks
belonged to young people, and Uncle
Joe did not deny his hall-century of ex-
perience.
"Well," he said slowly, II s'pose you're
about right, Phemy." lie sighed as he
spoke, but 1t was not all in memory Of the
wife of his youth Partly also the diff
culties involved in the choice of her sue
cessor depressed his soul. He was a Shy
man, and he dreaded the necdful prelim-
inaries.
"lou'ye waited a proper tme,' Aunt
phemy went on, answering that half of
the sigh which referred to her sister:
"and I'D lie the last one to want You to
marry in unbecomin haste Hctty was d
good wife, and it amt likely YOU can find
her match in Canton. She was jest the
chippereSt woman about d house most
ever see, and she'd be the last person to
want lou unhappy for lack Of some one
III her place.
"Wcll, that's so, Uncle Joe asscnted,
with a shade more animation; ''an' | re
member now, Jest about a week before
She died, she said suthin' like that. But
i didn't see no call to take it serious
them" He sighed again, looking out
tr.,,1 tNn I,.n.ll ,rl Ia,
past the wheat field and woodland to the
deserted graveyard on the hill Even
at that distance one could see the glim-
mer Of the white stones III the sunshine.
'Did she speak Of any one in particu-
lar z" Aunt l'hemy asked. "Sho was al
ways fond of Cynthy Bascom, | know.
She told me once she thought Cynthy'd
make such good step mother
''lhcre's no call to talk OF step
mother Cncle joe returned. ''With Ear-
rit and Josephine settled in homes Of
their own out West. and phemy All ready
to hc married"
Evidently his fancy was not caught by
Cynthy Bascom's virtues. Aunt Phemy
SAW it, and veercd at once "Well, that's
true enough, an if Gym is smart, shes
not much to speak Of n looks. Now,
there's the widder Hood she's tull as
spry, an she's fine appcaIin'."
But she's got children"
'Only one to home. Dan provides for
himself now, an they'd never be no cN-
pcnse TO yon, for they've got money com-
in from Their grandfather
II don't believe Iletty'd like a Widder,'
Uncle Joe said, falling back now, as in
her life, behind her apron. "She was
always sot aginst widders marryin agin,
leastWays if they had chidren.'
"Well, there's Corncely Bugbee she's
suitable for age. turned forty, know,
an a master hand to work She'd man
age the farm for YOU an take care of YOU
ct You got down with rheumatic agin
IN you know the doctor said you was liza
bic to another attack any time. It's your
dooty to think Of that, Joseph"
eyes, but Corneely, now amt she
ruther sorter old and domineering,
50 to speak y ventured Uncle Joe,
meekly.
"There's Jane IIctchkiss, but she's
sort o shftless; never gifts her washin
out before noon. An Diodemy Barnes,
she's too young"
"Why, dunno answered the other,
doubtfulIy, "She must be nigh on to
thirty seven, amt she y
"Well, shouldn't wonder if she was"
his adviser remarked, after minutes
pause to think the matter over. "But
she Amt very healthy Now let me sec'
For in truth the field was narrowing.
West Canton was full Of spinsters and
widows, and Joseph Badger could Ger
tainly pick and choose. But even he
could not be too critical Aunt Phemy
saw the need Of a little diplomacy, and
took her cue from his last remark.
"There's Maria Stone, if YOU want
some one younger Or Abby Stebbins,
though Pm free to confess she'd never
be my ch'ice"
and 50 did Hetty. She said once she
thought she'd be happierif she had a hus-
band. An Maria's took good care of her
old father, You know
Well, answered Aunt Phemy, 'it
amt a wife for me Pm a-selectin an if
you fancy Maria or Abby, its your own
business. But hope you'll make up your
mind right off, Joseph Widowers amt
expected to shilly- -shally. Everybody
knows what they're after the first time
they come, an you might as we'll say it
straight out. Jest git yourself ready
come Sunday night, an go see one of
EN-, and have it off your mind. It's
between harvest and threshin' You
couldn't have a better time"
But from tins awful proposal Uncle
Joe recoied. He was willing to marry if
his sister-n-law thought best but he
took such alarm at the needful steps to-
ward it, that at last, in sheer pity, Aunt
Phemy volunteered to see the elect lady,
and sound the matter for him. In con
slderation Of that favor, Uncle Joe left
the selection pretty much to her.
'Jest which You think best Phemy,"
he repeated, anXiousy, as he rose to 90.
~ dunno as I've mite o choice myself
But Aunt Phcmy had, and when next
day she put on her sun bonnet, took her
knitting, and dropped in for friendly
call on Miss Maria Stone, it was with a
peculiar purpose. 1t was plain indica-
tion Of Providence, to her mind that the
Stone wood lot adjoined the Badger
farm, since Uncle Joe's own "piece of
timber was nearly cut away. Her father
was old and partly helpless from a stroke
of paralysis. There were but the two
daughters, ana nolnlnS seemed easier
than that Prudence, the younger, should
take her sisters place when Maria went
to a home of her own. And Maria was
famous manager She could run both
homestcads if she choose and Mrs.
Smith, benevolenty arranging the affair,
felt quite sure in her own mind that she
would.
Miss Maria was tall, angular, homely.
1t would not hay eseemed wildly unchar-
table to suppose these the reasons why
at the ripe age Of forty two she was still