Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-06-15

couldn't be expected to talk just like
common people.
"What is she a-goin' to do, them"
demanded Mis- Ichabod, severely. .I
don't know of any other chance for
herr
ell offered her position, but she
declined that also," said the minister.
The committee looked thunder-struck.
ssI do hope it want to keep school, I"
said Mis- Hosea Blodgett, recovering
herself suddenly, s'for she hain't a mite
of faculty, everybody knows. Why, I
asked her once if she understood mathe-
mates, and she said she could do ,addi-
ton if you gave her time. My ANGELA
understands mathematics, and besides
beautiful learnin', she's got real fac
ulty for keepin' school,"
ssI 1t was not position as school
teacher, y said the minister. 90
"She could kind of get along with
Homework, though she haiffat any fac
ulty. hope the folks amt very par
tickerler," said Mis- Ichabod.
''As she declined the position, it does
not seem to matter whether they are or
not" said the minister.
If Mis- Ichabod had not stood very
much in awe Of the minister, he would
have then and there received ''a piece
of her mind" as she afterWard de-
clared; ''for if there was anything that
provoked her beyond endurance, it was
q close-mouthed person." But as he
was the minister, there was nothing to
do but to take leave of him with cold
ness and dignity which should give some
token of their displeasure. &sasfsfs
As if he couldn't tell them just as well
as not who wanted to hire Pamely to do
house-work! But there was one COM
fort-the committee knew there was
nothing going on in Brimblecom that
they couldn't find out. sas
And just after she had expressed that
opinion, Mis- Ichabod was so overcome
by some sudden thought that she fairly
gasped and leaned for support against
the town pump, which providentialy
stood in her way. - e &>-8
81 heard that Joanna Leach wanted
to go home because her sisters twins
had the measles. The minister wanted
gasped. t-z. - ..-. s-..
"Well, Mis- Ichabod, If you hain't
got an understandin' worth havin'!
And, though / never breathed it to q
mortal before, I've had my suspicious
that the minister want all he'd ought
to be-" exclaimed Mis- Hosea Blodgett.
"I never knew a man to have one
white eyebrow for nothing" said Miss
Nancy Perkins, darkly. IS E%e
Before night the report had spread all
over Brimblecom that the minister had
asked Pamela Semple to keep house for
him. Mr.. Stockbridge was certainly
the last person to be suspected of an inn
propriety, but appearances were deceit
full. He surely must know that he ought
to have housekeeper who was at least
fifty, and it was eminently proper that
she should be toothless, cross-eyed, and
disfigured by the smallpox, as Joanna
Leach was. If Pamela were an es-
peciaily capable person, the case would
be somewhat different; but to be willing
to bear with a housekeeper who had no
faculty, he must have a personal regard
for her.
The oldest inhabitant could not re-
member such an excitement in Brimble-
com. The Rev. Mr.. Cald wells heresy
had been tame, and the report that DR..
Saunders had another wife living only
mildly exhilarating in comparison.
But several weeks went by before any
sound of it reached the minister's ears.
Happily for him, Brimblecom had q
Wholesome fear of the minister. But at
length, owing mainly to the efforts of
Mis- Ichabod, Mis- Hosea Blodgett, and
Miss Nancy Perkins, it was decided that
at the next church meeting one of the
Deacons should question the minister
concerning the matter. Such a crying
scandal must no longer remain uninves-
tigated.
1t was great day for Brimblecom.
There had not been such an attendance
at church meeting since the Rev. Mr..
Caldwell's trial for heresy. Mrs. Deacon
Simmons said it seemed so much like
county conference that she got up at
four O'Clock, and went to baking a great
batch of pumpkin pies before she re-
membered what she was about.
If the minister had any idea of what
it all meant, he gave no sign, and when
Deacon Simmons, with awful solemnity,
and with a long preamble concerning
the duty of minister to set an example
to his flock in righteousness, asked him
if he thought it seemly and becoming to
ask the daughter of their late Deacon
Ephraim Semple to become his house,
keeper. the minister quietly replied that
he had never done so.
The committee looked at each other,
and everyb ,dy else looked at them.
Miss Nancy Perkins felt, as she after
ward expressed it, as if she s'would like
to go through to Chiny;" but Mis- Icha-
bod bore up nobly, and Mis- Hosea
Blodgett relied upon Mis- Ichabod
Didn't you tell committee consist
ing of Mis- Ichabod Badger, Mis- Hosea
Blodgett, and Miss Nancy Perkins that
you had done SOP" pursued Deacon
81 did not" said the minister, with
an air of bland and innocent surprise.
This was too much for Mis- Ichabod.
She arose, and shaking her forefnger
impressively at the minister, demanded:
Didn't you tell US that you had Of.
fered her situation to keep housep
And who In this livin' world could it be
that wanted a housekeeper but youp''
You misunderstood me.'' said the