The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-04-13
TEL AT GREEN SILK

Mrs. Deacon Lewis and Mrs. Davis,
3be postmistress, we're comforting TO-
gether in mrsterious whispers as they
leaned over their mutual backyard
fence. Said Mrs. Deacon Lewis:
s'Seein' is bolievin or else I should
say jest as you do, that it couldn't be
true; but I jest stepped into Miss
Badgers to see what she'd charge to fix
over my black slpaca-I WANT in any
hurry for the alpaca, but kind of got
an idea that there was someth1n' in the
wind and I thought nneb be Icould find
out what it was there-and there I saw
il with my own two eyes, all over plait-
in's and rufflin's that it seemed a burnin'
shame to cut up good thick silk into,
and fixed up in the back so't couldn't
have the heart to set down on it. And
Miss Badger, for all she's so close
moutbed, she up and told me who it
belonged to, and saws /, 'You don't say
so 7 and says she, Yes, I do, and then
she pursed her lips up kind of pro-
vokin', as if she could tell great deal
more if she was mind to. But I've
got wit enough to put two and two to-
gether, il folks is close .mouthed, and
says !, right ort-for there amt nothin'
sly abnrt me- says I, Then Cordilly
Brewster is a-eoin' to get married. And
Miss Badger she never denied it,"
We'll. IT does beat AL" said Mrs.
Davis. This has been sing'lar year,
VIII It with he met and the terrible
happenin's all round; aud now CoIdilly
Brewster settin' up TO have green silk
dress, when she hasn't worn anything
but bombazine aud alpaca and her one
old black 81 k for nigh upon twenty
years. Its enongh to uDset anybody's
ideas altogether, and make 'em think
the worlds comm TO an end. Though
can't say hat snch cxtra> agance looks
much like the millennium"
Ms D~a"op Lewis shock her head in
solemn censure.
"a good black silk would have been
much more suitable and becomin' to q
woman most forty years old, to say
nothiu' Of the wear aud the maxim over,
and for a minister's wife"
You dou't say thai she's goin' to
marry the minister" exclaimed Mrs.
Davis.
"Why, I suppose so, of course. Who
can it be if it isn't the ministel?'
81 never saw any sign OF their
keepin' company. Parson Greeley is
too speritual to marry q woman that
crimps Ler front hair with hot slate
pencils; and she never put more than
three eggs into those custards that she
carried to the donation party. I should
think moro likely twas somebody that
she picked up when she was down to
Haverhill visitin', or John Parmentcr,
that used to keep company with her
whca they Wa8 Young, and Ea3 Lind O.
been doin' it, Of ord oD, ever sence."
"Oh, she wouldn't have John Par
menter, even il he had spunk enough
to ask her, which he hain't. He is q
good fellow, John is, bnt he'll never set
the world Gira, and he's been runnin'
down hill terribly lately; has had to
mortgage his farm, they do say"
"Cordilly's money would come in
just right, then; but, as you say, don't
suppose she would have him. It's likely
that's what's made John turn out so
poorly, her not havin' him. But 1 can't
really believe it's the minister. There's
Sammy; let's ask him."
Sammy Greeley, the minister's young
est hopeful, who was engaged in "shin
ming up" neighboring telegraph pole
with the ambitious design of attaching
his kite to the wire, descended some
what reluctantly to the earth and
obeyed Mrs. Davis beckoning finger.
Sammy was a freckled-faced urchin
with turned-up nose, she expression
of which was contradicted by pair of
preternatually solemn and innocent
looking blue eyes. In spite of his eyes
Sammy was generally regarded as a
climb" and he and his three brothers,
Moses. Hosea and Joseph, caused the
old proverb concerning ministers sons
to be often repeated with somnle head
shakings by the townspeople.
"Sammy, is your father goin' to be
married ?" asked Mrs. Davis, with her
hand affectiorately placed On Sammy's
shoulder.
"The old CENT? He couldn't remem.
ber TO. Nobody would have him,
either. He's as bald as a door-knob,
and he asks blessin' anywhere along
between the meat and the puddin'. And
Joe and me would fix her, anyhow"
"Wouldn't you like to have him
marry a nice, kind lady like Miss Cor
dilly Brewster? She would teach you
how to behave"
"Know how good enough now, and
I'd wiring her old parrots neck don't
believe it, anyhow, but I'm goin' to find
out"
And off went Sammy, regardless of
his kite, and burst, breathless, into his
fathers study.
"You amt goin' to marry Miss
Brewster and her old green parrot that
swears, and have her always clearin' up
and dustin and losin' your papers, are
yer?" demanded Sammy.
The minister turned from his sermon
writing and regarded Sammy with mild