The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-01-21
TWO DAYS In A BRASS KETTLE.

wearin' me inter my grave, but if yer don't
want to try on yer weddin' dress, you kin wear
it fittin' you good or bad fur all me-" said
Mrs. Long, or the " Wilder Sam,'' as she was
called by the neighbors, regarding her pretty
daughter ruefully over her slver-rimmed spec
tacles, " l never see a girl make sech finder
about gettin' married, an there ha'n't like
lier nor genteeler man in the hull keounty
then the elder'' she continued excitedly.
That's So" said Mrs. Sampson, the dress.
maker, breaking her thread with the force OF
her conviction, he ha'n't one o. them shfess
kind that breaches fur pork m taller candles,
out folkses sullars n the store, but Jest sets
up fur his pay in money like anybody else and
he gifts it, tew," the widow went on. "Mis'
Isril Baker don't git no chance TO change the
gospil fur tub o. soft soap when he's con-
sarned, tell you. He's got ez good farm as
m neat ez yaou please. He's a goin' to put
iap a front yard fence tew, come spring, he
t0le me so the other day."
But detest the man, mother,' said the
slender, dark-eyed girl, whose brow wore anx-
ious lines, but whose clear, brave eyes shone
with determined light which bodied i'll for
the success of her mothers plans. GO have
told you over and over again that | would
never marry him. STILL if It will be any salts
faction to you, will try on the dress"
YOU'RE talkin' nonsense, Delphiny. You
know ez well ez l dew tibet the weddin' day ez
fixed fur day after tewmorrer, m tewmorrer
the elder IS comm UP with his friend Elder
Knight Miss Sampson brought me word, by
way ofSeth Perkins. | can't say Pm sorry It Is
so soon, nuther, fur you ha'n't bin consoliu'
darterte w me no way. The 'cademy edication
'at gin you hez only set yeou up fore yeour
folks, m when | lay myself eout fur yeour
own good, m will tibet yeou shell marry gen.
teel m intew the gospil, yeou go'n' get your
mind sot on young Teller tibet ha'n't got
nothin but store clothes m sarcy m dred-
full glib tongue to reckermend him. A kind
o. furrlner, tew, livin' away off in Canada
with the Lord only knows what kind 'ur a
bringin' up. The elder said did wrong when
! harbered sich character under my roof. fur
ldleness is the mother ev vice, m he spent two
hull months DOM nothin' but huntin' and
fshin' with plenty of sly courtin' thrown in
when my back was turned 'spose preferable. I"
The affections ken not allus be kept in
curb, Mis- Sam Long," remarked Miss Samp-
son, drawing down her long, thin face to &C.
cord with the sigh which heaved her sympa-
thetic bosom.
What is merridge without love?n she in
quired, dramatically, with plying glance at
the poor girl who looked so pale over the we'd
ding tinery.
Goats foot about love-" calculated the in
dignant widow, "I've he'd two desperate good
husbands myself, m there wasn't nothn' so
silly as bein' In love inter the bargain. Love
ha'n't houses nor land nuther." And she
tossed handful of sbreds which she had care
fully plucked from the neat rag carpet, and
hurled them energetically out Of the window,
as if she would thus dispose of this trouble
some emotion for Delphine in particular and
the world in general
1t wouldn't make any difference If had
never seen Tom, mother, nothing would in
duce me to marry Elder Taylor il there wasn't
another man in the world" And Delphine
hastily removed the stone-colored silk gown
which had been chosen by the united heads Of
her mother and three aunts as suitable for
preachers bride, and left the room.
The wide kitchen door was open, overlook
ing sunny fields and the blue gloom of far
stretching pine woods She stood there few
moments with her hands clinched tightly to-
gether and with almost despairing eyes which
were fixed on the road which wound beyond
the fields like brown thread into the hilly
distance.
80, why doesn't Tom comet" she said, half
aloud. "He must have got my letter in time,
or can it be he wasn't at home when the letter
reached Stanford l will not believe that he is
the faithless, deceiving william which mother
be, o, mol something must have gone wrong,
or he would certainly have been here by this
time to save me from this dreadful marriage.
What shall l dol know the letter must have
gone safely, for did not intrust 1t to the care
of our postmaster, nor to the stage-driver, for
thCg DObu III WIFI lily TelaLIVe6. L
walked five miles to post it myself, and saw it
deposited in the mailbag with my own eyes,
What can be the meaning of this silenceg
Sometimes L think shall go mad. But there
Is no time to be lost. II he does not come to-
night | must go away. l must hide some
where until the Elder shall have come and
gone But where shall / goa There isn't a
neighbor who would dare to shelter me for
fear of mourning my mothers displeasure or
through awe of the Elder, and haven't single
relative who isn't on the side of the enemy.
l suppose | might exist for awhile in the
woods. Better die of exposure than marry
that dreadful man. But then Tom might make
his appearance, and l must be near near
enough to see or hear him at the very first mo
ment of his approach Isn't there some nook
Ia the barn where I might conceal myself2
But'-Delphine's eyes stared about her as
she spoke, and through the open door which
led into what was called the back room, they
fell upon huge brass kettle which was sus-
pended from the rafters overhead.
What hiding place this would be Surely
the kettle was large enough to conceal a small
body entirely from view, at least in STOPPING
position, and II the great iron nail which held
IL was driven into the beam firmly enough to
bear her weight In addition to the kettle there
was nothing more to be thought Of. From
her lofty perch she would be able to look
down upon all the proceedings which her dis
appearance might occasion, witness all the
comings and goings, hear much that was said,
and what was better there was view of the
road through the great chink in the wall which
was In direct line with the ancient vessel
and she would he able 70 aae the ataue the