Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-04-26

tunate as to be passing just as the mln-
l lister opened Miss Cordelia's front-yard
gate.
| There, | knew well enough that
there want never SO much smoke
without some fire. Miss Badger
needn't think that she could make me
believe that green silk gown with a
train didn't mean something. So it's
the minister Well, men-folks is terri
bic short-sis hted creturs. There is
them in Westfeld that would make
him a good sensible wife,
Miss Polly was so unhappy as 10 GO
on for nearly quarter of mile before
she met anybody to whom she could
tell her news, and then it was only Dr.
Ramsey, jogging along behind his old
| white horse, and between him and
Miss Polly there want as she ex-
pressed it, no great likin', no MORN
there was apt to be between two of a
trade But still news was news, and
MISS Polly could not resist the tempta-
tion to share it.
Well, things do turn out queer p
said the doctor to himself, meditative-
ly flicking a fly off his old white horse
as he logged along again. Il wouldn't
have thought she would have had any,
body, let alone the old parson. If l
had thought Why, I'm ten years
younger'n he is, and sight better cal
culated to please the fair sex. And
that's snug bit of property CT Miss
Cordilly's, and she's wholsome-look-
ing good-natured woman, to say moth
irg of being handsome, which don't
signify. | believe I can cut out the
parson if l try. l always said that
would die batchelor, but it's a wise
man that changes bis mind
And the doctor actually whipped
his horse out of his accustomed jog in
to lively trot, and everybody ran to
the window, for the doctor in hurry
was sight that the oldest inhabitant
had never seen.
In the meantime Miss Polly had met
Abner Phillips, one of the back folks
who three miles from the village. But
Abner could not have been more interest
ed in Miss Polly's news if he had lived
next door to the possessor of the green
silk.
His homeward way led him past
John Parmenter's house, and John
was hoeing in his garden.
'Wa'al, now, Parson Greedy is goin'
to do pretty good thing for himself,
amt hep drawled Abner, after the
usual comments and inquiries concern
ing crops had been exchanged. lie
knows which side Of his bread is but
tered on. Parsons ginerally does
What is he going to do?' inquired
John Parmenter.
You don't mean to say you amt
heard? Wa'al, | declare, you don't
know what's goin' on as well as US
back folks does! He's a-goin' to marry
Miss Cordilly Brew ster. He's turri-
BILE teius, the old parson is, and she'll
have to step around lively to fetch up
them boys. But women-folks always
does set lots by a minister
After Abner had gone, John Par
menter dropped his hoe, and stood
wiping his forehead with his handker-
chief with bewildered look.
Il don't know / shouldn't have ex-
pected she marry, but somehow L
didn't. | never thought uf such
thing. l don't know why | should
feel so about it. If | hadn't the couf-'
age to ask her when | was young and
prosperous, surely l couldn't now. l
always began to be a coward the min
ute / came in sight of her never
felt so before any other woman; but
then / never cared anything about any
other. Anyway, | can't rest until L
find out whether it's true or not Cor
della can't object to telling an old
friend. Madam Rumor rules this vii
lage, and she's very apt to be mis-
taken
So John set out to call on Miss Cor
della. AS he passed the bed of cinna-
mon pinks, he found that, although it
was early in the season, three had
blossomed that very morning, and he
made them into little nosegay with
some sprays of fragrant southernwood.
And he was in such haste that he for
got to hide them from the public gaze
by bit of paper-feellng that it was
somewhat ridiculous for stout old
batchelor of forty-fve to be carrying
about little boquets-as he had. d,.on other
occasions.
The doctor was driving away from
Miss Cordelia's door as John approach
ed it, the horse going at his old-fash-
ioneG jog, as if there was nothing in
the world, that was worth hurrying
for
1 hope she isn't ill' thought John,
and then a sudden suspicion seized
him. Here might be another rival,
and a more formidable one than Par
son Greeley. Were rivals springing
up around him like mushrooms, when
he had never thought of the possibility
of the existence of one?
Miss Cordelia's cheeks were very
much flushed, and they grew redder
still at sight Of Johns nosegay.
John, strange to say, did not blush
or stammer as he presented it. Rivals
see .ued to be a wonderful stimulus to
his courage.
'Cordelia, heard that you We're GO
ing to marry Parson Greedy. 1t isn't
true, is it?'
There was something in the tone of
his voice that made Miss Cordelia start.
Was John going to speak, after being
dumb so long?
No, it isn't true,' said Miss Cor
della, and cast down her eyes.
'Nor-nor anybody elseH John was
stammering now. Was his courage
going to fail?
No, nor anybody else said Miss
Cordelia. That is
Tryphosa, coming into the kitchen
from the backyard at that moment,
saw sight which caused her to drop
the cropple-crowned rooster but lust