Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-01-23

AASA Wv viz NOSAt ebAN OCUOSJ .
visage had been rather damper up
on his feelings to begin with, even if
no disheartening allusion had been
made to his toilet, and when, after
his uncomfortable reception, the dea-
con, in accepting Miss Elizabeth's
invitation to s'set down, won't you?''
dropped his mourning hat, which,
with that perversity inherent in IMAM
innate things, rolled under the table,
and he had to go down on his knees
to recover it, he came up feeling very
hot and ridiculous and just little
inclined to indulge a mental impreca-
ton against Betsey as the author of
his misfortunes.
81 reckon you come to see brother
Anson,' said Betsey, to his further
discontinue che is just out in the
potato patch, hoeing, I'll call him.
ssOh, never mind don't disturb
him, Sister Elizabeth" said the dea-
con, somewhat hastily 81 just drop
ped in as / was going past to see
how you were all getting along. I
can't stay long. Hem! it's quite
warm"
Having stranded upon his rock
once before, it seemed strange that
the deacon should rashly have ven
tured remark the second time upon
the weather; but it was an act born
of desperation, as a drowning man
would grasp at thornbush or sting
ing nettle when he found himself GO
ing down. AS might have been ex-
pected, he found himself stung.
sYou seem to feel the heat amaz-
in, Mr.. Skeels. Pears like you'd
be more comfortable in your store
daytimes, than riding around the
country" said Betsey, in a thorny
way that pricked the very heart out
of what little self-possession he had
left and he was about to withdraw,
utterly discomftted, when the low
door leading from the "entry-way"
opened, and Maria appeared, dressed
| in a manner that would undoubtedly
have elected some satnical comment
from her sisters sharp tongue, had
not that worthy lady at the moment
espied family of vagabond pigs,
entering the front gate,-which the
deacon, in his excitement, had for
gotten to fasten-and darted out af-
ter them, waving her sun bonnet
wildly, crying, "Shoo! HE, there,
shoe, there
Oh, blessed pigs! worthy in the
deacon's mind to be immortalized
along with the sacred geese, and
Rome's famous wolf, or would have
been, if he had ever heard of these
highly virtuous myths. At all events
the pigs took the dreaded Elizabeth
off the scene, and as she was toe
much engaged with her household
duties to waste time on tgalavantin'
deacons," as she expressed it, the
couple were left to that peaceful sol.
itude so congenial to two loving souls
two loving hearts.
Maria seemed little embarrassed
and the deacon, too, at first, moi
having recovered his equilibrium, was
not quite at his ease, and occupied
himself some little time in pressing
out of his stiff hat some of the dents
which had been occasioned by his ca
ger clutches after it, when it rolled
under the table, each dent humping
itself out with thud that made the
timid Maria start.
'sLike as not, I'm hindering yor
from your chores, Sister Maria, saiC
the deacon, finally, having fully re
paired his hat, re-arranged the mourn
ing band upon it and carefully de
posted it on copy of 'tFox Mar
tyrs'' which lay on the table.
s'Oh, no. not in the least, Broth
er Skeels; I'm right glad to see you
said Maria, in such a modest, coy
coquettish way that the deacon fel
quite encouraged at once, and movet
his chair little nearer to the sette
upon which Maria was sitting in al
her company state.
The deacon felt that the course o
his wooing had run rather roughly a
the outset, but now he was evidentl,
sailing into smooth waters, and hi
!, oily countenance assumed a benigl
expression, habitual to it when tin
} were selling well, and life seemed a
it's best.
} "You have been quite regular t
prayer meetings, of late, Sister Ma
) ria; its very soothing-like to my sou
to see you there so frequently"
No doubt it was, for the deacon
| if he had any of Betsey keen insight
must have noticed that Maria's in
terest in religious matters had be
come suddenly awakened soon afte
Sister Skeels had been laid in the 81
, lent tomb and her regular attend
ance at prayer meeting was attribut
I ed by few malicious persons to 9th
er motives than those of pious na
: ture.
; ''There's that Maria Parrat chas
ing to prayer meetings every week
I and it's plain as the nose on you
face what she's after" said som
, spiteful gossips.
''It don't take no prophet to tie
2 she's bound to catch Deacon Skeels
if she can: /: but don't guess She
! L. I. y