The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-09-22

in church choir and sing. Seems t.
be all elbows somehow.
.sYe-a-s-ye-a-s; a good deal like thu
bav mare Dave was sot against-awk
ward, but steady-goin' and useful
more for use than show. Wa'al, wa al
must be goin' home; all the chores t
do, and Dawes billin' and COON
Good-afternoon, deacon. Come oyel
and see us"
When Dave Somers and his bride
walked up the church aisle, the mex
Sunday morning, over Parson Elliott
congregation there passed that indei1na,
BILE tiutter which can only be compared
to breeze suddenly stirring the leaves
of a poplar grove. Every eye was
turned upon the handsome, strong
limbed young man, and the fair, dee
cate girl at his side, who bore the
curious glances of all these strangers
with quiet, well-bred composure.
After service people fingered in the
aisle for an introduction, in the manner
of country village churches, where
Sunday is the day for quiet sociability
and the interchange of civilties. And
after the respective friends of the family
had scattered to their several homes,
Dawes wife was the one universal topic
of discussion over the Sunday dinner.
"a mighty pretty girl, - "a face like
rose" TOO cute for anything,
''Stylish as fashion plate" "AregulaI
little daisy" were a few of the com
ments passed by the young men of the
congregation. To these remarks the
ladies supplemented their critical OBJ
servations after the manner of women
Her nose isn't pretty" Her mouth
is too large" ''Her face was powdered
I saw it," "Her hat was horrid;" 81
don't like to see so much agony in a
small place" But Sarah Jane Graves
said: "She is lovely. would give the
world to be as prettyas sheis. No wonder
Dave loved her." And she choked down
lump in her throat as she said it.
All the neighboring people called or
Dawes wife the next month, and, with
one or two exceptions, introduced the
conversation by the question, "Well,
how do you like Somerville?" To the
monotony of this query Dawes wife
varied herreplies as much as was posi-
BILE without contradicting herself 81
am quite delighted with the fertility Of
my mind" she laughingly remarked to
Dave at the expiration of the first
month. ITO at least fifteen people who
have asked me that one UNMARRIED ques-
ton have invented at least ten differ
ent phrases in which to express my
satisfaction with Somerville. l have
said: Very much, thank you;' 90,
am highly pleased;' Far better than !
anticipated event. Il find it very pleas
anti 1T has made very agreeable i'm
preston upon me- and oh, ever SO
many more changes [ have rung on
that one idea, Daven' and the young
wife laughed merrily. But under the
laugh Dave seemed to hear minor
strain. His face grew grave.
Il fear l did wrong to bring you here
among these people, he said. They
are so unlike you-so commonplace. |
fear you are homesick already, Madge. "
mo, no; indeed, you are wrong,
Dave; indeed, | am happy here, and
like your friends" Madge protested,
with tender earnestness.
But as the months went by it was
plain to all eyes that Dawes wife was
not happy; that she did not assimilate
with her surroundings. She made no
intimate friendships; she sat silent at
the sewing society, and would not take
an interest in the neighborhood gossip
which formed the main topic of con-
versation at these meetings. She would
not take class at Sunday-school, claim
ing that she was not fitted to explain
the Gospel to any unfolding inquiring
mind, as she was not at all sure that
she understood it herself.
Dark insinuations were adoat that
Dawes wife was an ''unbeliever," or at
least a Unitarian, and her fashionable
style of dress marked her as worldly
minded at all events. Deacon Brad
law and Deacon Somers held many an
interview on the shady side of the viii
lage store, and Dawes wife" always
came up for discussion, sooner or later,
during those interviews.
"She's settin' bad example to all of
Somerville," Deacon Bradlaw declared.
'My gal Arminda's gettin' just as fussy
and proud as young peacock about
her clothes; nothin' suits her now I'M
less it looks stylish and citifed. And
see there's deal more extravaganza in
dress among all the women-folks since
Dawes wife came with her high heels
and her bustles and her trimmin's.
You ought to labor with her, Brother
Somers."
Brother Somers sighed. II do labor
with her." he said, ''but the poor thing
don't know what to do Her guardian
she was an orphan, you know-give
her the little money she had left after
her schoolin' to buy her weddin' fixin's.
She d no idee what plain folks she was
a-comin' among. So she got her outfit
accordin' to the way she'd been brought
up. Lord! she's got things enough to
last her ten years, and all trimmed to
kill, and all fittin' her like duck foot
in the mud; and what can she do but
wear EN-, now she's got EN-, she saws;
and | can tell her to throw 'em away
and buy new. 'Twouldn't be economy.
She's been with us nigh onto a year
now, and she's never asked Dave for a
cents worth of anything"
"But she's no worker; anybody can
see that. And you've he'd to keep girl
half the time since she's been with you. -
Deacon Bradlow added somewhat net
tied that his neighbor made any excuses
for Dawes wife, whose fair face and
fine clothes and quiet reserve had in