The Penn's Grove record., 1883-11-03

LIS
room.
ssThem Things is such nice folks
said Dame Thumb.
"Well, when all's SAID and done
they've got the curiousest name in the
world" sighed the Widow Manly.
Don't you know how that came
about?n asked Grandma Bixby.
oI did know, but it's kind of slipped
my mind, owing TO 50 much trouble.
"Why, the gIeat-grandfather o. these
Young Things, he was named Blizzard.
And he had a sight o. trouble all on
account of his name. DO what he
would, the boys would call him Buzz
zard an flap their arms like wings
when he came around, and vex him
real rough. So he went to the legisla-
ture prayin' for his name to be changed.
'All right, says the legislature, what
name1l you have?', oh! anything
says he, anything "That'M do says
the Judge. Write that name down.
he says to the clerk-'Anythlng.'
sold Blizzard, he was so struck of a
heap that he couldn't say a word.
And 70 in the snappin' of a birds eye,
he was written down by the name of
Anything. The mex gineration they
dropped the Any, but Things they are
to this day."
can Things they will remain" sol
EMMY said the old lady with the
rheumatism, still the last day, when
they'll be called up to the proper name
o. Blizzard"
H'Well Thing is a good name," said
Dame Thumb. 'It's so handy like;
an forget it you can't"
Debby in the next room felt her
cheeks burn. The stove vas so hotl
IN go down to the spring and wash
the rolling-pin," she called, and catch
ing her sunbonnet, she walked off fam
ming herself with her apron.
The spring was shaded by willows,
and under n of them Jessy lay asleep.
Her crutch had fallen by her side, one
arm was rounded under her head, the
other, half bare, was flung out on the
grass.
II will not wake her." thought Deb;
''poor child how tired and warm she
looksl''
But at this instant Deb's eyes grew
wide with horror. Within a foot of
Jessy's bare arm was a young adder.
It's head, spreading out a little, was
reared to strike; white foam was at It's
mouth. How Deb did it she never
knew, but the next second she had
struck wildly at that evil head with the
rolllng-pin, and was crying
"Wakel Jessyl Wakel"
Jessy did wake, and to a scene that
she never forgot. Deb had not dared
to raise the rolling-pin to strike again;
but pressed upon it with the energy of
despair, fastening the reptile to the
earth, though it squirmed and Kissed,
and twisted itself round the brave girls
wrist.
Get to the house, Jessy, as fast as
you can, and bring a knife"
She hobbled off, and in a time to be
counted by seconds, was back again
with the whole party. The four old
ladies and Deb's mother were unnerved.
But Widow Manly, for nee in her life
occasion, cut off the adder's
head in a mastery manner, just below
where Deb held it down with the roll
ing-pin.
They are used to snakes in this
broad, beautiful West of ours, so no
one tainted. Not a great deal was
said. But Dame Thumb patted Jessy
the head, with,-'You had an es-
cape, honey. That was u powerful
pizen snake"
81 know it," said the girl, with a
quick shudder.
The wool-plcking went on; but Jessy
chung to Deb, and did not do much
more. AS the sun W, Mt down and the
party broke up, she said, ''If it hadn't
been for you, Debby, Dame Thumb
and the rest would have dressed me
for the grave by this time; and so
Hiram would abound me when he got
I'm gradI happened to have the
rollin'-pin," said Deb, practically.
Through the winter that followed, it
was observed that young Mr.. Things
horse stopped with tolerable regularity
at the Hornish gate; and there is a
rumor that Deb will wear her white
dress early in the spring OF a very i'm
portant occasion. Certainly the old
farm house has been painted and
papered, and Dame Thumb says,
"Nothin' less than a weddin' win jes-
tify Hiram Thing in such a foolish
spendin' of his wheat money"