The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1883-11-08

you told me last night, an / dunno but
what twonld be good thing. AT any
rate, lad, I'll help YOU N
!, What made you leave 50 sudden
like. oil man?N 4i
"Oh, nothing. I kinder thought Id
like to go over the thing by 'iiivseHi''
was the answer, made lightly enough.
Tom did not know then nor after
wards what his partner had done for
him.
Having Rhody's consent, or. rather,
goodwill, Tom had 4 talk with Mary.
It was in the afternoon, when school
was ended for the day, and the two
were strollinS along through the little
valley just beyond the camp. What lie
said to her and what she said, to him
is Of little or no consequence here, be-
cause it would be, in the first place,
stupid if repeated, interesting as it was
to them; and, in the second place, it
has nothing to do with the yarn. Be
sides, | do not know what was said, MS
| was not there's 1t is enough that
Mary allowed Tom to understand that
she was willing to marry him This
much was proved by the ANNOUNCE
ment of the engagement, which was
speedily made. But Just at this point
arose the queerest difficulty As have
said, the men in the camp looked upon
the school-mistress as being one in
whose career they all had personal in
terest, and they objected strongly to the
proposed MATCH At first Tom and
Mary were both rather disposed tolaugh
at the idea, but they found in time it
was no laughing matter The question
was taken up warmly and debated with
the utmost acrimony on each side,
while Tom found that the number of
those opposed was decidedly greater
than those in his favor. Threats Of tar
and feathers finally became common,
and things began TO assume d most dis
agreeable aspect. In this condition of
affairs Rhody came nobly to the front.
He had been one Of the strongest advo-
Gates Of the lovers during the whole
thing, but Tom had noticed that he was
strangely busy with letters. One day.
when there were q large NUM- Der of the
men opposed TO the match collected in
front Of the store discussing the affair,
Rhody came down the street, and paus-
ing in front OF the crowd. said: I
Boys, want to speak to We. Thar's
none on ye ez doesn't know ez bow
Tom, my pardner, wants 10 marry th 0
school-marm. Thar's many on We ez IS
agin any such rangement, most 'cause
they thinks the gal mout do better. /
gin ye all credit fur this feelin', an Tn
glad fur to do so. ] dunno rs I've
thought myself that the gal wer' doin'
the best she could in marryin' Tom. 4
(Murmurs Of applause from the crowd. }
$50 I've wrote to the Company, an
wrote agin an agin, an now I'm glad
fur to tell ye all that my pard, Tom
Freeman, air the superintendent of the
Rattlesnake, wi six thousand year
salary. | hez resigned myself ~" VI
II won't have it, spard.n broke in.
Tom. II amt half as lit as you fur the
place, an won'thave it.
Z Yes, you will, lad,f said Rhody.
'Why .shouldn'tye? Sides you aint a
goin fur to make me out liar" and
the 'man's stern face lit up with a.
smile. a4lG4 atth9
Toms protestations were drowned IN
the cheers which went mp from the
crowd. Turned completely around by
the generosity of Rhody, they were now
as eager for the wedding as they had.
before been opposed, and before many.
weeks, Rhody stood up and gave the
school-marm away, an admiring crowd
filing the. sehool-house to OVERLOOKING.
~ Y Ledgsf.