Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-01-07
WHY PEGGY MARRIED SILAS.
Her Own Account or it Co a >ympsihizins
 Friend.

Friend
 I used to be called an old maid | think old Nancy Vincent was jealous, or she never would have started out all over the neighborhOod on purpose to tell folks that was cut out for an old maid. But thanks to my knowledge or human nature, | have at last got good man and Nancy may storm and whistle till her mouth IS all out ot shape, Tor what I care. Imarried Silas Harris one year ago, and an goIDg Go tell you all about It.
 Ton see old Mrs. Harris got took down sick, an they had DO one to do the hou- ework, sich as bakin', wasnlD' lron- in. an sveepiu': so l. feelln' kinder ten der-hearted l always was an exceed inglv tender-Eearted creeter went up there an told Mir. Harris, which was NIrs. Harris son. that | would stay an help 'em, if they couldn't get any body that would smt 'em better.
 "Nancy Vincent has been here cud or fered her services, said tine old lady
 Then she has been here,' has she? l Was afraid after l had spoken that they would notice how mad was, but they didn't. and I told 'em plainly that all Nan Vincent was after was husband told 'em about her coOkin', what m-scr- able bread she made, what hsser she ont a.. the meetiu' house. with a-a-Ler hustle clear up to her shoulders and told all about her tryin t0 catch Pdfson Smiths son, who Is only about 70 and she 5I. and ! didn't know but that she might be 70.
 Well if she IS such @ creeture We do moi want her here" sad Mrs. Harrls.
 You'd better believe that l was giad Co hear her say so. Mrs. Harris had a good farm. a nice house au' barn. and l had no notion of lettin' old Nance come m head of me, though l never dldcare any thing about the men sex, never, stlL l did't intend to have wool pulled over my eyes. l always knew her to be pesky old gossip. l dOn't tel stores about my neighbOrs, and ] don't sad all over tovn-onless there ls something to gad for. ..
 .'She Is all I've told you andm too, ' said |, and then llr. HarrIs, which ls now my husband, told me Co come and stay with his mother and he would pay me.
 "I don't ask DO pay, sad l, "she Is my neighbor, and ueIChbOrs should help each other in ease of sickness
 Well, come if you can and l wili see that you don't lose any hing by it. Of course, I went right up there; what else could do? Mrs. Harris made me bake some rig bread the lust thing, then l baked some pies, and then, as lt was near supper time. l cooked some nice slap jacks. Then l put a clean, white spread on the table, placed some of my rig bread On, together with some oi my best quince sauce, that ! had brought from home, fixed tue slap-- lcks, butter and tea iu their places, then 1 5-owgd the horn Co call Silas tO supper.
 Pretty soon he came ID, but who do you think was with him? Why, nobody but old Nancy Vincent. ] was mad. She went right up Co Mrs. Harris, and, taking a parcel frou under her old val Ter shawl, said: "i thought you'd need some coOkin' done, bein' so unweil like an not bem able to work, an l took She | liberty to bring you some chicken an cheese" Then sbe laId her vittles on the table and looked at Sllas, while her old mummy face Wriukled up into what she meant to be sweet smile, but It looked more like a dried bacon. sixty years old.
 Thank you very much. but we've got A good cook, sald Mrs. Harris.
 "Is sue the oney' and Nance pointed at my face, while her slmutug green eyes fairly snapped sparks. "I came with the intention of helping our sick ueighbOr until she was able to help herself" l answered.
 "1Ou did, did you? l don't see what | ,-.,, . ra r,,a.t.111rtf u-1rrA "She IS not to blame. l told her Go come" suddenly broke in Silas. "Then s'pOse it's all right, # you told her to come. but there's folks m the world that knows more about sIckn ss an nussin', l can tell you, and Nance | tounced toward tine door.
 Stay and take supper with us, won youy' asked Silas.
 "I don't know but will, seeiH' as how yOur mother k SO uuwel. That's right, Nancy; sit down and be neighborly for once m your hie,' and | placed a char for her at the table. J could see that Nance felt dreadful uu- easy, though l felt all right except that l [ vas LinI@- rr.s-1. sJ.I---s I-------,.1 ---. sauce, and said my slap-iacks were the best he ever ate. And Mrs Ha-ri- said my bread couldn't be beat. Nance never said a word. but she was the spitefulest lookin' critter ever did l see. | determined that ! wJuldu' touch her old chicken and cheese and so she thought she'd pass 1t aroDrd he-- self.
 Try some of my chicken, Mrs. Ha-- ris, you'll like 1t, know you Will Mrs. Harus took a smal. slice, but ou- ! ly inst tasted of it.
 | "Have some cheese and she passed | the plate, but the sick lady only took a | small piece. gave a glance at 1t and lad 1t on the table with the remark that she dare not eat cheese.
 "Youll take a piece, SIiasz [ "I don't care fl dO,' said he. l She again passed her plate. and Siias reached out his hand and took up a piece | but just as he was going to bite off a l chunk, a little shower of white sk9prr- | rattled off into bis tea
 Yuu'd better believe he didu'c eat | much of that cheese. He got up sud | den like ani said his head achgd. | didn't see Lim again very soon. Nl-s. Harris said she fell sick Go her stomach and left the room. Nance didn't know what to make of 1t all, but she hustled up and said I'd been teIlin' stories about | her. SO that I could catch Silas myself ! You lie, you know yo1 do, Nauc= Vincent ! didn't care if ! did tg'b ! plain. beiu' gs how Silas gLI Mr.. Har ris was ont Of the room.
 "You lie yoursaf. yo1 oi cap--ettin snipe"
 | Now to be called a ca7-settiu' suipe- to be call SO bv old Nance Vincent was more than ! rouli stand. s1 2 " ut at her. hammer ud tYug-. "NHuc- Vincent" said land you d better belev- ] wls uad-"do you think | yCu can come here with your old hv- blown cheese full ot shippers. with your old chicken. SD tough tlar a-a deg couldn't eat lt. with the expectation Oi ! catchiu' Silas Harris for @ busbauds"
 "You may talk and talk said she, snivelling, "but I can tell y0U one thing" ana she looked viudictivcly at me. T dldu't come here Co lie about folks, and ! dIdu't come Le-e Co set a | trap Co catch Silas Harris" "NO. l don't think you old, slIl !, "Skippery cheese amt quite tre thil- Co bait him with; and | don't think Ee would have such au old wifhereC -al- about as you be, even f you sl0u!d ask ! him"
 Nance swept her 1l3 cheese and chick CD into paper bag. then she tied hercld bonnet Cn her head and stepped out on ! tLe piazza as mad as "a hornet.
 ~You may go, said ]; nobody wants you here with you- old maggot.y cheese"
 I'll write @ letter to Silas, she scream ed as she switched down tle patL," and | tell him what 8 mean thing vol be-
 I'm going Co tell h.u what an oii misunderstanding body yog are, was m. answer.
 ! Mrs. Harris uo~ called me and went : into her room.
 - ! : = =