The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-09-21

turned upon the handsome, strong
limbed young man, and the fair, deli
cate girl at his side. who bore the
curious glancss 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" "A regular
little daisy" were a few of the CON-
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
4 saw it," '.Her hat was horrid;" Il
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 pretty..as sheis. No wonder
Dave loved her." And she choked down
| a lump in her throat as she said it.
All the neighboring people called on
Dawes wife the next month, and, with
one or two exceptions, introduced the
conversation by the question, 'Well,
how do you like Somerville:9" To the
monotonv Of this query Dawes wife
varied erreplies rs much as was posi-
BILE withouz contradicting herself. IL
am quite delighted with the fertility of
my mind" she laughing ly remarked to
Dave at the expiration of the first
month. '.To 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;' 20.
am highly pleased;' Far better than
anticipated event. Il find it very pleas
anti 1T has made Il very agreeable i'm
preston upon me- and oh, ever so
many more changes L have rung on
that one ide;,. Daven and the young
wife laughed merrily. But under the
laugh Dave seemed TO hear minor
strain. His face grew grave.
81 fear did wrong to bring you here
among these people, he said. They
are so unlike you-so commonplace.
fearyou are homesick already, Madge."
mo, no; indeed, you are wrong,
Dave; indeed, l 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 neigh5orhood gossip
which formed the main topic OF con-
versation ut these meetings. She would
not take class at Sunday-school, claim
| inc that she was not fitted to explain
the Gospel to any unfolding inquiring
mind. as she was not ut all sure that
she understood it herself.
Dark insinuations were aiOat that
| Dawes wife was an .'unbeliever." Or ut
least 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 vii
lage store, and dawes wife, always
came up for discussion, sooner or later,
during those interviews.
..She's settin' q bad example to all of
Somerville," Deacon Bradlaw declared.
..My gal Arminda's gettin' just as fussy
and proud as a young peacock about
her clothes; nothin' suits her now I'M
less it looks stylish and citified. And |
see there's a 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 S.
You ought to labor with her, Brother
SomerS."
Brother Somers sighed. Il do labor
| with her," he said, .sbut 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' fiyin'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 a duck foot
in the mud; and what can she do but
wear EN-, now she's got EN-, she says;
and | can't tell her to throw EN- 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 q
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
spired him with an angry resentment
from the first.
"Ye-a-s, yeas, that's true" Deacon
Somers confessed. "She's no worker.
Lord the way she tried to make cheese;
and the coolfin' she did! Mother he'd
to throw the cheese curd into the pig S
swill, and the bread and cake she made
followed it. More waste from that ex-
pertinent of hers than we've he'd in
years; and she was flour from head to
foot, and all of perspiration, and sick
in bed from cryin' over her failures into
the bargain. The poor thing did try
her very best. But it was like the dap
pied mare tryin' to haul the plough
she couldn't do it, want built for it. -
When Deacon Somers reached home
his brow was clouded. His good wife
saw it, and questioned him as to the
cause. He shook his head.
"Tm troubled about church matters,
mother" he said. "The debt fur that
new steeple and altar, and all the rest
of the expense we've been to the last
two years, wears on me night an day.
And Deacon Bradlaw he's gettin' mad