The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-03-08
THE GOOD SAMARITAN.


Miss Betty Van Dyke had curled hers
self up in the corner of the spaciCu-
windOw-sill in her mothers kitchen to
watch Eiiine flute the tlOunces of her
India muslin. Miss Betty wa as pretty
and fresh as a rose; her eyes were of
heaven 8 own blue, her hair like threads
of gold, her checks like a Catherine
pear, the side that's next the SUM-
Fiiine was nothing more than bundle
OF old bones wrapped in piece OF parch-
mcnt; she was a native of Lorraine and
had lately married an Enyiishman IA
military known as George" whom
she had loved for many year.
Miss Petty was romantic, and so de-
lighted her when George at last yielded
to the idolaTy OF poor Fifne that she
Coaxcd her father into leasing bit of
scrubby woodland, with a tumble-down
house upon it, to George, so that he
could have a garden and potato patch
and raise some chickens and take nice
care of poor Fifine Miss Betty even
cOndescended to 90 to them during the
house finishing and the hOncymOon and
assist Fifine in her little domestic fur
nishing and adjoining and advise George
in relation to his garden, his potato
patch, his chickens and woOd-sphtting.
But, truth to say, George had so
studied the character and attributes of
the noble Indian that he modelled his
life upon it so far as resigning all do
mestic duties to poor Fiiine. He gave
over to his spouse the entire supervision
of the garden, potato patch, chicken
raising and even the woOd-splitting. He
was of a dreamy nature and would sit
for hours on rude bench he had placed
near the water and there he would
smoke and mediate until FHine had
tided up the house and fed the chickens
and hoed the potatoes and washed q
couple of dozen pieces for one of her
patrons, and split some wood and got
dinner upon the table, and then George
would come III and eat dinner with
Fitine and tell her of all he had been
thinking about while sitting there upon
the bench under the trees.
Fifne was very happy. She knew
that George was superior to her in
mind, but he had told her time and
again that it was right he should be her
superior, and he loved her all the bet
ter for it.
But Miss Betty had her misgivings,
and one day, w, en- she was curled up
like lovely kitten upon the window
sill, she said to Fitine: What does
George do, Eiine, towards the support
of the household? 1t seems to me that
You are always shaving and toiling
What does George doP'
Then FiGne shrugged her shoulders,
which had become somewhat crooked
and bulgy from the heavy burdens they
had borne all these years, and elevated
her eyebrows, which were rather scrag-
gy and gray, and said, with a world of
feeling in her voice: "What does he do,
my angel? He gives to me the happi-
ness which is my all; he gives to me the
conversation which is beautiful; he tells
me of what is going on in the big, busy
world; he pities. he consoles, all, my lit
tie one, he loves men'
Miss Betty biushed and was silent,
and thought, foolish child, that after
all this was everything. She left Fifne
to iron the tucks and furbelows with
which Mrs Van Dyke delighted to adOrn
her daughter Betty and went out under
the grapevine and walked to and fro
and thought that if somebOdy-and
here she trembled and blushed at the
thought of his name-would read to her
again, would Ia k to her again, would
tell her of the big, beautiful world once
more; if he would love her-ah, what
would she not be glad TO give in returnl
She would work for him-aYe, she would
work her slim fingers to the bone, only
of course he wouldn't let her; he was
too noble and generous and thoughtful
But if tie necessity should arise. how
tifine, if only he would love her in re
turn!
But, alasl the superiority of mankind
was here also pTe-emincnt He was the
new minister, the Rev Reg nald Roake
The consistory had thought it best tC
get Young man, so that he could board
around among the parishiOners and thus
save the rent OF parsonage. Captain
Van Dyke. Miss Bettv's father, had
tn in
way that they could and had even taken
the young man to board at first. He
told his wife they'd scarcely miss what
the parSOn ate and the church must bC
helped along rs much rs was prudent
and possible.
But the Captain, after n few months
suddenly changed his mind The young
minister was very fertile in Imagination
and quick in thought; and his sermon,
were speedily prepared, and :he long
summer DAYS had so many sweet ricl
hours to fill Miss BCttv's duties were
also light; her mother was still active
and robust and there were two sturdy
young women in the kitchen, besides
the occasional artistic work of Fifine
The Captains sight was keen anC
strong; when he was out sailing in the
bay he could see 4 couple of figures
bending over some book in the summer
house or wandering among the rocks ol
along the sands upon the shore. The
Captain would come home hot anC
veNed, and take his wife to task for thi,
misdoing.
u don't want any beggarlv parson.
hanging around my daughter said tn,
Captain.
The good lady would look very mucl
shocked and really tremble in her hear
ut the CAPITA ms temerity, for sh,
thought il was almost tempting Provi
dcncc to cast a cont mptuous wore
upon the clergy, but she had that whole
some fear of the Captain that she neve
ventured to demonstrate with him. >ht
sighed in secret with her daug liter wheI
the Captain managed to transfer tn
preacher to the care of n wealthy anC
comely widow in the neighborhOod.
He can poach all he pleases on tina
domain said the Captain. And short
ly afterwards he was delighted to Sc,
the reverend gentleman riding out witt
the fair widow and gathering grasse
and ferns in the pretty woodland haunt
about Granville.
I'VE can't keep parson single. -
chuckled the Captain at his dnner-ta
bic; 1.-The women won't let him alone
do what we may. But the widow Ben