Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-08-16

I'll raise poultry and spring lambs, and
You shall sit in the parlor, like lady,
with your best cap on, every day.
Cousin Jacob shall see that we can get
along without him, as well as he can
get along without us"
Mary Jennings drew up her trim,
little figure, and settled the blue ribbon
in her braidS, with a pretty conscious
ness of coming success, which, although
1t might not be authorized, was GER
tainly very becoming. And So Bella
Barlow thought, for he added, 2onclu-
sively:
That's sos
But love and youth can>afford to be
generous. And so the two young
people went into cousin Jacobs sick
room, to bid him good-by,
"Soyou're really going to be married,
be you" said cousin Jacob, who look
ed as yellow and withered as so EN-
elderly mummy, among his pillows, in
the semi-darkened sick room. "Oh,
these matics-rheumaticsl Oh, OH"
That's what we're thinking Of"
said Mr. Barlow. ats well now as
ever"
Eyes, yes, dare say" said cousin
Jacob. "But don't shake hands with
me, pleased 1t hurts! What was we
takin' of? Oh, | remember now!
Gettin' married. It's all folly and non
sense, think, and there amt no sort
of doubt but, you'll both come to the
poorhouse. But Polly there's a good
girl enough, and so | mean to give you
a weddin' present, for all you've used
me so badl"
He paused here for a second, to groan
over the sudden twinges in his elbow
joints.
Bella Barlow's vision pictured a pair
of stout working oxen, at the very least.
MaryS imagination depicted black
silk dress, or a set of willow-pattern
china
"And So" went on cousin Jacob,
"Tu give you six of them new gladioly
bulbs from New York-them as was a
dollar apiece. and can't he duplicated
at no price now. Therew
Bella Barlow was seized with a sud
den fit of coughing.
Mary Jennings answered, meekly:
Thank you, cousin Hopper"
And Mrs. Jennings went out into
the back kitchen and cried.
"Hetty Boone'n give 'em to you,"
said Mr.. Hopper, complacently.
They're wrapped in a paper on the
shelf where the garden tools are And
mind you take good care of 'em. It's
Just the time O year to plant them out,
and eff they do we'll, money can't buy
'em"
And Mr.. Hopper sank, alternately
groaning and chuckling, back among
his pillows.
So the young couple were quietly
married, and went to live in the little
yellow farmhouse behind the black
smiths shed.
Hang the gladioliesP' said Bella
Barlow. "I've good mind to feed
'em to the pig
"Oh, Bella, don't!7 said Mary. "Give
'em to me. I'll plant 'em in the little
south border. Cousin Jacob meant it
in all kindness, you know"
"But what do we care for gladiolies ?"
persisted Bella.
Never mind" said Mary; "I'n plant
'em, all the same"
In the meantime, however, storm
was brewing at the Hopper homestead.
Cousin Jacob, who had by this time
recovered so far as to hobble about
with a stick and pair of carpet-slip-
pers, did not relish his dinners as he
used to do.
"D'ye call this an onion stew" said
he. "Why, there amt no sort O flavor
about it."
And Miss Boone, who had chronic
catarrh, and could not taste anything
declared that the flavor was excellent.
'Humphl humphp' growled Jacob
Hopper, "I'd as soon eat so much
stewed ragsl Put it in the pigs barrel,
Bring on your pudding. A man must
eat somethingp'
The pudding-one of the variety
known as "b'iled injin'-was brought
on, and luckily it proved to be tolerably
palatable.
So that, after the midday meal, old
Jacob went out to look for his bulbs
on the shelf.
'1'm late a-plantin' 'em," said he.
"But that's somethin' l never could
trust any one else to do. But, dear
me, this 'ere's a most onaccountable
circumstance. Where be they?"
Hetty Boone was summoned from
Il 20 oIv