Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-01-23

uOWUNc, SNfll,
deacon t'hump" said sam.
Cunning Sam, after watching the
stout form of that good man pass your
shop. and finding in that reason for
leaving that sash unfinished on the
bench.
Hes Just stepped down & Mrs.
Baltic. Tn squirc's sick" said Hubby,
ns iunoccntly rs though she did not
know the road and what IL led by.
"Du tcll!' said Sam. What ails
hmP"
"Inilucnzy, I've heard. But como
in, why don't you, and rest spellp"
IL sortcr called Q see your pa, but"
'Oh! Well, he'll be in Q morrow.
Praps you'd better como back" and
Hubby turned indiilcrently away. De-
cidedly the idea of reconciliation was rs
though il had never been.
Sam found that there was but one
thing to do, and that was to knuckle
down at once. He cleared his throat
uncasily, locked around. wiped his fore
head with his red bandanna, and then
said:
"Ef you'll-er-that air, eff YOU don't
mind, guess I'll sorter wait naoew."
Just as you please" said Hubby
coolly; ''you might as well come in and
sit. a"
Sam came in, and taking chair, sat
down, placing his hat upon the floor.
He then folded his hands upon his lap,
and having done SO, became suddenly
conscious of the size of his feet; they
seemed unusually large, he thought.
With some difficulty he contrived to par
TALLY hide them under his chair, and
having done so, felt, for the moment,
better. In the meantime, Hubby went
bustling about the kitchen, glancing
furtivcly at him now and then. Sam
sat there, cleared his throat, and then
missed his hat dreadfully; his hands had
suddenly grown large and looked, oh,
so red! He would have given worlds to
have picked the hat up and covered
them, but he did not dare. He was very
hot; the perspiration was beginning to
stand out on his face, and he wanted to
wipe it. Unfortunate one, his handker-
chief was in his hat. He coughed, and
passed his hand over his mouth, hastily
replacing it in his lap, though, rs he
caught Huldy's eye upon him. lie
wished he had not come, and would
have left could he but have thought of
an excuse, when Hubby took pity on
| him and said:
'Sam, wish you'd fetch me pail o.
water while you're waitin'."
Sam started to his feet with look of
gratitude that was almost painful, and
| Selling his hat-mentally resolving he
would not let 90 of it again-he took
| the bucket, and went toward the well,
over which the high sweep pointed
| skywards. Hubby stood at the door
looking after him with something of a
malicious twinkle in her eye; or per-
haps / should say mischievous one,
| with kindly undertook. When he
| him to come in more cordially than be-
fore, much to the relief of Sans spirit.
But she did not think he had yet been
| punished quite enough, and so when she
got him safely seated beside her and had
taken up her sewing again, she began:
you seemed { enjoy yourself tn
other night at tn quiltin', Sam
Sam started, almost dropped his hat,
but clutched il in time.
"Er-yes-'twas consider bic pleasant
like" he said, getting red and lifting
his shoulders as though it was raining
| about his ears
81 took notice, went on the merciless
Hubby, demurely biting off thread
and looking at him sideways out of her
bright blue eyes, las how you seemed
T. think considerable o. Mehitable. She's
n nice girl, Sam, and your mother likes
her."
Sam thought he saw his opportunity.
"Wa'al, took notice as Jim Furness
wasn't havin' bad time neither"
Hubby did not even blush.
"Yes, indeed, jim is SO pleasant most
every one likes him, and materially he
has nice time"
Sam concluded he had not made
much that time, and gazed uneasily at
the floor, trying to think of something
to say which would combine an express
sion of deep and devoted love for Hubby
and supreme contempt for the whole
Furness family. He had, in fact, COM
posed such speech the Sunday before,
and had rchearsed 1t many times since,
but somehow it did not seem to have
the point now he had looked upon it as
possessing at first. While he was try
ing to improve it Hubby went on inno-
Gently:
you seemed T. leave mighty sudden.
Was Mehitablc curtis t go homeP"
"Wa'al," said the miserable Sam,
"she an me greed as twas stupid"
"You don't say! I'm surprised at
you. be, indeed" said that wicked
Hubby.
Sans bcseeching glance would have
moved stone idol to pity, but it had
no effect on her.
"You ought T. hev stayed. We had
most pleasant time, and the drive hum
by moonlight was splendid" she went
on.
IL must say think that NJ Jim Fur
ness hez tn poorest critters aout," said
Sam, witheringly. II sh'u'd be shamed
for & take nice girl aout with wuck
hosses."
mo doubt" said Hubby.
There was nothing in this speech be-
yond complete agreement with Sans
statement, and IL Is, therefore, curious
that he should have felt himself moved
by it sufficiently to say, under his
breath:
dang itv'
"Why, Sam!'' And Hubby big eyes
were opened to their widest. 'Be you
swearing Don't you reflect what tn
minister said no later N last Sabbath
Oh, Sam, l am surprised. really be-"
This was probably true, as Hubby said
1t, but she did not look very much
shocked, nor excessively angry.
look yere, Hubby. Ministers don't
know everything" protested Sam,
meekly.
''Wcll, tits wrong & swear, anyway"
said Hubby, in n very mild tone.
$50 It's; so It's" agreed Sam, eager
ly. "Naow, if you'd talk that way all
tn time, Hubby, Nd never swear" And
he drew his chaira little closer 60 her.
Talk that way! Why, Sam Stevens,
did you ever hear me approve of swear
in'p"