The Mineral argus., 1884-03-27
How the Deacon Proposed.
By rEns1s +. a

81 tell you what it's Jacob, | come
here when Mary Ann died so sudden,
and left you with them three motberless
children. and took right hold and looked
after things same's Of they we're my
own, [ don't know as you hev much rea-
son TO complain, and hev had your victu-
ais and there han't ben nothin' wasted.
The milk's been took care of well, v on
know you get more for your butter than
eny one round here. l don't see no
call for You to go and get married, at
your time of life too, and you a deacon
Of the church."
81 don't see what you are talking SO
for, Jesu3ha, l haven't found any fault
have II" l guess 1 shan't get married to
night"
oval I ain no fool, Jacob, you
didn't used to stan before the glass
brushin' hair half an hour jest tn 90 tn
evenin' meetin'n and l amt the only
one that has noticed how you are spruc-
ing up lately. Miss Green was in here
this afternoon, and abe spoke bout it.
She said she Shouldn't wonder a mite
Of you was married before winter"
Mrs. Green is q good hand to mind
other folks business. She better stay at
home and take car # her family"
"Wall, all [ hey ~ is, eff you must
get married don't D. massy sakes hev
that Clarissa Howe; whatll she know"
The deacon who had finished his tot
let, did not want to hear the rest of Aunt
Jerusha's remarks, but went out of the
room, closing the door with just a little
slam. and walked rather faster than
usual toward the little church, to take
part in the Tuesday evening prayer
meeting. Deacon Grover, was not, by
any means, an old man, az his half-sister
Jerusha, had limited, only forty. Tall,
and as erect as If he. were a soldier in
stead of a farmer, with hardly a silver
thread in his glossy black hair.
1t is now three years since Mrs. Gro
yer. the deacon's wife died, leaving
three children, two boys and a little
daughter three years old. The deacon
had been very fond of his wife, and had
sincerely mourned her loss.
She was sadly missed in her home, for
she had been one "who looked well to
the ways of her household, and ate not
the bread of idleness."
Deacon Grover had been glad to accept
the services of his sister, to look after
his house and children, especially little
Mary, who was a delicate child and
needed constant attention, and had got
along very well with Jerusha, account
ing for eccentric ways by remembering
a Disappointment in love, which had
made her the old maid she was.
As Jerusha was several years older
than her brother, she did not hesitate
to express her opinion at the way he
managed his affairs, and give him plen-
ty of advice. ''She had done her duty
by Jacob and the children, and took
right hold and looked after things same's
of they's my own" 80 she told Mrs.
Green, but the children wanted IN
thing besides wholesome food and clean
clothes, and doses of herb tea; they
missed a mothers love. Little Mary
found out it was no use to ask Aunt
Jerusha ''to sing to her, or tell her a
story, as used to-" the reply
was sure TO be, Il hain't got no time,
you 20 and set down in your little chair
and be a good girl" so when papa was
not about she lavished her affections on
her kitten OF doll.
So the months and years passed, and
the deacon had never gwen any indica-
cation that he intended to change his
loRely condition. In vain did sister Bah
oltt, a buXOm widow, express her
sympathy for him, md Was evidently
willing to UNITE her fortune with his in
the tenderest of ties"
About six months before the date |
am writing, Clarissa Howe had come to
this little village among the Vermont
hills, to try to earn her living by dr5ss-
making. A cousin, who was married to
a farmer had written her, that tie only
dressmaker in the place, had been
obliged to give up work on account of
her health; 80 Clarissa, whose early
home had been IN the country, gladly
left her little room in the top offs cheap