Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-11-21
PRESENCE OF MIND.

have always been celebrated for my
presence of mind in emergencies.
Grandfather used to say that he never
had girl who was not afraid Of mouse
or spider, and how mothers daughter
ever came to be so brave he couldn't
guess That was before / married, and,
of course, have not become timid with
advancing years.
am Mrs. Jasper Jackman my hus-
band is, Of course, MIR. Jackman, and
our place is known as Jackman's Nook.
Nook, indeed If there was corner to
the world, I should fancy it was put
away in that, for it is the most out-of-
the-way habitatiur that ever existed.
1t is, indeed. You can't see it until you
are within fifty feet Of it, for the trees
and the nasty rocks.
$50 romantic!" people say. l call it
miserably lonesome.
Now, you know I'm hot tho least bit
nervous, but, having lived with father
and mother and the rest all my life, I
did not enjoy being shut up oil alone
like a-a-a-well, hycna in menag-
eric, while Mr.. Jackman attended to bust
ness in town; and I often thought if
house. breakers were to make an attack
upon the house, what should I do, "
poor little woman, with no one to call
upon? For count Bridget rs a great
cipher in every occasion of life Tint docs
not involve soap-suds.
l told jasper that absolutely, if I had
known whatapiacc Jackmna's Nook was,
J was not sure but that l should have
thought twice before refusing old DR..
MuIisitawny, whose palatial residence is
on Fifth avenue, New York city, as, Of
course, everybody knows.
However, after you have once said
eyes" TO the gentleman who "pops' the
question to you, you may say "no" over
alter to all other questions, for all he
cares, for he'll have his own. way al
ways.
Mother-in-law Jackman having made
jasper promise that I must live always
OF the Nook was considered unanswcra.
bic; and, after all, what could we do
No one would hire or buy the place, and
We had it on our hands. OF course We
lived there. always knew that doing
SO would be the cause Of my showing tli'
presence of mind for which I am eel,
brated i'll my own family-if nowher,
else. And so it came to pass.
One stormy night in November, in tn
year lSG3-it was the 4th, think, fo
baby was just l year old on the LIST, anc
there WIS some of the cake / had mad,
for his dressed title birfity birthday
Ftill left in the pantry, and cake o
that size certainly never would las
longer than that in our house. II wa
ne most unpleasant day I ever remem
Der to have lived through. Tho groun'
ANS soaked. The bare branches locke,
like so many skeletons, and the sky wa
.lla color Bridget's tin pans were when
first got down stairs this time last year
In the city it would have been som
fun to sit in The window and watch til
folks go past, looking like 80 man
drowned rats, 1T AT the Mock Il Shonl
think il was n nook there WAS noth;G
to be seen--ahs''ltrly nothing.
] had not II hoax 'YEirh had nc
read. w h" nc'r-rarrr was out, fl
,N4p "r:so:,,u Ia bring me soln
iron ~. ,aG aaG iin.sin,G all'in
/ spent my time as best l could bu
how did wish that the regiment whic
was encamped about half mile ava
was near enough for me to watch ther
drill if they do drill in such weather
I'd thought them too near before on &c
count of Bridget, whom l have caught
score of times talking to men in blu
jackets at the gate, and wished them o
to the seat Of war, or anywhere else
over and over again but that afternoo
what relief they would have been
1 was the more lonely that Jasper ha
said that morning, "My dear, if train
as it does now tonight, | sha'n't com
home. but viii stnp at Yonr fathers.