Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-10-10

him. and asserted if they had 'tmore
will and gumption, they wouldn't be
all the time a mournim' over their
tumblins' down and gettins' up. They
would stand" On the slim diet, a
''professor's' failings, he would chew
%contentedly all day. "Uncc John" had
as much will by nature, but it had been
broken by much cross-bearing. He was
q man of lovable temper, and that was
the reason why he could and did live in
peace with the man across the road.
He was as prominent in the church as
lothian was out of it. He had a Gift in
prayer that started very low like a bird
from a nest on the gound, but went up
swift-winged to God. Uncle Johns
wife, .Nabby, asserted that, if she did
say it, "only the minister could beat
John at praying"
Uncle Jotham's determination to take
boarders occasioned some discussion in
the neighborhood that had thus far OPP
posed all such innovations, and es-
pecially were the women interested.
Nabby though did not care, for didn't
she have both a summer and a winter
boarder, and was she not satisfied? Rev.
James Stronghold was the unmarried
inmate of the home of John and Nabby,
staying summer and winter. Uncle
John and his wife were 'sreal minister
folks" and having a true Levite in their
house, they were happy. Sometimes,
Uncle John was a little vcxed, though
he said nothing. TT might be at the
table, which his wife piled up with
choice eatables for the parson, and if
she detected q more toothsome bit than
John might have put on the minister's
plate, she would cry, "Give him that,
John, there's more meat on it." Such
an eagle-eyed guard of the minister's
interests provoked unintentionally in
Uncle Johns breast the feeling that he
was very remiss, and the daily meal was
q klnd OF penance-stool for him. Haw
ing such a boarder, why should Uncle
John and the rest of them be critics of
Uncle Jotham's intention? They re-
trained from any remarks on the course
of the latter. Others were not so alb
stemious.
There" said Elias Perkins wife,
Matilda, to stout Mrs. Priscilla Plymp-
ton who kept the p%ost-ofice, "they say
Uncle lothian is sot on having boarders,
and they'll come, bringin' their city
ways and a-makin' remarks about us,
Prissy."
"Ef," said Mrs. Plympton, with a
look in which Solomon's wisdom was
centered and emphasized, ssef, Tidy,
Uncle lothian is sot that way he can't
be upset. He's one of the kind that
have an iron rod in their backs"
"You've hit it there, Prissy, and you
see his wife Jane, she don't say a word
about it. Meek as Moses and alters
was. OF course, there are no children
to say a word agin it."
This last sentence was the opening
of a gate into a long lane.
"You forgit, Tidy"
"About the children? Oh, we'll
there's one, but she is not at hum. That's
Ann"
Ann?"
Il know suthin."
The desire though to know all was
irresistible. Tidy ''hitched" her chair
nearer to Prissy and this act meant,
CHOW tell me all you know, and if you
tell me a leetle more than you know, 1
can stand it."
1t was an afternoon in nature that in
vited to close conferences in society.
All day, the clouds had covered .'Shag
Mountain with a gray cap; the wind
had been mumbling all sorts of threats
at door and window; and several times
there had been lurries of crystal rain
against the panes. Few people came to
the little office to inquire if there were
any mail for them, and with little fear
OF disturbance, the two women bent
towards each other. If one was all ears
the other n was all mouth.
you see, Tidy, this was a secret
told me by Mary jenkins that was q
Slower, but of course you won't tell"
ooh, no-no!"
''Mary jenkins was a visitin' in Bos-
ton and there saw her that was Ann
Needs, Uncle Jotham's daughter. That
was two years ago and she's been mar
ried twenty years. AIMS name now is
Waland, and she told Mary this. 4
s'pose, she SEE, you wonder L don't 90
home, but do you know father won't
allow it? Oh, he has an awful will, and
when 1 married my Stephen, he was
dead agin it. He said Stephen was
shiftless,but he isn't-and that got to
Stephens ears who was up there a.
visitin' with me after my marriage.
That got to Stephens ears and he list
tried to set father right about it, and
they had it with their tongues hot and
heavy.
Well" e Stephen, ~ s'pose my
absence is better than my company"
and fether seq: ''You s'pose Jest right"
and then what do you think he SEE to
me? "Sez he:''Youm may choose tween me
and Stephen. You may stay here and
1 II make you comfortable. Eff you 20
with him, goodbye" and will you be-
lieve it that man couldn't be turned?
Stephen was a-willing to make up, but
fether seq he must think it over awhile.
We came to Boston, me and Stephen,
and | thought might hear suthin' from
fether, but not q word. Then l wrote
to mother, l wrote her a number of
times, but didn'thave no answer, Iwrote
agin-and l got an answer and l saw
the marks of tears on it. SEE mother:
"l'm dreadful sorry and I've cried over
it a lot, but it don't do your fether no
good and l guess you'd better not write.
Eff Won are ever in tronhlo vo,, CON r;+