The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-11-05
THE EYE OF A NEEDLE.
How Miss Daggett Passed Through
1t Into Her Heaven.

"I don't know which way to turn to get
the fall tailorin' done, now Mirandy Dag
gett's been and had money left to her, y
said, in an aggrieved tone, the buxom mis-
tress of the Welby poor farm, as she
briskly hung festoons of pumpkins, gar.
ners of the yellowest of the summer sun
shine, along the beams of the great wood
shed chamber. "The widow Pingree, from
over Sharon way, she's so wasteful, l de-
clare it makes my blood run cold to see her
cuttin' and slashin' into good cloth; and
Emerline Johnson she's so scantin', the
men-folks all looks like scarecrows, with
their legs and arms a-stickin' out. Mi
Tandy's got faculty."
Seems if 'twa'n't no more'n yesterday
that | was carryin' victuals to keep that
child from starvin', and now she's an heir
ess. and here be. Well, the Lords ways
amt our'n."
A little old woman, twisted all awry by
a paralytic shock, who was feebly assist
ing the poor mistress, uttered these refiec-
tiOns in high keyed, quavering voice.
She was called old lady Peaseley, and a
halo of aristocracy encircled her, although
she had been in the poor-house thirty
years, for her grandfather had been the
first minister of Welbv.
IL declare, if there amt Mirandy
a-comin' up the lane this blessed minute
Talk about angels, you know. Seems if
she looked kinder peaked and meachin',
though most gen'ally as pert's a lizard.
If things was as they used to be, l should
jest sing out to her to come right up here;
but, beip' she's such an heiress, s'pose I'd
better go down and open the front door,"
But before the brisk poor mistress could
reach the front door her visitor had entered
the kitchen.
IL l..
thinks |, If there is a place where | could
get cEippered up it's down to the poor
house, where It's always so lively and
sociable; and if Mis- Bemis amt a-goin' to
send for me l'll jest go over and find out
the reason WHY
The speaker, who had seated herself in a
rocking chair, took off her rough straw hat
and famed herself with it theoretically,
rocking meanwhile. She was about mid
way in the thirties, plain and almost coarse
OF feature, but with a suggestion of ten
deTness about her large mouth that soft
ened her whole face. She had, too, a
vigor and freshness which were attract
i've like the bloom of youth.
81 was jest sayin' to old lady Peaseley
that didn't know how l was a-goin' to
get along without you; but l wouldn't "a
thought of askin' you to come, bein'
you're so rich now"
''Be l a-gOin' to lay by and twiddle my
thumbs and listen to folks advisin' of me
Jest because | amt obliged to work! Pm
ali beat out now DOM nothin.' Since Pve
bought the old place-gran'ther's farm,
you know-I don't seem to be much better
off. l can't go to farmin's it this fall; and
what can lone woman do on a farm, any
how"
"Farmin' is kind of poor business for a
woman; but l do hope, Mirandy, you
amt a-goin' to marry that poor, pigeon
Breasted, peddlin's cretur that's hangin'
round here.
Miranda flushed to the roots of her thick
black hair.
at looks better to see a man round on
farm, if he can't do anything but set on the
chopin block and WHISTLE" she said, in
tently surveying her hat-crown.
"If you want to get married, Mirandy, it
seems if you ought to have stiddy, likely
man."
81 don't want to get married. I amt
never thought of such thing since-well,
you know all about it, Mis- Bemis, so NAV
as well say right out-since Ephrum took
up with MISSY Within"
"Ephrum Spencer was mean scamp to
serve you So" said Mrs. Bemis, hotly.
Snow, Mis- Bemis, don't you say any
thing against Ephrum. You and me has
always been friends, but can't stand that,
anyhow. Ephrum would have kept his
promise to me fair and square, but l saw
plain enough that he had given his heart
toher. She was red-and- white completed,
and her hair curled natural, and she'd
never done anything but keep school, and
her hands were Jest as soft and white, and
a mans feelin's amt like woman's any
how; II Ephrum had been hump-backed,
or all SCARED up so's't he'd scare folks,
ike old Mr.. Prouty, il wouldn't "a made
any difference to me, so long as he was
Ephrum. The Lord made men different,
and s'pose it's all right; but sometimes it
seems kind of hard" The large, firm
mouth quivered like child's.
''She was regular little Spitfire, Melissy
Within was; there want nothin' to her
but temper. I'll warrant Ephrum Spencer
has got his come-uppance before this
time" said the pOor-mistresS, with salts
faction. "Well, think it's real provi-
dental that YOU don't want to get married,
Mirandy, for as like as not you'd get some
body that would spend all your money.
told 'em didn't believe you was goin' to
take up with that poor stick of a book
agent"
30, Mis- Bemis, 1 s'pose 1 be goin' to
have himw said Miranda, dejectedly.
''He thinks he's consumpted, and thought
j could doctor him mp, and 'twould be
use for. the money. And he was a minis
ter once, though it wss some queer kind
of a denomination that never heard of,
and that seemed kind of edifyin'; and his
arm was cut OF, away of in Philadelphy
ten years ago, and yet he can feel it
a-twingein.' And he's kind of slim and
Tetirin', and not 90 unhandy to have round
as some men would be. And, anyhow,
I've give him my promise"
"Airandy, ] didn't think you was so
foolish as that-and him an imposertor, 90
luke a. not. -