Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-10-22


be, but not knowing exactly how to
make it stronger he waited for reply
from his wife, still keeping his back
towards her and his hoe going vigor-
ously.
But Mrs. Parsons knew that her hus-
band had not finished what he wished
to say. and she remained silent Pretty
soon he began again:
You see. Marty, it holds to reason
that Lucy should be the one to speak
first 'Rastus loved her, an she knew
it; leastwise he thought she did; an
knowing it she went an engaged her.
self to that ar fellow from New York
an so gave 'Ras to think she wouldn't
have him no way it could be fixed So
he went off to git away from the sight
OF en- An now, though KNOWN that
Annelsey's got his walkin' papers, he
don't know as Lucy'd have him no
more'n she would afore; an Ras amt
the kind as goes spoonin' round beg
gin for what folks don't want to give
| him 1t ain right, an it amt fair,
when know the girl nd give every
thing she's got in the world to have
/ him back, that they should be kept
T, apart jest because it 5 customary for the
man to speak first. He has spoke first
! once an now it's her turn"
All the time John was speaking
Martha Parsons was thinking. She be-
} feyed that Lucy loved Erastus and was
secretly in hopes that he would yet
I return to her, but she was not sure. and
she saw the delicacy of the situation
more clearly than did her husband, who
/ had never been able to discover any
/ necessity for the conoealmens of the
true feelings of either party to a love
affair.
! When her husband had ceased speak
! ing she was silent for a moment and
I then said simply:
! Are you sure Erastus knows that
Lucy has broken with Mr.. Annelsey?"
| John Parsons suddenly stopped hoe
| ing and turned quickly around facing
| his wife.
didn't you write him that when
! the girls first come home?" he asked
/ IN surprise.
! mo. / did not; was not certain
| that she cared for him and feared to
awaken anew hopes that, after all,
might be useless. 1t was not certain
1 that Lucy s engagement with Annelsey
might not be renewed, or that because
+ she dismissed him she loved Erastus,
/ and / thought It best to let him learn
+ of it BY accident supposed he would
+ find il out through Jennie or some one
else. but do not think he has"
/ Her husband made no reply but re-
sumed his hoeing and the subject was
not referred to again. Indeed very lit
tie further conversation Oc -urred be-
tween them during the entire afternoon,
both appearing busy with their own
( thoughts.
! At the supper table that even NC Mr..
Parsogs proposed that the two women
shou 90 t. own the next day W tn
some butter and eggs and such other
articles rs they could pare, and make
al exc. ange for famiiy supplies
Johnny and NELL keep house while
you re cone. " he said; we're capital
at kaep;n' house. amt We, Johnny?
AMI moth r II bring you some candy or
somethin'."
John Parsons hated TO i.pe 1dle.' as
he called it. and his wife always got
better prices for the butter and eggs
and chickens than did he; b sides hich
! she knew better how TO invest the pro-
ceeds economically in necessit es for
7 the family, and there was need of
economy now. And as neither of the
| women liked either TO go TO town alone,
or TO stay alone with Johnny while the
other went with the husband or father,
/ it had become the rule for both to go
and leave Johnny to the care OF his
/ father, and so they decided to do now.
| Accordingly such vegetables as they
were to take were gathered and placed
I in the spri1g wagon. a hunt was made
+ for eggs. which were carefully packed.
small end down. in oats, to prevent
. III, ~ h. 81 bat n,-
! which they had saved was taken from
the well where it hung by rope, and
! rewrapped in white cloths.
| When it became dark they went with
/ q lantern and caught two dozen chick
| ems and put them in crate, previously
/ made and kept in which to take fowls
! to market; and bright and early the
/ next morning the horses were hitched
up and they started.
When they were gone John Parsons
/ washed the dishes, which the women
/ had not stopped to do, tidied up the
/ house the best he knew how, talking to
! Johnny all the time, and then went
into the garden to work, taking the
! boy with him, as was his almost invari-
able custom when the weather was
/ fine, and placing him, in his wheeled
cot, where they could talk together as
! the father worked.
! The fresh air and sunshine did the
/ child good and he amused himself in
! many ways The chickens and turkeys
/ learned to regard him as a friend and
would come around him, often jumping
upon his cot for some bit of food which
! he had brought some of them becom-
| ing so tame as to permit him to handle
| them.
/ When noon came the man and boy
returned to the house, where the father
prepared and they ate dinner. Then.
when the dishes had been washed and
Johnny had dropped off to sleep, as he
always did after dinner in the long
days, John. Sr, went to the bureau and
rummaged around until he found some
writing paper and finally pen and
| bottle of ink
These he brought to the table, drew
up chair and sat down.
..rn jest give Rastus hint" be was
saying to himself, IAN if he's still of
the same mind as he used to be- he'll
be here in less II two weeks an mother
an Lucy IL never know what fetched
him.
'Wimin's curis about some things: l
never did understand 'em very well.
I There's Marty, now; best woman lfvin',
tender hearted as a chicken, an Lucy's
Jest like her: but they re a-iettin' Rastus
an her break their hearts fer each
other rather than to speak up an tell
MIN how the land lays; but amt goin'
to low it. -
He dipped the pen in the ink and