Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-10-01
MATILDA JANE AND THE MINIS
TER.

Bramleigh is a sleepy looking town
The village street is draped with
drowsily dropping elms. The sea is
lust far enough away to viii per as
sleepily as the wind in the leaves.
Few people are abroad in The day
time. The birds light and sing on
the messy town pump. The church,
which is so white that 1t makes one
wink to gaze upon it, sits IN the midst
of an ancient burying ground and
calls the people of Sunday with the
sleepiest bell possible. Daisies and
buttercups nod in the path which
leads to the door of the town hall,
and an adventurous tramp of a elem
ats creeps out of nelghborlng mea-
dow and looks In at the windows,
trailing its white blossoms over the
sill. The green blinds of the ancient
white house are all closed along the
street, and the tall grass which fills
the front yards grow few sleepy
looking flowers, such as lilies Of the
valley. gray and crimson peoples,
ssold maids pinks," and great clumps
of silvery green Give forever"
When the clock strikes the whole
world prepares for bed, and if light
is seen glimmering from one OF the
windows for more than half an hour
after that time it is safe to conclude
that either some one is Ill In the
house or some one has beau IN an
advanced stage of courtshlp. Still
q long sojurn IN Bramleigh teaches
one that it is never by any means as
sleepy as it seems-that every shut up
drowsy looking old building has wide
awake eyes al d ears on every side.
and that even the lanK- haired, drawl-
juvenile is on the alert for happen
ing.
MY landlord, Mrs. Bragdon, lives
mile away from the village, but near
ly every whisper that is breathed there
finds it's way to the farra - the thrill
ing news that Mrs. Peter Tapley is
going to have her sltting>roOm newly
papered. that the minister bought his
new coat w to Boston, that John
Snow went home with Lucy White
from the last evening meeting, and
the still more thrilling news that Miss
Oliver Norton Miss Lsmuel Stacey
have fallen out and do not speak to
each other: Mrs. Bragdon declares
that she will not sleep WAX until
she hears whether they are speaking
again or not. AS sac EXPIRE ses it.
''she does like to have somethin' goin'
pn." And when, last fall, all her
hummer boarders had taken flight
with the exception of myself
the COWS had all been sold but
two, and the light harvest was being
gathered in with the assistance of but
two hired men, she declared that she
''had too much spare time and was
blue AS a whetstone-thatt the village
was duller than nothin' at all; she
was never so put to it for news In her
life"
''Spare time hain't what ails me-"
grumbled Alfonso, the tow-headed
son of the house; II kent get 81 min
ute ter set in the store; that's why you
don't hear no news"
Seats foot! you don't get no
news when you do go to the corner
evenin's. You don't set in the store
no way. You just dangle round Cyrus
Parker's gate to see if you ken git
glimpse of Mirandy. But, Lor', if
you ken find out anything that's ago
In on in the world you might ez well
go down ter~night. There'll be
pumpkins ter cut evenin's by'n'by,
and there won't be no getting off
then"
So, making himself very brilliant as
to his feet and very much perfumed
as to his head, Alfonso set off down
the road soon as his evening chores
are accomplished. The light OF the
lantern flashes from between the
brances of the trees, and we hear him
singing in a very jolly and continent
strain, HELL Garry You Thro'."
"Well, I domino as shall be kerr
ried thro' eff that boy don't bring no
word OF anybody or enythlng," says
his mother, seating herself by the
fire with her knitting work.
There is frosty Jingle In tina air,
and the scarlet glow Of the open ire
Is exceedingly grateful to the senses.
The hired girl and the hired man are
counting in the kitchen. Pussy cat
washes her face oA the heart rug.
The crickets are piping pensively un-
der the floor. / am absorbed IN the
fortunes of Captain Francasse, just
the witching, wonderful sort OF story
to read by the freight of long even
mg-and Mrs. Bragdon, who likes
company, looked misereble to the last
degree.
Hooked up, and catching a glimpse
of her woebegone face, am touched
with real pity. I know with what de-
light I may fill her soul If | choose to
reveal secret which have pi0usly
concealed since my first years solourn
in Bramleigh-a delicate tale, which,
for wonder, has not been whispered
around the hearth sides of the village
nor discussed uhder the dim, religious
light.
put aside my book and say rashly,
before I have really decided to tell :
Mrs. Bragdon, did you ever know
what broke off the engagement be
tween Miss Matilda Jane Snow and
the ministers"
The sudden frightening up OF Mrs.