The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-11-20
oracularly, if not very lucidly," and now

it's happenedw
"What?" gasped Mrs. Jenkins.
"You know the rivers been all over
Esau's medder, m all over Webster's med
der, m now if the blamed thing haint gone
| back to its old channel m put the threa-
cornered patch back onto Esau's meider
again Pm a-goin' right over TO see Web
ster. Land Won't he be madi No, boys
you can't CO. There'll be crowd anyway.
m Webster won't like it. rn tell YOU
aboat it when 1 come back.n And pulling
his nat down over his eyes, as though in
expectation of high wind, Mr.. jenkins
hurried up the street.
His return was awaited with almost un-
endurable impotence. Nobody went by,
and the very air was pervaded by a sort Of
suspense such as is said to precede great
battle. Mrs. Jenkins said that she guessed
every body had gone up to the Hunt home-
stead. 1t was there that Webster Hunt
lived, with a brother and their aged
mother. At last Mr.. Jenkins returned
| His face was graver and paler than his
| family had ever seen it before in their
lives and his whole manner was strangely
awed He shut the door behind him and
sank into chair, but his tongue seemed
locked
Mrs Jenkins let fall piece of work on
which she had been abortively trying to
| sew, and caught up the baby. Then She
managed to articulate: ''For pitys sake
father, what is it!n
Her words seemed to give her husband
key to beginning.
Talk about meraclesl" he burst forth
Lord they is meracles these days, much
as they ever was m I've seen one-'n'
shouldn't ask to see no bigger one. Ive'
speaking low and impressively-"rv
seen Webster Hunt walk; yes, have as
ao chorus rus OF un6slieving obs and "ahs"
Webster that that there three-corneied
patch O. land was back on Esau's medlss,y
again, he turned as black as yer hat, they
said, m says he: Il don't believe ftp says
he, m says he: 4 shan't believe it till I've
seen it with my own eyes,, says he. He
really swore-Webster did, they say-'n'
says he: IN see it with my own eyes,
says he, m he jumps up before 'em
all-didn't think as he was walkin'-'n'
says he Come on, m WEN see if Esau
Newton's goin' to have that three-cornered
| patchl' That was Jest IS got there, m he
come out o. the door, see him with my
own eyes-'n' walked acrost the door, yard,
headin' for the medder IN he walked
clear-to-the-rive toddlin'-like, but he
walked-Webster did, he was that mad,
| m then he kinder sank down on a rock
| there. be see it was SO, m no mistake
great, wide stream was a-runnin', as if it
had come to stay, bstwixt him m that
| three-cornered patch. Then they come I'D
with team n, he rode home without say
| IN word, | never see a man look so in
] my Ille his lace was all ike IL mad been
| bruised in streaks, m his eyes looked like
cats eyes in the dark. But they come for
| him in a common wagon. They didn't
! think twas worth while to be hitchin I'D
the Nileses wagon for him this time
In the laugh created by this mild joke
the oyerstrained nerves of the family re-
lieved themselves.
Then, when they got to the house." con-
tinued Mr.. Jenkins, "Webster got out all
himself m walked up to the door, not so
strong m quick $ he walked off, but good
deal like folks, after ALL"
II declare if faint something like that
woman you was tellin' about, Uncle" ex-
claimed Mrs Jenkins.
"Almiry Fitton, sure enough" said
Uncle Elnathan. sit beats all how that
sort of folks need something to spunk 'em
up Spunk 'em up m they seem to sortcr
rise above their lame legS.n
I'm more senses than one ~ put in tae
eldest Jenkins boy, who was rather bright,
and they all laughed at the unconscious
pun.
The next day Webster Hunt walked
again; but all his walking could not get
back his land from Esau Newton. to whom,
no doubt, it had always belonged by right
Fume and fret as he might, nothing short
of another CONFUSION of nature could re-
store the three-cornered PATCH to Web
ster Hunt again. Uncle Elnathan's trunk
was packed, and he was all ready for an
family sat in the porch, in the cool of the
evening, enjoying last family visit to-
gether. just then q gentleman and lady
drove by in stylish carriage, the lady's
plumes flying out white and bridelike in
the twilight.
"Who's that!" asked the eldest Jenkins
boy, who was just old enough to be curious
in regard to all social happenings.
AS nobody had been able to see In the
dimness, he caught up his hat and de-
parted: Presently his father, half sheep
ishly, followed the lad; but the family did
not have to await their return in order to
learn the news. A neighbor who was pass
ing. gave them, gladly, an opportunity to
find out all about the mysterious couple
II s'pose you've heard the news, he said,
resting his chin upon a fence paling.
Not we! !" returned Mrs. Jenkins, little
fretfully. "What is it!''
you see that couple that went ridin' by
jest now; didn't yous"
Eyes; of course"
'Mebbe you noticed that the woman had
white feathers onto her bunnit."
Eyes, we did,
Mrs. Jenkins's voice was unconscieusly
pitched full octave higher than usual.
"'N' didn't you know who they vast"
This was cruelty tantalizng.
MOO" she almost shrieked.
Uncle Elnathan was leaning forward,
with his hand curved around his right ear,
u.
"Twa'n't''-began Mrs. Jenkins, as the
bearer of the mighty secret paused, still
further to increase the weight of his final
announcement.
Eyes, guess you've hit it," he said,
nodding. 1T was Webster Hunt m Jane
Simons. They've jest been married"
well, )" said Mrs. Jenkins, after mo-
ments delay, Jane Simons III keep Web
ster Hunt walkin', if anybody can, for the
rest o. his material life"
When her husband came in few min
utes later he corroborated the story, but
added; II knew, Salome, that you hadn't
got the whole o. that thing. knew you
didn't understand all about the courtin'
betwixt Webster m Jane. Your notion
didn't account enough, to my mind, for
James holding outso. 1t seems she'd vowed
she'd never have Webster SO long as he
held on to that three-cornered patch. she
thought it was Esau's by right, and she told
Webster so. When the flood finally took
it away from him she come round, m they
got married, jest g they'd oughter done
twenty years ago"
Mrs. jenkins did not attempt to defend
herself. Like all women, she was pleased
with a wedding, and especially pleased
that Jane Simons had at last married Web
ster Hunt, in accordance even in part, with
her own theory. She simply repeated
what she had said before:
well, however that may be, Jane Simons
I'll keep him walkin so long IS he lives, if
anybody can"
And Jane Simons did. Webster Hunt