The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-12-11
Thanksgiving.
BY HELEN WHITNEY CLARKE.
Democrats MONTHLY.


'And SO you've sold your farm, Be-
lindy?'
'Yes, an 1 must say I'm glad of it.
A lone woman amt got no business a.
tryin' to farm, no-way. Though must
say I've made out pretty we'll this year.
1 cleared six hundred dollars on the
wheat, over and above payin' fur the
harvestin', thrashin' and the like. An
I've sold the hay, clover and timothy
mixed, fur about three hundred more.
But it's awful wearin' on woman, a.
tendin' to things and watchin' that the
hands don't shirk, nor nothin'. AS l
was a-sayin', lone woman amt got no
business with a farm. Twas different
before Aaron died. and Mrs. Belinda
Blossom gave regretful sigh over the
memory of the dead and gone Aaron.
you needn't to be lone woman any
longer'n you want to, Belindy,' quietly
observed her sister, Mrs. Jerusha Hatch.
There Deacon Gibbs now, would give
his eyes to
Don't say Deacon Gibbs to me- re-
torted the widow. Don't know what
he's after2 Don't he know as well as
do that I've got eight thousand dollars
safely put away in Blue Grass Bank? l
haven't doubt he'd like to git the
handlin' of it, but he never will, I kin
tell him that.
'Sho, now, Belindy,' demonstrated
Mrs. Hatch, whats the use O. maxim
the poor man out wuss'n he is? don't
know as he's any likelier to be after the
money than Lawyer Green
Lawyer Green's got money himself,
an it stands to reason faint so much
Of an objeck to him. Besides I amt
said-'
'Oh no, you hain't said, know, but
a body kin put two and two together, l
reckon. Well, all I've got to say, I'd
ruther hev Deacon Gibbs any day, if
twas me, than that smooth-tongued,
iley-lookin lawyer. But I must be a.
gittin' home; Bijah'll want his supper,
time it's ready and Mrs. Hatch rolled
up her knitting, wrapped it carefully in
a cloth, and put on her black sun-bon-
net and her blue yarn half hands.
you might of stayed to supper, Jeru-
sha,' said the widow reproachfully. 4
was a-goin' to have cream cookies an
some of them Lawton blackberry pre-
serves you're so fond Of
'Wal, I'd mighty well like to stay,
Belindy, but Bijah, he'll be lookin' fur
me to hev supper ready when he comes
in from the field. He's allus as hungry
as beaver at night; an 1 amt left
nothin' cooked so he could get himself
bite. l reckon I better 60. You
goin' to Miss Larcom's quiltin' next
week7'
'Oh, s'pose so. Miss Larcom would
get mihed if I didn't, and after another
five or ten minutes of conversation Mrs.
Hatch got started for home.
Mrs. Belinda Blossom was a typical
widow, fair, fat and not quite forty, and
was known as the best housekeeper in
and around the neighborhood where she
lived.
With even less personal attractions
and good qualities than she possessed,
she might changed her widows weeds
for bridal attire long ago, had she so
desired. However, for some reasons
best known to herself, she had preferred
to remain 'lone woman, as she called
it, so far. Whether she intended to re-
main so much longer was a question
which puzzled herself quite as much as
it did some other parties.
1t was the day of Mrs. Larcom's quilt
ing and supper was almost ready. The
quilt was already out, and by little
preconcerted maneuver on the part of
the fun flowing girls, it had been thrown
over the widows head, when taken out
of the frame-a piece of mischief which
afforded no little amusement, as, accord
ing to the -honored tradition, who
ever the quilt is thrown over, is soon to
become bride.
Mrs. Blossom bore her honors blush
ingly, and her cheeks were still covered
with crimson when the gentlemen began
to drop in, just before supper.
Lawyer Green, who was among the
first to arrive, was profuse in his atten-
tions to the blooming widow, much to
the discontinue of his less fotunate ri
val, who could only sit in the corner
and cast despairing glances at the object
of his affections.
'Just look at Deacon Gibbs, whisper
ed Mahala Williams to Dorcas Limb
'He looks like hen on a hot griddle,
| while Lawyer Green is courting the
| widow
Dorcas Uttered out loud, whereupor
the deacon grew red in the face, as il
aware that he was the object of theil
mirth.
wal, I reckon I'll be a-goin,' Mis-
7 .arcom.' he announced. approaching