Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-10-13
Peter Potter's Joke.

"You have made me very happy,
Polly, and s'pose We set the day for
Christmas.
Miss Polly Perkins looked lovingly
unto his eyes and answered affirmative
ly by leaning her head upon his shout
der.
They were sitting in the pretty par
lor OF q cosy cottage ON the outskirts
of Chenille. Their eourtship had not
been long one-in TACK it had been
Short earnest and decisive, and when
Peter Potter parted with s betrelhed
that Sunday night he considered him.
self a very lucky man in securing such
q prize as Polly Perkins, the pretti est
lass in Glenyille who had eaten more
philopenas and broken more chicken
breastbones than any maiden for miles
around.
True. she was only 20. while Peter
was bachelor away up in thirties;
but he was man of property and car
,ried on thriving grocery business in
the village; and there were some girls
ia Chenille who would have felt very
much put out" if they had overheard
the engagement words spoken that
Sunday night
Christmas was now only two months
OIL ami Folly at once began to prepare
her wedding trOuSSean Sine was n
poor girl who made her living b. work.
41hS IN cotton factory, and she had no
relatives in the world except AN old
MA den aunt with whom she lived
She was bright girl. somewha pert
al manners, AMI, on occasion, she
could be as tart ms vinegar.
Feter Potter was n queer mental
compound He was phenomenaIly un-
stable IN his views on religion and
poiltlcs; so much so, i'll fact, that he
had won The nickname of Peter
Changeabout, and NO one more faith
fully observed the maxim when
you're among Romans do rs the
Romans do than he In politics he
Was equally tickle. Ore year hs was
an ardent Democrat; the next year lac
was Republican. and once Ee figured
as bright and shining local light in
the ranks of the independent party.
Peter Potter was man well liked
b the people of Gienyile. lie was
not stingy. He was foremost in his
works OF Charity, aud many poor
family, TO which enforced idleness or
sickness had brought privation, was
the recipient of substantial gifts from
his store. He was always a cheerful
man, and no social party ia Chenille
was considered complete without his
presents He was Yery popular with
the gentler sex. Moreover, he greatly
enjoyed practical joke. even if he him
sell were the victim of il In this re-
speet he could give and take with
equal satisfaction to his ris! bilItie5 IN
either case.
Now VIXEN the news got around that
nc had engaged himself to Nj IS Polly
Perking the gossips made all sorts Of |
relpaFks about the matter not at all |
complimentary to Potter Potter.
"Ill bet a watermelon to pumpkin |
seed,' said Bill Jackson, the Postmas- |
ter, THAT Peter Potter won't be on
hand when the time comes OF course |
he now thinks he loves Miss Perkins. |
But he's likely TO be smitten with the |
charms OF Sallie Tweedle next week, |
and with those Of Susie iimkins before |
thanksgiving comes. Poor Polly Per- |
kins! Shes too nice body TO be trill-
ed with and made The jest and jeer of
all the girls in town"
And this was The popular view taken |
OF the situation, and some Of the gos- /
sips were not directory in saving 80
much TO Miss Perkins. Nevertheless
she had faith in her afiianced, and re-
ceived the tattle Of the busy bodies
without allowing her good nature to
be rutfled for a moment
Whf," said she 10 a neigbbor one
dav, do you suppose L III going to go
crazy II he don't keep his w0rdp Oh,
mol There is just as good fish in the
sea as over were eought, you KNOW"
aud then she laughed most heartily
and went tripping along The roadside
humming CHEEKY mir.
OF course much of this gossip reach
ed the ears OF Peter Potter, who,
however went about his business as
usual and was not at all affected by
the GOODNESS which some of the mar
! riageable girls of the sewing society
manifested when he met them on the
street or at church. As for the gen
tlemen, those fellows who had declared
that his engagement TO Polly was
merely one Of his practical jOkes-he
said: Let 'em have their fun I'll
show EN- joke yet thar II make 'em
laugh on the other side of the
mouth"
Well. it was now within week of
Christmas Invitations 10 the we'd
ding had been sent ont with The re-
quest that the recipients be- at Miss
Perkins Aunt Belsy's residence at
o. clock of that dry to witness the GER
cmony.