The Grenada gazette., 1888-06-30
'Why. what are you going to do
NAP" qnerieL Maria, innOcently.

with sharp glance at her daughter.
DO? WE'LL / don't intend to do any
thing; I'm a-thinkin' them pantaloons
III do enough As sure as pre- achin'.
your pail wish he'd never set eyes on
'em fore he's worn 'em no time I
ALL" and she began to manipulate
another pie cover. as Jerusha the
deacon's sister, a middle aged spinster.
entered the room.
whats there, S'prony" One Of
Jerusha's self-imposed tasks was to
inspect and pass judgment on all
family purchases. 50 the open parcel
was the first thing inviting her atten.
ton.
Them? o them's some clos Josier
thought he needed and wouldn't hev
time to hev made fore Thursday"
The tone and toss of the head were
so suggestive that the matter called
for immediate investigation on Jeru.
sha's part; SO applying her eye
glasses to her nose, she set about it
with an alacrity and cheerfulness
that foreboded i'll TO the poor deacon's S
purchase.
"Well. l never! Pears rs If Josler' S
getting sort of daft. 'ady-male
clos an shoddy't that! Av course,
YOU might expect they'd be shoddy
S'prony. you hadn't orter let him do
the buyin' If he's goin' to let himself
be took in like that-you really hadn't t
orter. Shoddy. sure's the world!
Replacing her glasses which had
dropped from her nose. she proceeded
to second inspection.
Look as though they'd rip awful
easy, too; and my! I'm sure ,hey'l II
bag all out at the knees the first wear
in'!' and the unfortunate pants were
dangled out into space. and. as an
other idea struck her, she finally held
them up before her own person.
Goodness gracious! they're as long
as The moral law. Josier can't never
wear them things 'thout he gethers
EN- up with string aroun' the bot
tom an ties 'em roun' his ankles
with which sarcastic speech she
dropped the subject of her comments
and betook herself TO her work with a
contenptuous "huh."
The deacon had been beset by mis-
givings concerning his bargain. all
the way home; but they were chiefly
about the length. He thought he had
struck bargain, only, rs he expressed
il: They are leetle long in the legs,
but one of the winlmin folks can fix
that all right"
They could if they would 1t was
this question which he was turning
over in his mind as he came from the
barn and stopped to sweep off his
boots outside the door, Would they
do it? As he opened the door he heard
Jerusha's last remark. and the willy
deacon determined on piece Of
diplomacy.
'J1rusher alters liked to be the first
to diskivcr things. SOS She S diskiver-
ed the length of them air pants. she'll
be Jest the one to ask TO shorten EN-
muscd the scheming deacon as he
pulled off his overcoat, hung i up and
drew up chair to the stove.
"Ahem! Jerusher. think wc'll hev
snow huff fer sleighin' when D rius
an the rest comeP' Then without
waiting for an answer: Ben a-look-
in at my clos hev you? Av course
you seen they're a lcetle long; now
could you shorten 'em up tritlc. say
a matter of two inches? l lowed,
bringin' 'em home, you'd he master
hand to do it, you re so handy with
your needle. There aint nothing
about but what you can do with it. so
! told Squire Perki rs comm along
This last was a master-stroke for
the squire had been an admirer Of
Jerusha for some time. and people
said she was not at all averse to him,
only he had never committed himself.
"Tbatll get her sure" thought the
willy deacon, but he was mistaken.
'Josier Smith, shan't do nothin
of the kind. If you're sech an ijt at
your time Of life as to go TO buyin'
store clos, why you'll hcv to take the
consequences. that's all, and Jcrusha
loftily left the room.
Wal. them pants s got to be short
ened up some way. They're a power
ful sight too long to hitch up high
enough mused the deacon, IAN ]
might jest as well ask S'prony and hcv
done with it,
So the poor man waylaid his wife as
she was enjoying an extra cup of Hy-
son in the pantry--a very propitious
time he thought He broached the
subject with due humility.
"S'prony. them articles air leetlc
too long. it's a fact, but you can take
off couple inches rs well as not. can
you3 You see they're all I've got rs is
decent"
The good woman became suddenly
rigid. 'Joser, l scd you'd be sorry
you'd ever seen Them pants. an your
trouble S begun Already. ] haint got
a minute IS time to spare for myself.
much less for fixin' over store clos"
and once more the poor deacon was
adrift.