South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1888-02-10

fine farm. too, and fifty odd hea'
OF stock
There's Lizzie Snarely. said tn,
deacon rehectively.
That Eighty thing! No indeed
She hasn't IAN ounce Of brains
aud sh.'s fully twenty year
younger'n you are
The widow Bellamy?' suggest
ed tile deacon, who had grown
go used to LIS si-ter's dictatior
that he invariably submitted Il
her opinion. How would she do?
She wouldn't do at all, answer
ed Mise Keturah, grimly. 'IIel
mind is always on her hne clothes
and iol-de-rols. No, brother. yor
want woman Of sense and gcoC
Judgment. know of only one
that I'd trust TO take charge here
after me, and che is now living in
New Pethany.'
who do you mean, Kcturah?
Mis-, Thankful Todd answered
Miss Keturah, with an air of one
who expected to create Il surprise
The deacon turned his mild
blue eyes on his sister and smiled
benignIy.
Why | don't even know her by
sight he said slowly. 'Wha,
made you settle on her?'
Because she's the smartest wo.
man | can bring to rniud,' was the
answer-'Aud you needn't stop
Ter want of acquaintance. Go ov.
Ell to New / ethany Tomorrow
FL give you a note of introduction
and
'fcu don't want me to ask her
to morrow interrupted the dea-
con i'm alarm,
NO; but you caL make a begin
ing, and you can 90 over once a
week until the matters settled.
The.e's no time IL lose. You've
only got three months before YOU.
| want Miss Todd to step in when
| step out. So make up yonr
mind to push Things
So saying, Miss Keturah lighted
ter bedroom candle and departed,
leaving her brother sitting by the
kitchen fire. his newspaper on his
knee, and a reflective expression IN
his meek, kind face lie sat thus
for long time. lie couldn't put
his mind on the county hews, or
statistics of the Agricultural Socie-
~. " hich had possessed So deep an
interest Tor him previous to his sis
ter's announcement OF her APP
preaching marriage with an elder
ly farmer OF ar adjoining county
The news had 'upset'lhe deacon
He had gone on in quiet hum
drum way for so long, that he had
never Anticipated II break in the
domestic treadmill. 1t had never
entered his mud that his practical
energetic sister might marry.
And he had never thought OF mar.
rage for himself until tonight,
aud now it was not repugnant to
him. In tact he rather ,ancled it,,
aud even wondered If Miss Todd
was II, all like keturah IN appear.
ance.
Keturah had told him to push
thlngs, bu, ii was hard order TO
follow. lie had rcver pushed
things in his life, but had been
pushed by them; and had il not
been for the excellent management
OF his energetic sensible sister the
farm would not have done so well.
But he was rou; ed to earnest
thought, now that Inc found the
support OF which he had leaned
so long was about to be taken from
him. lie saw very clearly that, az
Ketrrah bad SAID, the only thing
to be done, nnder the circumstan.
ces, was for him to marry.
He thought the subject over in
all It's various be rings as lie sat
alone iy the kitchen fire; and
when at length hc lighted his can.
die aud sought his own room, he
Lad made up his mind to ask Miss
Thankful Todd on the first reason.
able opportunity to be Mrs. Jere-
miah Basset.
A nights sleep did tot alter bis
determination; aud when early the
next morning his sister suggested
that he had better DC moving on
toward New Bethany, he went oh
edientIy ont to the stable, and bar
Messing the old white mare into the
spring wagon, drove on down the
shady country road.
1t did not occur TO him until be
had gone about five miles that he
had made no change IN his dress
and had forgotten the note ofiutro,
duction he was to carry.
THAT comes Of never going court
ing before, he muttered. with n
vague regret that lie had missed
early experience s in this line. But
Ill trust TO luck Introducing my.
self, aud If she is as sensible as Ke
turah says she is, she won't like me
any loss far HAVING On 80. III