Connecticut western news., 1888-07-25
A SMART WOMAN.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

>N~~~~
 'That woman, "said Squire Dockley within himself, fought to have been g manp
 The English language, as the squire interpreted it, had no higher form oi praise than this. The squire believed implicitly in his own sex. And when ho said that Maria Pools fought to havo been a man," he dld homage to her ca pacity.
 Squire Dockloy was on his way to the postoffice. He liked to go in the early morning, before the thermometer had mounted to too high degree, and while the dew yet sparkled upon the close, short grass along the road.
 Old MT. Poole had been postmaster al Sassafras Gap for 12 years, but his daughter Maria performed all tho duties of tsie position, as the old man was bed ridden, deaf and helpless. Maria also worked the farm, with the aid of va cant-faced, red-haired auxiliary, nam,d Elias Smith, who came for half wages on account of limp in one leg; and she kept boarders in summer.
 "There's the clothes all out oa the lines, and it aia't o'clock yet" said the squire. "And not a weed in the garden, and nobody to raise finger about tho place but Maria! I declare that woman ought tohave been man r Close beside him was the well, shad owed with a canopy of blue-cuppod morning-glorie which had not yet folded their silken tents away from the sun.
 The squire stopped to get drink O water, when suddenly human head popped up before him like jack-in the box.
 "Je-ru-sa-lem p ejaculated tho squire starting back "Why, it's you, ain't it Miss Poo,e~
 ''Yes, it's me-" said Maria. 'Tv' been down the we'll to clean it. A tir trumpet two doll babies, a spelling book, a cocoanut shell and fourteen ap ple-cores---that's what the boarders children have dropped down since thi day week. sometimes think" giving herself a shake, and sending tho sur plus moisture of the we'll flying in al directions, 'that King Herod wasn't s' far wrong as folks pretend to think. I you want drink, Squire Dockloy you ( better go down to the spring house. Th' wells sort O stirred up."
 The squire mcekly followed Mari Poole down to the cool, sweet-smclline spring house where living strcan flowed beneath the shelves, all ladel with pans of milk and a glitterins spring bubbled up in the corner like magnifed diamond.
 'Made much butter this year7" tht squire inquired as he slaked his thirst
 "Two hundred and nine pounds packed down already" was Maria's re sponse.
 'Well, declarer' admiringly com mented the squire, as he laid down tn gourd- shell. "You'd ought to hay been man, Miss Maria; and SO rv said ag'in and ag'in."
 '.Humph," observed Maria. 'If couldn't a-made smarter man thal some know of, would give up. We'll squire, don't want to hurry you, bu its most time to open the post offic and see about the morning mail"
 'I was a-thinkin' of calling for m letters and papers," said Squire Dock ley, wiping his mouth with red ban daDna pocket-handkerchief.
 "Can't nobody get into the postoffic not if they had letter for the presi dent himself-afore clock" said Mis- Maria, curtly. 'Business hours is busi ness hoursp'
 "Yes, Iknow--I knoww apologize, the squire, as he followed Miss Pool up the winding path; 'but was calcu latin to speak to you, Maria"
 "Well, what is it7 Don't keep m longp
 The squire shifted from ono foot t the othcr Was ever lover expsdite like this beforc3
 'I was a-thinkin', Marin," said he "that it wan in place for woman t be keepin' postoffice--"
 "Oh, that's your game, is itT' re torted Maria. ''You'd like to get tn office away from father, would you And you're gcttin' up petition to cdg some friend O yourn ina Well, it won go down, Squire Dockley. All the folk hereabouts know father we'll, ard yo won't get no signatures to your pap:r. And should think you'd be ashame of yourself to 70 and--p