Milford chronicle., 1888-11-16
MIR. POTTER'S JOKE.

''You have made me very happy Polly,
and s'pose we set the day for Christmas"
Miss Polly Perkins looked lovingly into
his ewes and answered atiirmatively by
leaning her head upon his shoulder.
They were sitting in the pretty parlor
of a COW cottare on the outskirts of
Glenville. Their courtship had not been
a long one-in fact, it had been short,
earnest and decisive, and when Mr.. Peter
Potter parted with his betrothed that
Sunday night he considered himself very
lucky man in securing such prize as
Polly Perkins, the prettiest lass in Glen
vile, who had eaten more phiiopenas and
broken more chicken breast bones than
any maiden for miles around.
True, she was only 20, while Peter was
q bachelor away up in the thirties; but
he was a man Of property and carried on
a thriving grocery business in the village
and there were some girls in Glenviue
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 of
and Polly at once began to procure her
wedding trousseau. She was poor girl
who made her living by working In cot
ton factory, and she had no relative in the
world except an old maiden aunt with
whom she lived. She was bright girl,
somewhat pert in manners, and, on occa-
sion, she could be as tart as vinegar.
Mr.. Peter Potter was queer mental
compound He was phenOmenally un-
stable in his views on religion and pol
itics; so much so, in fact, that he had
won the nickname of Peter Change
about and no one more faithfully OBJ
served the maxim, "When you're among
Romans do as the Romans do, than he.
In politics he was equally tickle. One
wear he was an ardent Democrat the next
wear he was a Republican and once he
figured as a bright and shining local light
in the ranks Of the Independent party
Peter Potter was man well liked by
the people of Glenville. He was not
stingy. He was foremost in works of
charity. and many poor family, to which
enforced idleness or sickness had brought
privation, was the recipient Of substan-
tial gifts from his store. He was always
a cheerful man. and no social party in
Glenville was considered complete with
out his presence. And he was very pop
Mar with the gentler sex. Moreover he
greatly enjoyed a practical joke, even II
he himself were the victim of K. In this
90 - i'fo- Interested IN, WHICH las -.
sepa agf6ction to his risibilities in either
case.
Now. when the news got around that
he had engaged himself to Miss Poly
Perkins the gossips made all sorts OF re-
marks about the matter not at all compll'
mentary to Mr. Peter Potter.
tIll bet a watermelon to a punkin
seed said Bill Jackson, the postmaster
sthat Peter Potter won't be on hand When
the time comes. OF course he now thinks
he loves Miss Perkins, but he's likely tC
he smitten with the charms Of SalliG
Tweedle next week, and with those o
Susie Timkins before Thanksgiving
comes. Poor Polly Perlkinsl She's to-
nice a body to be trifed with and mad
the Jest and jeer Of all the girls III thi
town"
And this was the popular view taken o
the situation. and some Of the gossip
were not dilatory in saying so much t
Miss Perkins Nevertheless she had tait
In her afianced. and received the tattle o
the busybodies without allowing her goo
nature to become ruflied for q moment.
s.Why," said she to a neighbor one day
s'do YOU suppose I'm going to go crazy
he don't keep his wOrd2 Oh, mol There
inst as rood fish in the sea as ever wa
caught. YOU know" and then she laughe
most heartily and went tripping along I'll
roadside hunming a CHEEKY air
OF course much Of this gossip reaehe
the ears of Mr., Peter Potter, who, hoy
ever. went about hts business as usui
and was not at all affected by the coldsei
which some Of the marriageable girls
the sewing society manifested when
met them on the street or at church. :
for the gentlemen-those fellows VINO NJ
declared that his engagement, to Polly vi
.N 14a rarorfirnl 1OEnS-I
said: 'sLet EN- have their run. III sho
'em Joke vet thatn make EN- laugh
The other side Of the mouth"
Well, It was now within week
Christmas. Invitations to the weddl
had been sent out with the request tn
the recipients be at Miss Perkins Au
Betsv's residence at 3 o'clock of that d
to witness the ceremony.
Il was a conventional gathering of Y
laoe society that met there that ds
Even the Rossips who had been most
dustrious in criticising Mr.. Peter Pott
were there The Rev. Philip Thomps
arrived a few moments before the
pointed hour-he was to be master
ceremonies - and when the old clio
struck 8 there was only one absenti
Miss Polly Perkins, prettily attired
white silk, white kids, a white tulle
and orange blossoms, was standing b.
window in close conversation with Ar
Betsy. Ten minutes passed, and th
low mutterings were heard from knots
guests in the parlor
Il told you so, said Postmaster Ja
son. peter Potter is still entitled to
nickname Of Peter Changeabout.' Nc
renew my bet Of a watermelon to p
kin seed that Peter won't be here. d
most cruelty Tilted Polly Perkins,
bet"
These remarks were addressed to yor
Lawyer Tom Kent, whose conyersat
with long haired, bushy whiskered
" mustached gentleman had b
syruD OF Eigs.