The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-19

/
| for while venture6 to speak TO him of the
| questionable nature of the position he had as
/ sumed.
1 Gossip-like rolling snowball-gathers
venom from the very strength of the regulations
| it assais. The Parson had looked after poor
Pack for years. this must nave been suotiy rep
rehensbe all along. though Gossip had never
/ reasoned it out before. Now ne evidently looked
after them both-he a single man and q minis
ter. This was douhiy wrong though Gossip
cautiously failed that IL might be worse to
/ let them both starve
Arizony. IN her secusion, had hint
/ to how the tide was setting. One day the Par
! son ran over, after of his monthly trips
| Short Bark. with sack of meal. which, said he:
| THE bruthren jest made me kerry off. tho
| I've got more grist now on hand than kin use
| afore hit soErs."
| Arizony looked at the sack on the floor at
him. and began to silently wiring her hands.
| finally bursting weakly into tears.
"Ye musn't-ye mus Mt" she at length sobbed
| forth. docs you think don't know what 1t
| all costs We, ter be a keerin' fer me md Pack
not in money erlone, but in sumpin' durer ner
| money-yore own good name and kerrecter. L
| done ye one bad turn once, when wus young
| md foolish, bit Lord furbid ez 1 sh'u'd do ye
| ernother one.'
What do We mean, Arizony7'
| .'Why, thur teln hit MP AN down Chooga-
loo. that in lookin after me nd Pack ye air
| dom wrong They wus n that; md tho
| yain' keerin fur myself, | cant stan hit on
| yore ercount.. Me md Pack hev gotter shift
She spoke dogeedly, having ceased crying.
| though her moist eyes regarded him tenderiy,
1 as mother might nave looked upon q dear
| though hayward child. The Parson drew a
| long breath. then stepped forward and grasped
| her hand. though she strove feebly to hinder
him.
'sArizony," he said earnestly, ST hev prayed
ter God night after night ter keep us both in the
strait path. knows yore condshuns nd vore
suff'rin's nobody yelse eroun' hyur knows EN-;
| nd while God hewitt show'd me that I'm a doin'
wrong In hopin' you bit, hev His word ter tell
me w'n'dn' be a doin' right ter leave We in yore
trouble Eff my bruthern see yutherwise-thats
thur LUX out-not mine. GoG-He knows my
heart md you knows how l feels towards ye; SO
doa' let what they alls SEE erbout me poster We,
Arzony."
Il CANT hope it CANT hope bein' pestered
erbout ye." She sighed-looking so wan frall
and pitifui that his eyes grew dim he replied,
theoretically:
''Thars jes one right way ter put stop ter all
thish yer tae-oearin' nd folly, md onkindness.
Git yore bunnit Arizony, nd weuns ii ride
over to Squire CANDLES. Thar's minister
hyur, but he'll do. When we gifts back.
weuns II see if my nabors hahn got respects
ernuff fer thar preacher ter hole thur tongues
erbout his wife"
She he thoroughly in earnest, and
for a moment she yielded to the sweet relief of
contemplating such haven for herself. yet
only to realize by the after pang of renuncia,
tion, how dearly she now loved this faithful
mo, moi" she cried at length. 'For yore own
sake don't ye tempt me. I'm not worthy of
right fer it ter be so. nd won't burden ye with
the wreck OF my pore life. Tw'u'd surely be
She turned and fed out of the house. leaving
him there, baffled yet not defeated in purpose.
A nelghbor passing by called to her and tossed
letter over the fence. She picked it up, opened
it, more relief to her feeling than from curl
osity and began to read. Parson klmbro.
prised to see her look up presently and turn
back with smiles Frightening through her tears.
II druther ye laugh than cry, .Arizony,"
he said quantity, he grasped her hand.
''Hev we thot better on itl'
"Read that thar" she replied, giving him the
letter.
AS he bent over it her whole face kindled and
glow of color again touched her cheeks. It
seemed as though Arzony were growing younger
all at
ing Mrs Adkins So, 600 for piece of land long
recorded there as the property of her deceased
husband
s'You nuver sed nuthn erbout this" said he,
looking up inquiringly.
''Why the place wuz poor me md Nose iist
starved out it, tho hit wuz powerful nur the
town. We lef' it yurs ergo. nd I nuver lowed
hit w'ud be wuth much of anythin'." :. =
Tho Parson reflected. Arizony would now be
of Choogaloo. He himself was poor in compari-
son. If she had declined his offer before
though on generous, self abnegative principles
was it likely she would want to marry him
now2 He old, greyheaded, rich only in
eternal hope not of this world. He drew gently
back, and his face saddened, though not I'M
kindly
wal Arizony." he said, I'm powerful glad
of ,hish yer-fur yore sake-nd yit-"
sweet revival of his youthful hops-this fresh
reminding of his early and only earthly ovea
Arizony, watching him, seemed to divine his
thoughts. She stepped forward and stretched
out her hand
Lem" she said then looked down in sweet
confusion. Withdrawing her hand and twisting
her fingers together awkwardly. Perhaps |
won't be such burden to ys now, after all-ef
EFF"
''Arizony" he cried, and gazed upon her as
one fearing yet striving to understand.
With another swift movement she buried her
face in her hands for instant, then looked at
him. All! the eyes of these sad faced mountain
women. Though all else about them be trte
end commonplace. touch of the heaven they
YEARLY sigh for often glasses itself there at
moments like these.
The Parson read his dumb answer truly, and
held out his arms. Arizony nestled there shrink
lngly, yet fondly. and felt that the she had
SO long despaired of had come to her at last.
Late that afternoon two of the deacons of
the Choogaoo Baptist Church, coming up the
road. saw Parson Kimbro and Arzony standing
together before the minister's gate. They ap
preached slowly, with sober faces and an air of
embarrassment.
''Parson," said Brother McJunkip, the senior
deacon of the church. tat our las church meet
in ez we'uns hit when you ter the
Long Ridge. me nd Brother Spadden hyur was
'plnted ter wait on We ter-a-ahem!-wal wat
we hev gotter say, Parson .air fur yore yuIs
erlone'
Say on. bruthern," returned the minister.
II hev no secrets now f'om Arizony hyur"
The two deacons exchanged glances, when Mr.
McJunkin continued:
'Parson, you hev ben shupp'rd fur yurs
md yuIs, nd weuns AIR 10th ter give up The
church hev prayed we. md waited on We,
hopin we mout the error inter which We hev
ben a.fallin,"
What error bruthernl Come ter the pint
tho think see vat you air a. rivin at"
."Yore bruthern demand that ye give up the
company nship of this woman hyur, a
md q temptation ter yore soul. nd a scan'nle ter
the cause ye hev so long md faithfully upheld
The Parson felt Arzony's clasp upon his arm
tighten; it nerved HIM TO yet greater plainness
of speech, as he said solemnly:
''Shall not man cleave ter his wife before all
men-yea-though all men turn ergin him."
'Shorely-yIt-" stammered the deacon, but
the minister interrupted him sternly.
This woman Is my wife, my beloved wife,
tried by affection, yet still pure nd worthy 1
L. 4