The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-11-29
THE PRIZE PUMPKIN.
Rosa Proved Herself q Good Farm.
er's Wife, After All.

$50 John is married. Sort of onex-
pected, Amt i1?' said Deacon Parker,
rs in his lay capacity of grocer, he
weighed out fourteen pounds of crushed
sugar for Mrs Parmalee, who sat upon
& tall stool on the customers side of
the counter. John" continued the
Deacon. as he carefully returned about
teaspoonful overweight to the bar
rel-"John always seemed kinder still
when he was amongst the gals, and |
calculated he'd be one of our old bach
sors; but there's never any telling
Mrs. Parmalee gave a slight groan
and shook her head.
If you feel that way about it, how
must l feel?" she said. LAS for his
pa, he's changed man. And Aunt
Abby took to her bed And my daugh-
ters have cried till / thought they'd
ery their eyes out We're an afflicted
family. Deacon"
Il want to know!" calculated the
ga, has hep
Il wish he had said Mrs. Parmalee.
Shed have helped about the house. :"
Il dunno" said the deacon. MY
-randmother's youngest son-an uncle
ot mine, that warn't much older'n me
he married his mas hired gal. and
he Jest folded her hands and wouldn't
fetch the water TO wash EN- with arter
The ring was On. 'Tisn't one of the
Jorkinees you've had the famerly quar-
rel with fur so long time?''
Il wish it s0Gs one of the Jorkins
girls, said Mrs. Parmalee.
Il qDamt TO knos0t'' said the Deacon,
in italics. is it a wilder with suthin
agin her character, like Samuwell
Penmelon married?n
No, said, Mrs Parmalee. She's a
set-up city thing, with ali the airs you
ever saw. She's fresh from boarding
school, and talks French, and sings
Italian, and plays, / must say, like a
professor. She's all style, and de-
farm; and she'll wean John from US.
Hes said more hateful things since he
was married than he ever said in his
life before. We gave him the best
bedroom. and she's got him to new
furnish it. And ! wish it had pleased
the Lord TO take me years ago, for
don't expect ever to be happy again
while live"
Pretty bad; pretty bad" said the
Deacon. But perhaps she'll turn out
better than you calkerlate, as she
grows older. P'r'aps it's childishness.
My wife would begin by giving her a
regular setting down, and settle her
for good.
My spirit is broken" said Mrs.
Parmalee. with a sigh. did ! say a
pound of raisins, and paper of all
spice, and Oh, yes, nearly forgot
the tea-the same We always got; a
pound And put them in the car
riage. I'm going next door to the
milliner's to get my new bonnet.
saw my daughter-in-law looking side.
ways at my old one lest Sunday" and.
with another groan, Mrs Parmalee
carried her budget of woes TO Miss
Trimmer. who was even more sympa-
thetic than the Deacon.
Meanwhile Johns new wife was
having rather a forlorn time of it al
home John was lecturing her.
Don't you think you could take q
little more interest in country life,
dear?" he was saying. 1T would
please the family SO much.
Il do john said Rosa, with her big
blue eyes full of candor. I'm sure
I've sketched every thing. The spring,
the well, the locusts on the hill, ano
Bessie. the calf; and I've got great
punches of grass
"'Yes-but / don't mean an artistic
interest said John. "A real solid one
Couldn't you feel little like country
girl if you tried, Rosa?''
Il have driven my own pony, an6
perhaps could drive the reaper, =" said
Rosa. plaintively. And / wouldn''
mind giving the pigs their Cruel, what
ever they eat; I'll churn-"
The hired men and the servants d.
al that, Rosa" said John, rather So
verely. Don't pretend to misnnder
stand me. I'm plain farmer, and my
wife must not be too much above
things / take an interest IL.
I'm not, john" cried Rosa VIVA;
do Go?n
John could not say. He only knew
that his home, which had been place
OF peace and comfort in the days when
as the bachelor brother of 6ve-and
thirty, he had been the adored of ths
homestead. the idol of his mother, AND
the Admirable Chrichton of hi
younger sisters, had turned into sor
of cabinet of torture; that the LITTLE
beauty who had left boarding-schoo
to marry him-and whom he hat
thought perfect-was spoken OF as
''stuck-up," as a thing of airs ant
graces, as one who put on airs.
The family wore the air of having
been through a frightful trial Sharl
things were said-bitter ones, also
and his amiab,e parents, his Cheerful
old aunt, and his lively little sister
were changed into beings as solemn =
grand Druids-
The change had been brought aocu
by him giving them what he suppose
would be pleasant surprise-in mar
rying Rosa He had qnarreled WI
them. now he was lecturing his vile
She was wiping away tear Wne