The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-02-16

out the minister's salary
"She had her silk dresses before she
was merried, and her folks was wealthy"
said Miss Squire Edwards.
As much as we have done and are
still doing for them, it seems ungratetul
in her," SEE LHcinder, to wear such a
bonnet as she wore all last summer, a
PLAN white straw with little bit OF
white ribbon on it !; it looked SO scumpy
and stingy. l have thought she wore ii
on purpose to mortify US before the
Baptists, jest as if we couldn't afford to
dress our minister's wife as good as
they did theirs"
Maggie Shows cheeks was glttin' red
as fire, and her eyes begun to shine jest
as they did that day we found some
boys stonin' her cat. You see, she and
the minister's wife are the greatest
friends that ever was. And see she
couldn't hold in much longer she was
jest openin' her mouth to speak when
the door opened and in walked Betsy
Bobbet.
"Why, it seems to me you are late,
Betsy" said Miss Jones )" but walk rite
into the spare bedroom and take off
your things.
Things7" said Betsy, > who cares
for things2" and she dropped into the
nearest rockin' chair and commenced
rockin' violently.
Betsy Bobbet was a humble critter.
But we hadn't no time to mediate on
her, for as Miss Jones asked her again
to take off her things, she broke out:
"Would that l had died when l was
an infant babe /"
"Amen !" whispered Mary Ann
Jones to Maggie Snow.
"What is the matter, Betsy?" said
Miss Jones.
"Yes, do," said Miss Deacon Graves.
Matter enuff !" sez she )" no won
der we have earthquakes and jars l
heard the news jest before l started,
and it made me weak as a cat l had
to stop to every house on the way down
to rest, and not soul had heard of it
till told 'em. Such a turn as it gave
me l shan't get over it for week but
it is jest as l always said the minister's
wife wasn't any too good. 1t didn't
surprise me, not a Bit"
"You can't tell me one word against
Mary Linden that l will believe" said
Maggie Snow.
"You will admit that the minister
went north last Tuesday, won't you?"
Seven wimmen spoke up to once and
said, eyes, his mother was took sick,
and they telegraphed for him."
$50 he said," sneered Betsy Bobbet,
$50 he said j.; l believe it's for good"
"Oh dear !" shriked Ophelia Dobbs,
81 shall faint away ketch hold of me,
somebody"
"Ketch hold of YOURSELF" said l Sc
verely, and then sez l to Betsy,
don't believe he's run away any more
than l believe l am the next President
of the United States of America"
"Well, if he hain't he'll wish he
had," sez she. His wife came night
before last on the cars
Four wimmen said Did she?" two
said "Do tell" and three opened theil
mouths and looked at her speechless
amongst the last was Miss Deacon
Graves. l spoke in a kollected manner
and sez |, "What of it2"
ayes, what of it," said she. "I be.
lieve the poor man mistrusted it all out
andrun away from trouble and disgrace
"How dare you !" sez Maggie Snow
"speak the word disgrace in connection
with Mary Linden2"
elbow dare I1" sez Betsy Bobbet
"Ask Jake Coleman, as it happened
got it from his own mouth it didn'
come through two or three"
"Get whatp" sez l eff you can speal
the English language, Betsy Bobbet
and have got sense enuff to tell {
straight story, tell it and be done with
it," sez l.
"Well, jest as came out of the gate
to our house," sez she, "Jake Coleman
came along, and sez he, Betsy, l have
got something to tell you,' sez he; q
want to tell somebody that can keep it
it ought to be kept sez he; and ther
he went on and told; sez he, mis-:
Linden has got home, and she didn'
come alone, neither Sez |. 'What dc
you mean1' He looked as mysteriou.
as ghost, and sez he, 4 mean what
saw sez he 4 drove the carriage home
from the depot and stz he, as my
name is Jake Coleman, heard heI
talking to somebody she called Hugh
(you know her husbands name i
Charles) heard her tell this Hugh
that she loved him, loved him bette
than the whole world And then ht
made me promise not to tell; but h,
heard not only one kiss, but fourteen OIL
fifteen. Now" sez Betsy, "what dc
you think of the minister's wife ?"
"Good heavens !" cried Opheli;
Dobbs, "am | deceived? is this phan
tagory of the brain, or have got ears
Have l got ears?" she continued, glar
ing wildly at me.
"You can feel and see," sez | shortly
"Will he live with the wretched crea
ture1" kontinude Ophelia. "No, h,
will get enforcement from her: sucl
tender-hearted man as he is, too. |
ever man wanted a comforter in
tryin' time he is the man, and morrow
| will 60 and comfort him."
81 guess you will find him first" SAT-