The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-11-29
THE PRIZE PUMPKIN.
Rosa Proved Herself a Good Farm
er's Wife, After All.

/ --r
$50 John is married. Sortof onex-
pected. aint ita7 said DEACON Parker,
as. in his lay capacity Of grocer. he
weighed out fourteen pounds Of crushed
sugar for Mrs. Parmalee. who sat upon
q tall stool on the customers side of
the counter. "John.r continued the
Deacon. as he carefully returned about
a teaspoonful overweight TO Ahe bar
rel--" John always seemed kinder still
when he vas amongst tho gals. and !
calculated he'd be one OF our old bach
slors; but there's never any telling"
Mrs, Parmalee gave slight groan
and shook her head.
III you feel that way about IL, how
must ieel?n she said. "As for bis
pa. he's a changed man. And Aunt
Abby took TO her bed. And my daugh-
ters have cried till I thought they'd
cry their eyes out We're an afflicted
family. Deacon"
Il want to knoww calculated the
Deacon. HE amt married the hired
gal has hep"
Il wish he had said Mrs Parmalee.
Shed have helped about the house"
II dunno" said the deacon. my
grandmother's youngest son-an uncle
of mine, that warn't much older'n me
he married his mas hired gal, and
she jest folded her hands and wouldn't
fetch the water TO wash 'em with arter
the ring was on. 'Tisn't one OF the
Jorkinses you've had the famerly quar-
rel with fur so long time?'
Il wish 1t Dds one OF the Jorkins
girls, said Mrs. Parmalee.
"I rant 10 knowr' said the Deacon.
In italics. rs it a widder with suthin
agin her character, like Samuwell
Penmelon married?"
mo, 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
professor. ''She's all style, and de-
spises US. and hates the house anG the
farm; and she'll wean John from US.
He's 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 IL. 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 sigh. did say
pound OF raisins, and paper Of ALL
spice, and Oh, yes, nearly forgot
the tea-the same we always got;
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 forlorn time Of 1t at
home. John was lecturing her.
Don't you think you could take a
little more interest in country life,
dear" be was saying. ut would |
please the family SO much.
II 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, and
Bessie. the calf; and I've got great
lunches Of grass"
"Yes but don't mean an artistic
= said John. "A real solid one
you feel little like a country |
girl if you tried, Rosa?"
u have driven my own pony. and |
Iconld drive the reaper" said