Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-10-17
JONAS WEDDING TRIP.
Uncle Prickett Delivers Some
Sound Advice.

81 never thought to come to his,"
said Mrs. Akin, dOlefully. as she
looked around the disordered kitchen.
And the cream all spelling for the
lack of some one to churn, and the
young turkeys all down with the pip,
and the white calf ailing, and me tied,
hand and foot, like this!'
Don't fret, mother" said Jonas,
who. after most clumsy and man-like
fashion, was frying potatoes over the
fire. It'll all come right"
at can't all come right" said Mrs.
Akin, jerking out the words between
the spasms of rheumatism. Every
thing will GO to rack and ruin. o, dear,
Jonas, you'll have to hire help. The
men are coming next week to cut down
the grass in the forty-acre medder-
four of 'em, and all expecting to be
boarded here, and the doctor says it'll
be chance if l get back my strength
in six weeks"
Il can put 'em off. mother" sug-
gested Jonas, cheerfully.
"And spoil the finest hay crop we've
ever growed," said Mrs. Akin. THAT
will never do. Hired help is the only
way out of it,
Il don't know of any one to be
hired" said Jonas, dishing up his po-
tatoes in way that struck chill to
his mothers heart. There's Phebe
Potter. but she asks two dollars a
week"
''She must be crazy" said Mrs.
Akin. What does she take people for,
1 wonder? Twelve shillings is an exor-
bitant price for any girl to expect. No
one can earn it"
"Euretta Clay?"
"Mrs. Hopkins had her once. She's
as slow as Old Time, and untidy at
that"
Jonas was silent; his resources had
evidently reached their limit. He be-
gan to cut the bread in big. irregular
chunks.
Thinner Jonas, thinnerT' cried his
mother. 30, dear, what a squealing
them pigs keep up; they know it's past
their regular feedin' time. as we'll as
though they were Christians
Il guess the pigs IL keep" observed
philosophic Jonas, trudging slowly
down cellar after pat of butter. Mrs.
Akin moved uneasily in her chair, and
uttered a grOan.
20, dear! oh, dear! we never can get
along this way" unused she. Some
thing has got to be done. JOnasr'
Yes"
The curly head and sunburned face
appeared at the top of the cellar stairs,
like the Good Genii coming up through
the stage floor in the pantomime.
Look here, Jonas-you must get
married.
Jonas set the butter-plate down on
the table with bang.
'.Mer said he. Good Lord, mother"
he exclaimed, ''what are you thinking
of?''
why, don't see any better arrange
ment," said Mrs. Akin. You're six
and-twenty, and I'm gettin' feebler and
more good-for-nothin' every day.
There amt no gal we can hire short of
twelve shillings week. A wife would
come great deal cheaper. Jonas-and
she wouldn't want no clothes for
year, at least and she'd sort o take
an interest, and do lots O. things hired
help wouldn't undertake.! There's Let
ty Hooper, Jonas. she's right smart
stirring gal, and as pretty as picter."
Jonas whistled; the idea commended
itself to him, on further reflection, as
eminently practicable.
1T might be better economy" re-
marked he.
"Of course it would" said Mrs.
Akin. There's the new rag carpet
ready for the loom, and the spring
house-cleanin' not attended to yet, and
all the milk and butter, and the turkeys
and goslings, and the Young calves,
and the vegetable garden-I sold three
dollars worth of green peas out of the
garden last year; and there's no sense
hiring man to make garden when any
smart woman can look arter it, odd
times; and your clothes need attending
to, and my new alpaca dress amt
made yet, and-why, la mel there's
work for three women, at least, about
the place! Go and see Letitia Hooper
this very afternoon, before Matt Pellet
gets the start of your she added.
Jonas Akin came home at ten o'clock
that night and told his mother Lefty
Hooper had accepted him.
''GoodI' said Mrs. Akin. 'NolO
well get something done about the
premises. Hurry up the wedding as
soon as ever you can, my son; it's an
awful inconvenient time of year to get
married in''
Are you sure you're doing wise
thing, Letty?n said Old Eben Hooper,
when his daughter showed him her
wedding dress with blushing pride.
"Why not. father?"
Those Atkins have the name of
being very hard. And Mrs. Green,
their neighbor. says Jonas is only get
ting married to save the expense of a
hired girl"
81 think he likes me-" said Lefty,
shyly. '.And I'm awfully sorry for his
poor rheumatic mother"
81 guess you'd better keep your pity
for yourself" observed Mr.. Hooper.
shrewdly. by all accounts, you'll
need it! Going to Uncle Pricketfs
for your wedding trip. Ell? Well, its