The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1889-11-08
miscellaneous.
THE OLD STOVE.
"Nancy ~ said Mr.. Moppet.

"NanCy !" said Mr.. Moppet.
"Sr ?" responded Nancy.
Mr. Moppet was coming in from the gar
den path. Nancy, with plump white arms
barred TO the elbow, was washing the break.
fast dishes in deep pan of hot soapsuds.
Mr.. Moppet was a hard featured elderly
man, with whitish blue eyes, a straggly fringe
of white beard beneath his square chin, and a
bald Uranium. Nancy was fresh colored and
bright eyed, with silky tendrils of auburn
hair dropping over her freckled forehead, and
and-seek on her left check. The two COM
petely realized Shakespeare's ideal of Grab
bed Age and Youth"
I'm goin' TO town." said Mr.. Moppei
"You won't need to bile no pot victuals fol
dinner. Waste makes want. A cup O. tea
and billed egg and what's left o yesterdays
pork and greens-that'll be all you need"
Eyes, father" acquesced Nancy.
She was thinking of something else all the
while.
And, talkin' bout eggs" added Mr. Mop
pet, you may take four dozen up to Peach
Farm. Mrs. Wixon wants plenty on 'em tc
make cake for her nieces party. Better &C
early this morning"
Nancy colored scarlet under the auburn
rings of hair.
Cant / send them up by little Bill Beck
er, father :" said she. webster Wixon will
be there, and-and don't like Webster Wix
on, with his red nose and his compliments
Mr. Moppet frowned.
Nancy" said he, don't be fool. / car
see through we, like ye was pane o. glass
Webster Wixon's well-to-do man, will
tickled to death that he's took a notion L
you"
"But, father"
"Not another word grumbled Mr. Mop
pet. II know jest exactly what's comm
It's that foolish nonsense about Absalon
Parker, that hoped you'd got over Ions
ago. Absalom hain't no property, and ain
like to have none, and no daughter O. mint
amt goin' to marry your Grandfather At
kins' hired man, not if know it,"
He pasued with this multiplicity of double
negatives. Nancy set her small, pearl-wlitt
teeth together her eyes flashed with haze
fire. 1t was clear case of true love versus
money.
Take them eggs straight up to Peacf
Farm" reiterated Mr.. Moppet, shaking hi
forefnger at Nancy, "and don't arguty thu
PINT no further. Pm your father, and know
what's best for your
"But your gong right past the Wixons
door"
"No, amt neither. I'm goin' the Horr
Hill Road. I've been appnted by the Sup
ply Committee to buy an air-light wood stow
for the church." he added with some compla
cency. "The old ones rusted clear out, 81
there's danger O. fire every time its used, ant
the brethren have subscribed twenty dollar
for new one-leastways, a second-handet
one, il itsjest sgood.'
Webster Wixon, fat, middle-aged bache
lor, was out helping to gather the Octobe
| apples on the north side OF the house wheI
Nancy came up. He made haste to welcom,
| her.
"Good mornin', Miss Nancy" said he
"As boomin as ever, l see."
Here's your eggs" spoke Nancy, CURLY
Set down spell, won't ye'" simperet
Mr.. Wixon.
"Im in hurry" said Nancy.
"But, Nancy"
"My names Miss MOppet. sir !"
1--WE got something very particular to say
to you, Nancy" urged the middle-aged suit
or.
"It'll have to keep" said Nancy. "Tv'
got to get right home"
Cant walk with you piece?"
"I'd ratler go alone" she persisted.
|
blurled out the old bachelor. II love yor
bettern all the world want to make yor
Mrs. Webster Wixonl There, that's what
had on my mind! And your good father, HI
SAYS it would suit him exactly, and"
Nancy wheeled around and faced her cage
swain.
is it me, or father, you're accounting !?
said she.
"Why you, of course r
"Then take my answer-No y
And without waiting for the return of he
basket, she hurried away, her cheeks blazing
her breath coming quick and fast.
"Father'll be awful mad" she thought
"but I'd sooner die than marry that man r
Webster Wixon stood minute gazing
after her in crestfallen silence; then he wen
back to apple harvesting with an ominou
compression of his lips.
"The madden che gets the prettier sh
looks" thought he. "Well, well, time will
show. Brother Moppet says she shall be m,
wife, and that ought to count for consid'
able"
Mr.. Moppet drove leisurely on to Horr
Hill, drove an excellent bargain for highl.
ornamental wood stove, after having success
sively interviewed every hardware dealer il
town, and set forth to return with it in hi
wagon just at dusk.
sits warm day for the time O. year." sait
he, land it's easier travelling for the hors
arter dark. 1t amt a bad days work, com
to think on t. beat Brother Piper dow
pretty well on the price, and it's worth dol
iar'n half to cart the thing home over thes
bumpy roads, They lowed twenty dollar
for il, and got 1t for fifteen. Takin' m,
time and wheel wear and horse flesh int
consideration, l guess won't say nothin
about the odd five dollars Business is bust
ness. It's proper pretty pattern, too-this
tie leaves and acorns. I'd like one the sam
fashion in my best room, and"-with lonl
whistle-"why shouldn't have itp" There
that second handed stove Gan'ther Atkin
took for debt from Scion Grubb. It's jes
standin' rustin' away in his back wood shed
I'll fetch it home tomorrow and black 1t up
and let Elder Meachan suppose got bar
gain from somebody; and I'll have the mic
new stove for myself, and nobody'll be non
the wiser, now that Gran ther Atkins Is con
fined TO his bed with creepin paralysis an,
Absaom Parker's up in the wood lots, chop
pin down trees for winter frewood. It's
good idea. I'm glad l happened TO think O
itp
He drew rein opposite the Atkins house
All was dark and quiet there save the on
red light that burned in old Mr.. Atkins bed
room.
At that identical moment had he blu
known it, Absalom Parker-the old man
general factotum-was hanging over tb
garden gate of bis own place, talking to pref
ty Nancy among the purple dahlias and quill
ed asters.
And it was no difficult task for a man o
John Moppet's physical strength skillfully Il
| lift the old stove out of its place In the QUITE
shed into his wagon.
"Git up, Prince" he muttered to his horse
shaking the reins and away they went.
Elder MeachaD was not quite Statistic,
with the bargain. The church brethren, toe
would have preferred new stove, consider
ing the money they had spent; but Brothe
Moppet was man in authority, and the
| were compelled to acquiesce in his choice.