The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-11-02

| TO Send ner away 10 abtenu Scnool lu tlc
city.
Old Sam was rude, gruff fellow, who
had seen the suns OF fifty summers, but
who was perfectly preserved physically,
and in good trim for taking a sixth
wife at any time.
The work at the mill had run behind
little during lilly Beckett's short ILL
ness, and for two or three days after the
funeral old Sam was kept quite busy
grinding the accumulated "grists."
In the meantime Nose Hackett, the
preacher feller," had spent a good
deal OF his spare time in the neighbor-
hood of Beckett's mill. In fact, he and
Betty spent a great many hours in
quiet strolls along the shady lanes of
'Possum ridge, or in peaceful rambles
along the banks of the beautiful Coon
Run river.
In one of these long walks they hap
pened to pass by the mill. Beckett
was at the time leaning through the
little window looking listlessly down
the road that ran off through the woods
| anu All hJ ouCG StbhO upoh NhN
advancing couple.
In moment a dark frown came
over his face, and his brows contracted
with vexation. He watched until they
had passed on and out of sight, and
then with dissatisfied shrug of his
broad shoulders, he turned away NUT
tering:
"'Twon't do-'twon't nigh do That
thar fellers gittin' too numerous in
these parts, AN the first thing | know
that gal will be fer marryin' him. l
promised old Jerry I'd keer fer 'er, an
I'll do it. 'Tain't fer her good to marry
seech upstarts as him, an she sha' mt
do it,"
Since the death of Beckett's wife
Betty had gone to live at Dan Bunker's,
and accordingly, as soon as the grists
had all been ground out, Beckett
closed the old mill, and, dressing him
self in his best suit, walked over to
Bunker's house.
Pretty soon after his arrival Dan and
his wife managed to retire, leaving
Beckett and Betty alone together in the
best room.
Ruth" Dan said, when they were
outside, Eyer know what Beckett's
come ferP"
mo, don't" Ruth replied.
"Wal, do"
Then, what is it ?''
"Why, he's come a-sparking Nv Bet"
"The land sake, Dan! do you reckon
sop
"Iknow it. Amt he got on a bill ed
shirt an his go-to-meetin' blue-jeans
coat? An what else would he have
them on for if he wasn't figuring on
akin Bet to have him?"
dan Bunker, do you know what l
think of old Beckett?"
mo, don't Ruth; but, for that mat
ter; low it's not so much what you
think of him as what Bet thinks of him
that's of interest to old Beckett
"Well, think he's an old varmint;
and for that matter, | low that Bet
won't think much different when she
finds out his business. The idea of the
old thing marryin' a pretty young gal
like her-an' that, too, when his other
wife amt been dead a week!'
As soon as Dan and Mrs. Bunker
were well ont of the room, old Sam
turned to Beth and remarked:
II see you a-walking about a good
bit of late with that preacher feller, an
| don't approve of it. Ihope you don't
mean nothin'-like business.
Il don't know that understand your
meaning, Mr.. Beckett" the girl re-
piled, 'but must say that ] am at
loss to know what objection you can
have to Mr. Hackett."
wall, I've got this much of objec-
tion to him or to any body else; don't
want you to marry any body but me.
I'm your gardeen, an | know who'll
make you good husband, an l amt
willin' to trust you with them thar
young upstarts. I've made up my mind
to marry you, Bet Idone that the day
Tillie was buried an now I've come to
AK you to jine me-"
Marry your the girl exclaimed, in
amazed wonder, "Why, never thought
of such a thingn
Don't need to be thought Of. All
you want to do is to say the word, an
I'll git Dan to go over an fetch Squire
Beeson, an we'll have it over in less n
a hour. Don't need no thinkin', Bet.
You know me an know you, an you
know how much money an land I've
got, an you know what sort of home l
kin offer you. Amt that enough?"
"No, it's not enough. You are fool
if you think could be induced to mar
ry an old man like you, simply because
you have little money; and that. too,
when your poor wife is hardly cold in
the grave. won't listen to you, and
either you or will leave the room!"
"Do you mean what you say, Bet?"
"Yes, mean what say-every word
of it. I'd die before I'd marry you"
well, amt used to bein' treated
in that way, gal, an you may be sorry
for it yet"
"Never!"
II think you will; an as your lawful
gardeen, now give you notice that
you shan't never marry that upstart OF
preacher. Do you hear that?'
"Yes, / hear it,"
Then see that you heed it,"
~ won't do IT, I'm going To marry