Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-04-19
UNCLE PETER.
How the Gossips Unwittingly
Brought About a Wedding.


Brought About a Wedding.
When the farmers wives in the neigh
borhood of Dalton and the residents of
the little country village heard the
clang Of the cracked, old hand-ben and,
afterward, the shrill, quavering notes
of cracked old voice singing some such
cheerful ditty as,
~ had an old COW, T.,
And my cow1oved me;
MIXED my COW
Under green bay tree"
they smiled and said: "Uncle Peters
coming" The notes Of his songs grew
shriller and more strident las Uncle
Peterdrew near in his rickety old fish cart
: with its canvas covering on the sides of
which was printed: ''Alr. Peter P.
Pillsberry, dealer in fish, oysters. clans
aad other notions. No trust" AL
though the mo trust part Of the sign
had been made emphatic by being un-
dcrscored, Uncle Peter did trust any,
body and every body in such perfectly
reckless and guilelessly confiding man
ner that it was q wonder his bank ac-
count was half so large as it actually
was. ....-
His hank account and other possessions
were so great that there was really no
necessity of Uncle Peter pursuing his
occupation of peddling fish, clans land
other notions, as he did, exposing him
self TO the heat of summer and the
winter storms while making his daily
rounds.
''Ye think hadn't ought to do so no
more, do YEP" he often said to friendly
patrons who, with the freedom of life
long acquaintance, asked him why he
did not give up his occupation and take
things easy" Eye reckon now that I'd
set round doin' nothin'"' he would
ask. Nav, sir; that amt the Pills
berry style. I'd be puffectly mizzable
settin' round dom nothin', and peddlin'
suits me. / like to git round an see
the folks. ] allus was great for sosha-
bility, an peddlin's SIGH soshable biz
ness. Why, bless We, know ev'ry man,
woman an child in this county like a
book, an they all know me. How on
airth would We all git along IL old Uncle
Peter left of peddlin'?"
1--WE would miss you uncle" his pa
irons always said, heartily; land we're
always glad to see you.'
The old man would smile like pleased
child and say:
~ reckon We would miss me. Whered
you git your paddock an mack'rel an
hallybut an big fat clans an Providence
listers If Uncle Peter'd stop peddlin'?
You'd have to 60 clean to Smithfield,
nine mile away, fer 'em, that's what
you'd have to do. But amt callatin'
on givin' up peddlin' though Rindy an
Becky an the the rest OF 'em want me
to quit it an 60 to keepin' little store"
THAT Would be easier for you,
wouldn't it?"
Mary time it wouldn't" the old man
would reply, shaking his head vigorous
1y ''Store-keeping never'd suit me.
It'd jist natchelly war me out to be
puddlin round little sto' all the time.
But Rindy an Becky an the rest Of 'em
think it'd be more genteeler'n peddlin'
fish; that's the idee with them. It's
kinder CALM to Becky in pertickler to
have her old dad peddlin' fish, an
.smellin' of 'em when she has company,
though / allus try to get Outn the way
then; fish do smell, I'll allow"
Uncle Peters wife had been dead sew
-eral years. His daughter DOrinda, q
;splnster of thirty-three, and Becky, q
much younger daughter, kept house for
him in the old home. Rocky had had
the advantage, or disadvantage, Of at
tending would.be fashionable board
ing-school for year, where she had early
learned that thesocioty to which she as
pired could never tolerate the daughter
of fish peddling father, notwithstand-
ing the fact that that father was one OF
the kindest and best ana most honora-
bile of men. and Becky had come home
determined to bring Uncle Peters fish,
7peddling career to aclose. a
He had simply laughed Mt her first at
tempt, hiding the pain he felt behind
an ever smiling and kindly face. He
felt that Becky had come home ashamed
of him and his occupation, bat he did
not say so toher. for he was = Peaceable
minded man who despised 'dav" Of any
kind. n1 Jtf
Dorinda had an idea that store might
prove more profitable than fish and
motion wagon, and she was TO thrifty