Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-01-16
THE DEACON'S WOOING.

from rose to purple when Deacon Pine
stopped his melancholy old mare /
front of the village post-office. 1t wa
Saturday night, the only time when Me-
Bethany reused itself from its letharg
and showed any signs of life and energy
The rest of the week it drowsed an
and Ianguished after the fashion o
small country towns remote from rail
way and manufacturing centers.
whoa, Mary janet" said the deacon
with unnecessary emphasis, throwing
the reins on the mares broad back, ant
springing 10 the ground.
But the respondent Mary Jane haC
already ceased her shambling gait from
sheer force of habit. A ten years ser
vice with the deacon had made her per
.ly familiar with the accustomed
rot nd of stopping places. Wednesda!
night it was prayer meeting; Sunday
the church service, and Saturday night
invariably the post t-office, and, as a late
variation, an after pause at the house OF
Mrs. Betsy Hill, the milliner, who for q
quarter of century had supplied the
women of New Bethany with headgeal
fearfully and wonderfully made.
The moment the deacon stepped In
side the Office he knew, from the unusu-
al buzz of conversation, that something
extraordinary had happened.
Heard the neWs-eh, deacOn?" asked
one of the village loungers-
The deacon looked up inquiringly.
"Miss Keziah'S had an amazing streak
of luck"
"It's been nothing but an amazin'
streak of luck ever since she was born,"
returned the deacon. 'If ownin' the
best farm in town and hevin' money at
interest isn't luck, I'd like to know
what it is"
"Yes; but this is something out of
common. You used to know her broth
er who died years ago and left his only
child for Miss KeZiah to bring up?-
Wa'al, when old man Mead died Miss
Keziah took the farm as her share of the
property, and her brother, bein' of row.
in turn of mind, took a few thousand
of personal property as his'n and invest
ed 'em inv Western lands, which turned out
to be worthless, ,and he lost every cent he
put in. Folks always blamed him for
bein' so foolish and hasty, and they
say grief and modification like hast
ened his death. Wa'al, it turns out
they have put railroad square through
the lands and it's sent real estate way
up, nobody knows where. Miss Keziah's
been offered nigh onto $4,000 for the
lands, and they say she will get ever so
much more if she only holds on"
"You don't mean it?"
81 dew; it's as true as Scripture"
'She'l hold out, never fear" said the
deacon, land hold it to be our bound
en- duty as neighbors to advise her to
that end"
Instead of lingering, as usual, for the
village gossip-for New Bethany Post
Office on Saturday night answered the
purpose of weekly paper-the deacon
seemed in great hurry to get home.
1t was the night of the choir rehears-
al, and in driving by the church he saw
Mary Mead, Miss Keziah's niece, going
up he steps. He suddenly whipped up
his sleepy old mare and drove home at
a break-neck rate of speed.
SHOWS your time, Solomon Pinch,"
he muttered to himself. "It's mebbe a
Iong while afore yell hev such a good
chance ag'n. She'll be sure to be alone
for couple of hours or so-hi, old lady!
no stoppin' here tonight" he added,
giving the lines sudden twist as Mary
Jane showed an inclination to stop be-
fore Mrs. Betsy Hills house; "we've 9th
er fish to fry now, old girl"
When he reached home he drove the
mare under the horse-shed and tied her
here, instead of embarrassing her as
usual. Then he entered the house, and |
hastily swallowing the scanty supper
which the hired woman placed before
him, donned his best clothes and drove |
,ff again at rapid pace.
"Law sakes aliveI" exclaimed the wom-
IN, amazed. "The deacon's got sumthin' |
IN his mind sure! It's the first time
,ver know'd him to disremember to ask |
| blessing"
Ever since the death of his wife Dea-
,on Pinch had looked on Miss KeZiah as |
Ter probable successor. For years he
lad gazed with covetous eyes on the fine
Mead farm with its substantial buildings,
,ut he never could screw his courage up
% the point of facing the swapping black
yes of the owner. Oflate he had been
een several times knocking at the door
If Mrs. Betsy Hills little brown house,
md the worthy milliner was overioyed
It the opening of the brilliant prospect
,efore her. But the news of the sudden
Use in Western lands caused Mrs. Hill,
With her small possessions, to sink into
by the side of the rich
withsher well-tilled acres, her
barns and her prospective
thousands of dollars.
The idea of failure in his matrimonial
-enture never for an instant entered the
leacon's head. 1.-THE way afore We is as
lain and straight as pipe stem, Solo
non Pinch," he murmured, rubbing the
,alms of his hands together, as he walk
d toward Miss Keziah's side door,
Women is mostly alike-eager an will
n to embrace matrimonial opportuni-
les. They'll snap at an offer like
hungry trout at worm. She has got
he money, and 1 hev got the prominence
nd influence; that's pint not to be
and deacons isn't to be had
very day. Put her money and my in
uence together, and l rather guess
veil stand about at the top of the heap
n New Bethany"
Miss Keziah was sitting by the table
hitting as usual. She had just begun
o narrow for the toe of the stocking, ;
ghen step sounded on the walk. She l
brew down the stocking and opened the
oor, and holding the lamp high above
er head, her eyes resting on the amaz- {
ng spectacle of the deacon in all the l
unday magniicance of white shirt and
hiny black broadcloth. swell, | never"
he calculated, and then, feeling that {
or reception had been hardly hospita- ,
lie, she lowered the lamp and said kind
y: "Come in, deacon, come in" ;
"Thank ye, thank We; don't mind if
dawv ,