The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-03-22
Single Copies S Cents

Is chance about bullets. Much like
this felt Sally as she quickened her steps
almost to run to have this matter
"over with"
Pale enough she was as she gasped
Iather than spoke;
Mother, I've just got letter from
Westboro'."
Mrs. Tyler turned her cool gray eyes
from the ironing board and surveyed
Sally, whose face certainly accorded
with her tone.
"You hev2"
"Yes'm; here it is"
Her mother took the letter between
her thumb and finger and deliberately
read it.
"Of all thingsl Here's pretty piece
of businessl 1 told yer father Z l was
clear against your goin' to Westboro,
and now he'll see what comes ON t. 1
guess he'll bark to me next time. Mar
ry you, indeedl n talks as though he
was pretty considerable sure you'd hev
himl"
Harmless fell this acute arrow. Sally
did love Joe, and knew he knew 1t.
''You kin jest answer that letter, Sal
ly, n tell him we don't want nobody
round after you; me n your father can't
spare ye. l amt a-goin' to have no sech
talk, not this ten year yet, n mebbe not
then. Ef you know'd es much bout the
troubles o. matrimony 9 do, guess
ye'd ruther live single, sight"
"But, mother, Ill don't want 70
write such a letterp'
Sally burst into tears just as her father
came in.
"Well, now, what is't, wife2 What's
broke loose now2"
"Nothin' great, only Sally's fool; and
another one o. the same sort, only q
young feller, has been comm round n
askin' her to marry him"
"You don't say sol" calculated the
squire, as naturally as possible. "That
does beat ALI 1 never did hear such
brass! One o them Westboro chaps, l
s'pose."
"Now, there you go, right off the han
die, slapl 1 should like to know who
gev her things n money n all to go to
Westboro3 And hevin' flung her at the
poor young mans head, SO to speak, 10
you now he turns around and jaws at
him for pickin' on her upi That's real
man fashion, do declare"
Goodness graciousl eff that amt
iumpin' the fencel Anyhow, Sally,
you've got to give him the mitten quick
step / sha'n't hev it, n I won't, n
amt a-goin' tor
"There you be agin, husband How
do you know but what he's real clever
young man? An Sally seems to kind o.
set her heart ont; n s'pose she'll be a.
gettin' married some time, anyhow"
Thought you set your face agin mat
rimony, Miss Tyler?''
"Well, l can't fix the world over ef
want to, and folks will do so, whether or
no. And eff he's got means, and is pretty
respectable, n goes to meetln', why, in
five or six years or 50 might be brought
to think ont.
"Oh, motherr'
"Well, whati'
After that the battle ragged, the squire
opposing, Mrs. Tyler consenting, till at
last, after myriads of words, Mrs. Tyler
sat down TO write Mrs. Phelps letter of
inquiry into Joe Dyer's morals, means,
manners, ETC.; and in due time got this
hardly satisfactory letter from Cousin
Jerushy:
"WEsTBoRo', June 3, 1S--.
"DEAR AUNT HULDAH-I got your let
ter two days days ago, but Sophrony
and Mary Jane are both down with
measles and don't have much time.
don't know anything about Joe Dyer but
what's good. He hasn't lived here a
great while; he come from Springfield,
where he worked a good spell in the
| armory. He makes good wages here,
and we think to our house he's real
pretty young man, and l guess good
! one. Anyway, Uncle Tyler could write
| to the head man up to the armory and
| find out all he wants to know. l can't
write much more, for the children have
most got through their nap. Give my
love to uncle and Sally.
"Your affectionate niece,
"JERUsHA PHELPS"
"Well" groaned the squire, from the
side of the room behind his wife, giving
Sally look as full of mischief As boys,
81 wash my hands O. the hull business.
You've took it up, Miss Tyler, ag'inst my
feelin's, n you can kerry it out"
"Jest as eff l should go n write let
ter to that man up to Springfield, hus-
band! 'Tain't my business; men folks
never want women a-writin' 10 them
| about sech things. l should make a
mess ont; and reelly, eff you do care about
Sally's feelins, you'd oughter do it right
off"
"Well, wellr groaned and grinned the
squire, "its no use talkin' no more. Fetch
me the paper, Sally; "I'll go n do itnow,
if I've got ter"
So the squire indicted the following
epistle, peculiar In more than its brevity;
June 4, 49,.
"Alr. Adkins, Esq;
"SR-I have heerd that young man
called Joseph Dyer worked to your shops
last year. What did he do and how did
he do it? Leastways, what kind Of q
feller is he2 put in a stamp for answer,
which will obleege
yours TO command,
"PAPHRo Tyler"
Nobody saw the letter before it went
JOe's heart accorded with the season,
and it beat harder than was pleasant as
he knocked at Squire Tyler's front door
standing open for once in It's life, and
letting in to the usually musty parlor the
whole breath of June and the delicate
odor of two great white rose bushes that
guarded the portal on either hand anc
trailed their wreaths of sunny blossoms
whose hearts glowed with the saffror
tints of dawn, even across the quaint ole
Intel overhead.
Sometimes all powers are propitioui
to lovers, true though they be, and to
night the hour and the pair might have
appeased the Eumenides themselves
Mrs. Tyler, dreaming Of nothing les
than Joe Dyer's vicinity, was I'm the far
ther barn cOercing a refractory hen, thai
| l. u 1. L.-.lL....A 4.