The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-01-02

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old. his poor old face was bound round
with q red silk han'kercher. for, With
all the rest OF his aches and pains, he
had the ear-ache ali the time, and when
he saw me he jest bust into tears and he
cried q II 8, like baby when he told me what
re had suffered. / was awfully sorry
for the poor old man, and IS l was
handy at nnssing the sick offered TO
watch with him II he would like to have
me; SO i stayed of and on with him
until he died. The night before he
passed away he asked me confidentially
II couldn't make up my mind to make
Lecty an offer for he thought ] would
make the gal good, kind husband;
told him to pacify him that ] would
think on'tfor would Jest as soon of
thought OF sparkfn' the knife-hox as
stepping up to fccty Sparhawk. Well,
the next night, the 4th of April, the old
gent died: he went to sleep ike q tired
child, and never woke up
Well, they had real nice funeral and
was asked tovwalk with the mourners,
and TO come back and have some cake
and wine, and hear the will read. Lecty
was app'inted gardeen for her ma, and
she had full control OF all the money in
bank, and she was TO pay Mis- Sparhawk
50 much month for all her little needs,
for the old lady couldn't be trusted with
a great deal of money cause she would
entertain any beggars that would come
along and believe any story they would
tell her, and II Lecty hadn't stopped her
she would have jest beggared herself by
giving OF all she had to those self-deny-
ing missionaries that comn@ 9home=a
stated seasons to recruit. As it was, .she
gave away all her dead husbands
clothes, and his gold-headed cane, too.
Lecty stormed around and she said:
pad be awful mad If he knew it," but
the old lady said, with d twinkle in her
eyes she'd resk 1t.
Mis- Bemis was very sick, too; her
asthmy had grown wuss and wuss, and
at last the poor old woman had to sit up
all night, for she suffered so for want of
breath. Fused to go and see her, too,
and got her some nettle seeds to make
a tea Of, and it helped her breathing SO
she could lie down once more and get a
good nights rest. She was worried
about Erastusi be and his pa didn't get
along any better and the old lady was
afraid that after she was gone Rast and
his pa would come to blows. Rast was a
good blacksmith, and his mother said If
money he could start business for him
self, for Rast was of a saving turn and
would make living off a fat rock, once
give him chance.
AS Mis- Bemis got better she asked
me oyer to tea, and as she washed up the
dishes she asked me to sorter sound
Erastus as to his feelins toward Electy
Sparhawk; who, il she ,ods ten year old
er than Rast, would make him good
wife and take good care of him after his
poor old mother was in her grave.
Erastus seemed to fall in with the
idee after we had talked awhile, and he
said he would, see Electy home from
class on Thursday night If she was
agrees hle.-M efl,Gthat -icrc was. the-be:
ginning of their courtship, If you
could call 1t by such name; Rast
courted her money, and Lecty wanted a
man to oversee things on the farm tor
Rast was a good farmer, too, a man that
wouldn't want any wages, his board he'd
have and little besides she'd allow him
for clothes.
! had to go back to my work in AL
bany, and in July got an invite to the
wedding; Mis-. Bemis had been dead just
a month, and before she died she adj
vised Rast to get out of his fathers way
as quick as he could. / couldn't go to
the wedding, however, and didn't hear
any more of Rast and his bargain for a
long time.
In December / went home to Lisbon to
spend Christmas with the folks, for my
stepfather's oldest darter Thankful was
coming from Woodbury. to keep it with
us, and was kinder hankerin' after q
sight of her. She was a sweet, pretty
cretur. and every body loved her down
to the cats and dogs. On Christmas
night, as we were crackin' butternuts,
being seated next the fireplace and
nearest the door, heard die-away
knock, but as / had on one of mothers
big gingham aprons to save my breaches
Il was crackin' the nuts on fiat-iron)
told Thankful to open the door and see
who was there. She did as told her,
but she couldn't see any one as it was as
dark as pocket out of doors, SO she
called out: "Who's there?n
cts me-
Who's me?a said Thankful
"Rast Sparhawk = mean Rast
Bemis," answered the voice.
Come in, Rast," said l, '.and take a
theer; draw up to the fire and get warm. i
My stars. if Erastus was thin when !
saw him last, he looked like the 'sonly
living skiliton" now. l said: .Rast,
where's Misa=Bemis9 Why didn't you
bring her along, too?''
Rast muttered something about Lecty
having to get the old lady to bed, as the
had the lumbago terrible bad. Well,
under the influence of our pleasant com
pany Rast chirked up amazingly, and he
jined inthe part songs we were singin'
in his best bass. We wound up the
evening with grand candy pull, and
afterwards | took the lantern and
walked across the bare fields home with
Erastus. When we got to Lecty's house
the lights were all out, although ii
couldn't have been more than half after
nine, but Lsuppose it must have seemed
rakishly late to poor Rast. He bid me
hurried good night and went on
tiptoe round the corner of the house to
the woodshed door; was mean enough
to tiptoe after him, and - we'll, the
Scotch blessing" poor Rast took! ]
stepped right up boldly, and said, real
cheerful like: Good evening, Lecty,
hope | see we we'll. If agreeable I'll
jest step inside mint" says l.
'.Tain't agreeable" snapped Lecty,
and she slammed the-dee-- right in my
face, and L heard the old cross-patch
shove the bolt. We'll, just thought
poor Rast had got somebody to take care
on him with vengeance; then picked
up my lantern and went back home,
glad to think of my unblessed state.
Christmas came on Tresday that