The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-05-30
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-bell and,
afterward, the shrill, quavering notes
Of cracked old voice singing some such
cheerful ditty as,
90 had an old cow,
And my cow loved me;
MIXED my COW
Under q green bay tree"
they SIN lied and said: Uncle Peters
coming" The notes of his songs grew
shriller and more strident as Uncle
Peter drew near in his rickety old fish cart
with its canvas covering on the sides OF
which was printed: ''Mr. 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 I'M
derscored, Uncle Peter did trust any
body and every body in such perfectly
reckless and guilelessly confding man.
ner that it was wonder his bank &C
count was half so large as it actually
was.
His bank account and other possessions
were SO great that there was really no
necessity of Uncle Peter pursuing his
occupation of peddling fish, CLANS ''and
other notions, as he did, exposing him
self to the heat of summer and the
winter storms while making his daily
eOunds.
''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" ''Ye reckon now that I'd
set round dom nothin'?' he would
ask. Nav, sir; that amt the Pills
berry style. I'd be puffectly mizzable
settin' round doin' nOthin', and peddlin'
suits me. / like to git round an see
the folks. l allus was great for sosha-
bility, an peddlin's SIGH soshable biz
ness. Why, bless ye, know ev'ry man,
woman an child in this county like a
book, an they all know me. How on
airth would ye all git along if old Uncle
Peter left off peddlin'?"
''We would miss you UNCLE" his pa
irons always said, heartily; ''and we're
always glad to see you"
The old man would smile like pleased
shild and say:
II reckon ye 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 go clean to Smithfield,
nine mile away, fer 'em, that's what
you'd have to do. But l amt callatin'
On givin' up peddlin' though Rindy an
Becky an the the rest of 'em want me
to quit it an go to keepin' little store"
THAT would be easier for you,
wouldn't it?"
Mary time it wouldn't" the old m an
would reply, shaking his head vigorous
~. housekeeping neverd 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'
Dish; 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 l allus try to get out'n the way
then; fish do smell, rll allow"
Uncle Peters wife had been dead sew
oral years. His daughter Dorinda,
splnster of thirty-three, and Becky,
much younger daughter, kept house for
him in the old home. Becky had had
the advantage, or disadvantage, of at
tending would-be fashionable board
tng-school for year, where she had early
learned that thesociety 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 and most honora-
BILE Of men, and Becky had come home
determined to bring Uncle Peters fish
peddling career to close.
He had simply laughed at her first at
tempt, hiding the pain he felt behind
IN ever smiling and kindly face. He
felt that Becky had come home ashamed
Of him and his occupation, but he did
not say so to her. for he was peaceable
minded man who despised 'jaw" of any
kind.
Dorinda had an idea that store might
prove more profitable than fish and
notion wagon, and she was too thrifty
to allow any opportunity to pass for in
creasing her fathers account, which she
expected to divide with her brothers
and sisters some day.
Uncle Peter had several married sons
and daughters living near him, and all
of them, being thrifty like their sister,
kept their eyes fixed on their fathers
possessions. which aggregated several
thousand dollars. They had even sug-
gested to him the propriety of dividing
the property among them before his de-
mise and allowing them, in return there
for. to take care of him" the remainder
of his life.
But Uncle Peter was wiser and firm
er man than he seemed. He had a
strong, logged will, notwithstanding
his childish manner and his smooth,
round, effeminate and ever smiling face
He met this suggestion with smile,
and dismissed it with joke, but there
was look in his faded old blue eyes
that forbade recurrence of the subject.
He came home from his rounds one day
In the merriest mood. He had cleaned
out" mis- entire stock in trade and his
cracked old voice sang annie Laurie"
in perfectly excruciating manner as
he drove cheerily up the long lane lead
ing to his house.
At the gate he met Mrs. Harriet Glib
hons, woman from the village near
by, whose highest earthly joy was felt
when it was her privilege to be first in
retailing new bit of gossip of unusual
interest She was one of the few peo-
pie on the face of the earth whom good
old Uncle Peter did not like; but he had