The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-12
MR.. AND MRS. HAWKINS.

UneT0 uOn SceIu W U0 many OdyS SUN
able for gittin' married in. You see
Mondays washin' day. an Tuesdays
ironin' day, and of course nobody would
be married a Friday, and Saturdays
bakin and cleanin' up day, so there's
only Wednesday and Thursday left. and
mother'n me wanted that much time for
extry odds and ends of work, and to
turn round" in, as you might say. So
set it Sunday mornin' before fust
service.
Now, to begin with, must tell you
that Mr. Hannibal Hawkins, the man
was goin' ter marry, was what you'd call
odd, so that, although we'd been keepin'
comp'ny tergether for some time, and
I'd had every chance ter git acquainted,
yet felt morlly certain that it would
be good while fore I'd know him all
through Not but what he was likely
man-more, tew, for he was a church
member in good and regular standin',
and he alwers had the name O. bein a
good husband to his fust wife, and a good
pervider and all that; but, as l said, he
was odd.
Wall, he came over the Saturday
mornin' before the weddin', SOS ter be
''on hand" he said, and kinder dew for
me and mother. We hadn't no men
folks in the house 'cept Caleb Jones, the
hired help, and be want much depend
ence at such time.
1t was bout o'clock in the forenoon
when Mr.. Hawkins rived, and an hour
or tew later gotta letter from his daugh-
ter Car'line.
1t was marked private" and read
thus:
DEAR Miss ROBBINS that's me- Ruth Ann
Robbins, ye know)-I write to caution you
about par. | feel awful 'fraid the clo'es he's
took with him to be married in amt right. All
to once he was struck with one o. his odd
streaks, and insisted on packin' his bag him
self, thing he never done afore in his life, and
the Lord only knows what he put into it; l
don't. You must look him over real sharp
fore he goes in where the folks be. I'm sorry
] can't come TO the weddin', but | cut my bangs
yesterday, and got 'em so short that | look just
tew hijeous for anything I've cried myself
most sick. I'm so disappointed. and par says
I'm silly ter stay away on account o. the bangs;
but can't help it; I'd ruther die than go and
there 'tisl | send you my love, and 4 hope
everything will go of well. With respeck
CAR'LINE HAWKINS.
P. Sim afraid par has took odd boots.
LOOK out for him.
| laughed when / read that letter; it
didn't trouble me much of any. Thinks
ter myself, fHe is old enough to pack
his own bag, less he's gump and a
fool, and if he is gump and fool the
quicker we find it out the better!' |
felt the wust because Car'line want
comm to the weddin'. It worried me to
think she was so silly bout them bangs.
Wall, come Sunday mornin', when it
was time to dress ourselves, Hannibal
took one room and | another, and we
begun. I'd just got my hair all down,
when Hannibal hollered tew me, and
said he:
Ruth Ami I wish you'd bring in
your needle and thread and dew little
job O sewin' for me. l find my vest is
all split out behind, though goodness
knows how it come so. never wore it
but once in my life. It's bran new
one"
| thought then of Car lines letter, and
when l see the vest knew in a minute
that he'd took the wrong one, but l
sewed the old thing up as wells could
a pretty lookin' vest it was to be mar
ried inland went back to my room
feelin' a good deal disturbed and anx-
ious.
His next perdickermunt was wuss yet.
This time he spoke to me so kinder quick
and sharp, that knew it was somethin
serious. l was jest putin my dress over
my head, but didn't stop to half button
1t up; hurried in ter see what was the
matter now. When l opened the door,
there stood Hannibal in the middle O the
room, lookin' down perple1ed like and
inquirln' at two old boots-you couldn't
call EN- pair, for knew the minute
set eyes on 'em that they both belonged
to one and the same footl They both had
a round mob stickin' up conspickewous
where the big toe went, and another great |
bulgin' one for the toe tint. l hadn't |
never noticed anything peculiar bout |
Hannlbafs feet before, but them two |
boots did look curis enough, and they
looked kinder wicked and KNOWN some |
how, as If they was enjoyin' themselves! |
laughed couldn't help it, but Han
nibal didn't even smile He turned to |
me, and said he:
do them two boots look right to
your" Then be tried on one, and that
was well enough. He put on the other. /
you can imagine how it /
OF course the nobs and bulgin's |
come n the wrong places, and the hull !
foot was hind side afore and wrong side /
few, as you might say. He took EN- off /
and revarsed EN-, but still they con-
ter disagree and look wicked at |
one another. He squared 'ern up ter
gether as squares he could, and SAYS he:
Ruth Ann, l believe them boots is
oddg
Undoubtedly they be, Hannibal
says |, and they look odd; but how do
they feel? Can you wear EN-? That is
the question"
Il don't care continental how they
feel" says he, awful savage; '1n wear
'em if they kill me; but dew wish they
didn't look so like the-the evil oner'
felt like death, but | knew we'd got
to make the best of the sitiwation, so | .
says:
"Oh, guess they won't be noticed
But you must be sure and set with your
feet on the floor and drawed well back
under your chair, and you mustn't on no
count cross your legs, or if you dew, be
sure and have the right foot on top"
Then | had ter leave him was all
worked I'D. but managed tar finish pp |