Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-10-23
TAKEN UPON TRIAL.

III Is true rs tdAes, sdli DeuOOh
Prout.
What's rs true as taXes?" asked
Ezra Elton, who lived on the farm
across the creek.
"Why, that one-half the world is
bound hilly willy to bear the burdens
of the other half sighed the dea-
con.
Ezra shifted his tobacco from one
side of his face to the other.
wal, as a gin'ral thing said he,
Il calculate you're right. But don t
see how it fits your particular case"
Don't yer The deacon gave a
significant sniff Here have | lived
a bachelor life all my days, because
l was partial to peace and quietness,
and didn't want no extra care nor
trouble, and jest when | want to be
peaceablest there comes one o these
new-fangled telegraph dispatches
from York city that my brother John
and his wife are both dead, and that
nv three nieces would take it very
kind if they could come out here and
live with me-"
"P'raps they've got means to 1--we
on"
mo, they hain't," said the deacon
Not red cent"
wal, | swanr' calculated Mr.. Ell
ton.
Jest what l think myself said
the deacon, ruefully.
"Ain't goin' to consent, be yeT
The deacon established himself
more firmly on the old stone wall
which interposed between the high
way and patch of spring woods all
gay with dogwood blossoms and fresh
young leaves.
Well yes, l be and l aint. Sounds
like parallels, don't it2 But I'm
talkin' sober sense. I've writ to the
lawyer that's windin' up brother
Johns affairs, and told him to send
the girls on. writ that I'd take 'em
for a months visit, and at the end o
shat time I'd decide which OF the
three to keep. The other two muse
scratch for themselves. Amt no
sense in my supporting three grown
women in idleness. | can make one
useful in keepin' house for me. But
| don't see my way clear to support
ing the three OF EN-"
An what be you goin' to do with
Jemima Willett - asked Elton.
She's goin' to the new factory
to work. Her brother is cutter there,
and he's told her of a vacancy in the
ironin' room. y
Gals is nuisance, - observed Ezra,
trimming off fresh piece Of tobacco
with his pocket knife.
Il guess you're about right" said
the deacon.
And while Deacon Prout, in the
bland sunshine of the Ohio spring,
was lamenting his evil fate, Brother
Johns" three daughters down in New
York were harping on the same
string.
The country. - sighed Mamie
Prout. "And / always Lated the
country
AN old bachelor, too said lsa-
bel. Papa always called him an
original / detest originals, don't
your"
Hester screwed her bonny pink and
white face into dimpled knot.
1T will be grand joke, said She
Il can get no end of material for the
novel I'm going to write. l shall
make specially of Western dialect. "
Il suppose we must go. said Isa-
bel.
And Mamie dolorously remarked
that they did not seem to have much
choice left"
IF dear papa had only lived to see
that last investment through" said
Hester. 1--WE should have been heir
essesr'
Isabel shook her smooth, silky
head.
Papa was always building castles
in the air, ~ sighed she.
Deacon Prout received the three
girls with stiff civi.ity, told them that
they were welcome, and put each OF
them in charge of some one particu-
lar department of Buckeye Farm.
Isabel was to be housekeeper, Hes
ter dairymaid, and Mamie to take