The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1891-10-22
JONAS AND |.
The Story Told by a Good Gludg-
er and Halter.

~-N.eo>'
Folks is made different Some pos
sess certain of the cardinal virtues,
other people possess others, md you
seldom find all of them in one human
neing. Some talk of good memory,
others rather pride themselves on hav-
in none. have got good faculty for
remem BERN some things. If | know
the contribution is goin' to be
passed, | never can forgit my purse
I've tried it off nd on a mum Der of times
nd rather envied the folks who could
forgit SO conveniently. I've even gone
30 far as TO hide my port-money in the
pocket of an old dress, that hangs in
the closet upstairs, off the north room,
where nobody ever sleeps, md nobody
ever goes, 'cept in house-cleanir', so
that I'd forgit just over contribution
day. Forgit. why, couldn't any more
forgit than nothin'.
LIowsomevcr, though a forgitter
amt one of my common possessions,
md in no way can be counted in
amongst my other cardinal virtues,
have got as good grudger nd hater as
anybody in all the country round, nd
this partly consoles me for not havin' a
good forgitter. If forgot real quick
md easy-like, why then I'd forgit the
mean things folks do md say. Likely
as not I'd git over this grudge I've held
on to now for some five nd thirty
yaa-a- I wouldn't git over that for
nothin'. It's such a comfort to hate
somebody! 1t affords lots of amuse-
lnent, too, if anything happens to the
one you've got a grudge against. Be-
sides all that, it sort O. sends the hours
skippin' along light md airy-like when
you can sit down md knit md think of
all the mean things you'd like to have
'hefall the one you hate. Enittin' is nice
work for such meditations, for it isn't
very absorbin' 'cept in the heel nd toe
nd instep, unless you happen to drop a
stitch, or get to thinkin' so hard that by
mistake you knit over scam: then
YOU have to tend to your knittn' for a
little nd no mistake, but on the whole
think it's good work, when you want
to sit down nd hev a good time a
grudgin' nd hatin'. Now I'm a leetle
peculiar; don't spend my time envyin'
my nabors, nd grudgin' 'em their good
things. l dent spoil my nature by d.
vidin, it permiscuous-like among good
many. | just bile it down like | do NV
jelly, so 1t won't take up much room,
nd yet have it tart nd solid in its own
place.
. 1 don't hold no grud ge against no.
body, but just Jonas Periwinkle. Him
] do grudge md hate with all the force
I've got. He treated me mighty mean
when ] was slip of girl bout eight
cen or twenty. You see, twas like
this, md l hain't never got over it,
neither, md l don't intend to- Him md
Inc, we kept company for two or three
years, off nd on. Though l was
Eighty piece Of property nd liked to
change off occasionally, did set great
store by him, nd he knew it, too. l
wasn't quite so steady nd stout like as
some of the girls, though l could get
round pretty spry nd 'complish just as
much as they did nd it didn't take me
ell day to do it.
One Monday I was washin' nd Steve !!
Pratt came along with bran new top
buggy md span. He drove up, md |
says to me: Pm drivin' out to show
my new belonging, Esther, can't you
come along?'
always was fond of going. nd that |
top buggy did glitter, nd shine in the |
sun, nd the cushions did look so |
temptin, SO ! says: I'D like to go |
frst-rate, Steve, but hain't got quite
through my washin' - 80
"l'll just come IN nd wait" he saws. |
So he did nd he helped, too. He |
stirred the starch, nd helped hang the |
clothes up, nd while we wasshangin' |
EN- up, who should 60 along but onas |
Periwinkle. Steve bowed awful polite |
but Jonas walked straight past, as if |
didn't see us, but he did, nd found il |
out afterwards.
went for the ride, nd it was a nice
one, TOO. The apple trees was all
q blocmin', nd the air was as sweet as
a June morning conld make it. Steve
really was the incest fellow around, md
he was pleasant md agreeable We
got home just as dinner was ready, nd
mother asked him in, nd sure enough
he stopped, md staid nd talked with
father after dinner as though neither
of EN- had anvthin' to do.
The next time / see Jonas he was as
uppish as could be. Finally we had a
real downright quarrel bout Steve.
l ,spose we were both cxasperated.
told him it he wanted girl that would
always stay to home, nd never go no
where, he could look farther, nd he
told me if l couldn't be satisfied with
one mans heart, stead of breakin'
every one round he would look farther
md he did. I didn't think he treated
me quite fair, but wasn't goin' to be
bossed round fore was married So
he took to goin' with one of the other
rirla, nd Steve Pratt's buggy stood At