Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-07-22
NOT WHAT THEY SEEM

| NOT WHAT THEY SEEM.
ga man"
"You don't say? WE'LL I am surpris.
ed" and the speaker drew a long breath
OF genuine surprise.
Yes, he was a setting up by ber
kitchen winder-the curtains all down
but you know they are white cloth, and
the lamp cast his shadder, plain as any
thing.
Dew tell-you don't say-and her a
professin' church member, too. You re
sure it wasn't Jonas?'
''Sure-of course ] be. An besides,
even if twas, what business had any man
in an old maids house after 'leven o'clo *,
an she livin's cut on that lonely road by
hers lf?"
That's SO. Well, Mis- Brown, guass
must be goin'. left the children with
Mazda, an she won't want me to stay
long"
Don't be in a hurry, Mis- JONES'"
81 don't think | am, much-but must
go, now. | declare, what you told me
completely upset me-
Il lowed it would. But, Miss Jones,
don't tell Of it where Miranda Sturgis II
hear OF it. l wouldn't have her know ]
tod o. 1t Tor anything.
"Well, l do declare, and Mirandy
Sturgis always lowed she was so modest,
an virtuous-fairly feared Of man
wouldn't look cross, eyed at Jonas HartIy,
a good decent Teller, toe; but she was 50
shy-deceltful Miuk. Did you say you
see him yourself, Mis- Brown?"
with my own eyes. I'd been up to
Cinthy's you know her youngest is down
with the measles-an' it must have been
long after Ii at night, an quite dark.
Well, as was sayin'.'' stopping a mo-
ment for breath, and then rushing On, as
if her life depended on the recital of the
tale, ''weIi, come round by the cider
mill, an right past Mirandy Sturgis' =
an SEE |, iii bet Mirandy's sick, tor all I
see was tie light at frsts but the nex5 look
made me- almost jump, for there, right b.
the wlnder, sot a man. an sm0kin' tool
Here Mrs. Brown paused completely cut
| OF breath, while her Geighbor filled up the
pause with,
Course not" and in another moment
Mrs. Jones was on her way, her motherly
soul fairly bursting with the desire to car
ry the news to some one.
On her way she passed Miss SSurgis'
lonely house.
II b'lieve I'll step in minute she
said, and opening the door, she stood with
IL the neat kitchen.
'Mornin', Mirandy."
Good mornin'. Mis- Jones, !" responded
the timid old maid, kindly.
Il was out, an | thought I'd just drop
In an see how you was.
clad you did. | get dreadful lonesome
sometimes here alone"
"Wny don't you get someone to keep you
company?'
ooh, laws! | don't care for no girls
round. They're more bother than help. -
Why don't you get man?' asked the
willy Mrs. Jones.
Miranda blushed vivid scarlet.
Me, Mis- Jones? l don't want no
man.
Il heard you had beau last night"
"What!' and the maiden S face grew as
white as it had been red.
"On, now, you needn't try to fool me,
| Mirandy. We know you had beau last
pight,a settin right here by this winder. -
Miss Sturgis looked just ready to drop
| guilty and confused.
'Who-who told your" she stammer-
ed
"Oh, I found out, returned Mrs. Jones
significantly. WAS it Jonas?"
No"
~ thought so. Who was it?''
| A little spark of fire began to be visible
in Miss Sturgis' eyes.
That's my business, she returned.
Then Mrs. Jones ire was aroused,
and she proceeded to 'pitch into the
{ little old maid, as she afterwards said,
and gave her "piece of her tongue.
; well, ALL got to say, Mirandy Sturgis,
Is, that it's pretty business when an old
maid like you, an professin Christian
a Methodist into the bargain-sets up
after leven o'clock with strange man
[ always thought there was something
Suspicious bout your awful innocence and
virtue. But | wouldn't be quite 81
bold about it If | was you. It's a dis
grace to the church-and you old maid
too"
Ever. "a worm will turn, we are told, and
Mirandy did, in good shape
lit amt any of your business, any way
Miss Jones, an you needn't come here
mlndln things you don't know any
thing abot. If choose could tell you
all about it, but won't, so there, an you
can go an tell the whole town fur all
care"
With that Mrs. Jones rose to go, with
a baleful glitter in her eye.
'All right. If you're church mauleG
you kin lay it to your own sinfulness an
now you can look out for your character
yourself. l shant try to defend it," anc
the angry woman slammed ethe dool
behind her.
No sooner had she gone than Mirans
seated herself in a low rocker, begar
tc rock herself to and fro and to CRY
bitterly.
"Oh, dear! Oh, dear! What shall do
What have / done?''
! Perhaps she sat there half and hour
when there was timid knock at the dool
and, quickly drying her eyes, she said
Come in" In walked Jonas Hartly
the bashful farmer, who had tried to cour
her ever since she was schoolgirl.
'.Mornin', Milany."
"Good mornin' Jonas.
Il thought d drop in to hear how yor
was gettin' along
mot very well to-day, Jonas, anG
there was nervous witch to her lips al
she said it.