The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-01-30
THAT CITY CHAP.

THAT CITY CHAP.
1t seemed very ridiculous to Maria
Abigail Toollins that her mother Ma. 90
as she called her would not let her
Abigail 90 to the party "a; neighhor
Watkins 1t seemed not only rjdicn-
Ious but unjust for during the two
weeks preceding the eycntful party
night. ma had not only approved Of her
going but had even helped her make a
new dress for the occasion and now the
night having arrived, for no apparent
reason she had declared that Abby must
stay at home
This was Abby.s side OF the story and
this she kept repeating TO herself as she
sat in her own room late that afternoon
looking mournfully at the new dress
spread ont on the bed before her and oc-
casionally dashing the back of her hand
across her eyes to wipe away those tears
which. do what she would, persisted in
rising rebelIiously
But Mother Toxins tale was very
different As she told her good friend
Mrs Hopping, who had just stopped in
for a moments chat she had very
good reason for keeping her daughter at
home that night
Now, I'll tell you, Mrs Hopping, be.
cause know you won't ever let it reach
any Of the Watldnses" (the good lady
knew this to be the quickest and most
reliable way to get the story to neighbor
Watkins family 'l'll tell you why I'm
keeping Abby to home You see, Tom
Watkins has ben keepin company with
my girl for most a six month, and he's
awful hard hit If let Abby go ter
night theirs no tellin whatll happen.
She's jest s like as not to get struck with
that city Teller that's comm down 10
spend the summer over to the Watkins
They do say, them that see him before
that he's mighty pleasant Now, then,
wherell poor Tom be? / tell you what
It's, Mrs Hoppin' land here Mrs Took
ms heayed a deep sigh and leaned very
solemn face over the pan Of half peeled
potatoesy "l tell you 'twould he down.
right wrong wicked for me to let that
young girl 60 and jest p'rhaps ruin that
poor Toms life for him, now wouldn't
| itY'
Yes. indeed. Mrs. Toxins, tho Other
woman replied, If you let her do sech a
thing you wouldn't dosarye salvation
nohowi and the pious Mrs Hopping
rolled her horror stricken eyes toward
the rafters. Soon after she took her
leave
AS Mrs Toxins, standing on hel
doorstep, watched her friend waddlt
slowly down the road, she thought tC
herself; Now, eff she'll only be rea
quick an tell the Watkiuses, know it'll
bring Tom round When he thinks ht
may lose Abby guess he'll look alive
Mrs Hopping on the other hand as
she turned at the bend of the road tC
wave last goodby to her neighbor
said to herself. 81 know she thinks thai
doll faced little Abby of hers has goI
ahead of my Sarah, but wen see cal
kerlate Hannah Watkins won't be Ovel
perticular pleased if | let her thinl
Susan Tookins' lOOkiu for higher gamC
than her Tom for Abby; don't care tt
have EN- together much while that city
fellers round guess it'll gall her
bit And Mrs Hopping chuckled t.
herself rs she tried to hurry along tn,
road
So the story was told half an hour
later at the Watkinses Mrs. Hopping
lest happened to be passin their way
and thought she'd jest stop In to le
them know Abby Tookius couldn't com,
that night Too bad, wasn't itI Blu
a.,
stuck up etc, until the rest Of the story
as conceived by Mrs Hopping had beer
told.
Meanwhile the poor girl on whose ac
count these good ladies troubled them
selves SO much sat lonely in her room
thinking Of the dance that she was t,
miss, which all the others were to enjoy
and-of Tom
He would see them all but her, an,
Sarah Hopping, she knew she would b
extra nice to Tom tonight, and woul,
look so pretty, aud--oh, if Tom woul,
only say whether he cared most for her
Abby, sitting here alone, thinking o
him He had said everything else. and we
he was so nice to the other girls. ant
tonight no would see them all but her
A thought seemed to strike her slowl,
she went down stairs into the kitchen
Ma, can help you get the supper
No. Abby, child supper's all ready,
the mother replied Now, you just 81
T down and pall be in in a mint, an
well hev a real good eyenin together
wouldn't mind the Old party.
Abby said nothing, and soon, as Mrs
roolzins had predicted, Pa came in
Then they set down TO table, and after
long grace, during which Abby's eye
would wander toward the clock, suppe
began They didn't talk much. Ma wa
thinking Now, I'm sure, Of Tom Wal
kins hears Inn keepin Abby away fror
p that city fellsr on his account, he'll spea
/ right up soon, or be amt the honest cha
took him fer He amt goin to los
her, don't think, but oh, my! be is slow
10 bo sure IN comm to the pint As f.
Pa Toxins, he was utterly bewildere,
, and 80 held his peace Ma had sal
/, Abby was goin 10 the party and the
that she wasn't goin. Pa Toxins D,
+. heved these facts and asked noquestion
Abby too was silent She was listeniu
10 the occasional rumble Of wheels an
the sound OF merry voices, as some
the Villawa fniLra Hrnva nv an fbair yrr.