Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-12-26
me Toby. Stop doing it. Go away

1OOldS, says 1lOSS, DIS udO Ictl do CNCl
you heard, while we all choked ourselves
with our han'kerch' efs, Tobias, hev con
cealed my feelin's very keerful but they
can't be retained no more Hear me, cruel
beingr
IT will not says Tobias Go away, or
I'll tell everybo l know how I ought
to behave. and Pm always particular. I
promised ma / would be. Go awayr'
''Then Rosy Wood did go too fur. My
cheeks mantles with bushes as | read this
here; but she wild with fun and hear
ing US giggle and choke all about her.
Tobias says she my intentions is
honorable. / offer marriage. On my Bonded
knees. Tobias, 1 beg you to be mine. Surrey
you will not refuse me-
81 am obliged to decline your offer.
ma'am, says Tobias Starch. i should
choose a more retiring and proper behaved
person. Go awayp
sAs soon as he said them words Rosy be-
gan to weep. She wep and sobbed al
got highstrikes in a most nat'ral way
Finally she says family:
Tobias Starch, ajoo; your cruelty has
K5Yed me- Ajoo-ajool'
Then she made a great noise fallin onto
The floor, and Tobias opened the door.
There warn't no light in our room, and his
shaded lamp didn't reveal nothin.
Where are you, poor girl?' says he.
Here, says NE OuCc
before | die
"sNo,' says Tobias Starch, I will not
embrace you. You air not dyin; your
hands air warm; but | am very sorry for
you. You will get over this i'll fated at
tachment in time, and take lesson from
this affais, and remember that bOldness in
a lady is pbhorrent to a man of principle
30 to your room, Miss Wood, and pray to
De comforted. will pray for you
's'Assist me to rise says Rosy
There was kind of humping sound,
and we knowed it was time to light up.
In minute :; blaze of brilliance from half
dozen ,lerysene lie lamps and as many
taller candles flooded the room, and Mr..
Tobias Starch, settin onto the floor, looked
around and saw the company, and heard
'em. too, for we laughed until we had TO
stop for breath. At last jeremiah riz up,
and says he:
'Come, Mr.. Starch don't reel mad.
Rosy heard tell how't you said she was
settn her cap for you, and this IS only tit
for tat.
But Tobias Starch never smiled. He
liz up from the floor, walked into his room,
rome out with his bag in his hand and his
hat on and walked out of the house, and
next wreck left Soapstone for good.
That night we jest larfed over our nuts
Ind gingerbread and cider; but purity soon
it got to be no laughin matter for Rosy
Wood. Some wicked critter spread the
report that she had actilly proposed to Mr..
Starch meanin it, and she was world sick
by it.
That" says |, closin my DOCK, was
twenty years ago; but only this October
the report was riz again and spiteful
things has been said in my hearin ag'in
lady that does not deserve it. So, unac-
customed as | am to public speakin, | hev
riz up to tell the truth on my Bible oath
over seal and postage stamp, and let
everyl ody ever after hold their tongue"
There was a kinder solemn silence. |
dunno what may hev been comm, but jest
then up riz the strange gentleman with the
bald head and gives me beamin smile,
and says he:
Il should like to add my testimony to
that of the sister that has just finished. i
am witness she has forgotten / am To
bias Starch himself, grown considerably
older, and | solemnly attest to the state
ment you have just heard. / was a little
prig in those days, brothers and sisters,
very conceited and very anxious to do
right, too solemn and pokey, and not able
to see joke, and spoiled at home by my
dear old mother, who spoils me still; but
was not bad enough to tell falsehood. L
never inisrepresented Miss Wood, whose
New Years eve joke gave me good les
son. regret others have done it. / think
| see Miss Wood yonder. Will she shake
hands with me?''
| remember his very words, and how
noble he looked standin there. And Rosy
Wood came out of her corner, laughing
and blushing and holding ont her hand
Pm glad to ask your forgiveness, Mr..
STARCH says she. 81 was Young and too
full of fun in those old days. I've certainly
got bravely over the first of those things
anyhow"
sAnd my concet has dropped away with
my hair" says,he.
But they didn't look either old or ugly,
for ALL as they stood there shakin hands,
first with each other and then with me.
and / felt proud of what I'd went and did.
That evening Mr.. Starch devoted his at
tention most petickeler to Rosy Wood, and
she didn't seem to hev no objections. He
took her down to supper and pulled snap
crackers with her, and gave her NOTICES,
and eat philopene with her, and he beaued
her hum. Hewas bachelor and had been
goin west and it seemed kinder providen-
tial that he should hev been visitin our
dominic that very New Years eve when [
made up my mind to give the facts of Rosy
Woods case and stop the SANDER. And it
seemed more so jest few days before the
next New Years came round, when Rosy,
with her eyes cleaning and her cheeks as
red as lady slippers, put her arm through |
mine comm from church and said:
'sAunty, Tobias Starch and I are going
to be married New Years eve and / am
going with him on his mission. This time
he proposed!''-Mary Kyle Dallas in Fire
side Companion.