Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-03-18
carpet that I pad seventy five cents a

81 was most pestered to deatn.
didn't know what on earth to do.
knowed there want no use a-talkin to
Jake, fur when his heads sot, it's sot
Jake's the kind of feller that's always
a-layin' down the law about how q
woman ought-a be, and then goes and
takes a girl that amt no more like what
he wants than crow"
"I've seen Just such men,"
"Well, that's the kind of feller Jake
is. l laid awake nights a-thinkin'
about it, and at last struck on plan to
break it up. You know Jake's always
said he'd never marry girl that couldn't
make good chicken pot-pie; he's terrible
fond a chicken pot-pie; and plague take
the luck! if that want the very thing
Min Smith could make went over to
her house aud asked her to come and
spend the day with me. She was tickled
to death to get the invite. Course she
said she'd come. She was a-readin'
when l went in, an the house want a
bit clean. | don't believe the stov'd
been BACKED fur a week. Pretty
house-keepin' that
"When l told Jake Min Smith was
a.comin' to spend the day he
was the pleasedest fellow you
ever see. He begin to talk about what
nice girl she was; how there wa mt no
nonsense about her. Min was to come
a-Thursday. That day Jake wore a col
lar to work an didn't put on no overalls,
but l didn't say nothing. Min come
over about nine o'clock all dressed to
kill. l made b'lieve to be in a great
fuster. said you'd been in an took
most all my better, 50 | had to churn
that day, an I'd promised Jake pot-pie
fur dinner, an' didn't know which way
to turn. Min, she up and said, Let me
make the pot-pie for you, Mrs Quig!ey.
That was just what was a-ishin' fur. |
was a-goin' to ask her to do it, if she
hadn't offered, so said 'twould help
me a sight if she'd do it. Cause l
want a-goin' to have that pot-pie good.
Jake. he was a-runnn' to the house fur
something or nuther all mornin'; it beat
all what a sight of business he had at
the house, Him an Min KEEP up a
terrible laughin' au' jokin'. Jake amt
much of hand to joke 'cept when he's
mighty pleased about something, so l
see he was pretty fur gone. Once when
him an Min was a-goin' it pretty high, L
slipped into the pantry an emptied all
the baking powder out of the box an
! put some -four in"
"That was bright idea"
Mrs. Quigley winked one eye know
ingly, and continued:
s'When it come time to make the
dumplings 1 got Min all the things. 1
see her a THROWN in the baking powder; /;
she was bound to have them dumplin's
light. Pete (my husband) want home
that day, so at twelve o'clock Jake came
to the house alone. l heard him an Min
talkin' about the pot pie. What if it
shouldn't be goodl' Min was a sayin'
That amt possible, said Jake, a-look-
in as soft as melted butter.
"Well, we are all sOt down to the
table, an took the cover of'n the pot
pie. l declare fort l never see such
dumplin's in all my life"
"They surpassed your widest hopes,
ehl"
"They was the awfullest dumplin's, u
replied Mrs. Quigley. "Why they was
that tough you couldn't get your fork
through 'em. helped Min, an' 1 declare
pitied the poor girl; she looked as il
she'd like to sink through the floor.
Then helped Jake; he took bite, an
see him a-lookin' around fur some place
to put it. At last he swallowed it.
didn't have much else fur dinner that day
a-purpose, au' l guess that was the first
time Jake Quigley, or any one else, ever
got up from my table hungry. When
Jake started to go to work he said
"You needn't wait supper for me,
mother, I've got to take load Of hay
over to Spring Holler. Then know'd
it was all up with poor Min. Min didn't
stay long after dinner. told her not
to be in a hurry, but she seemed in a
terrible hurry" said Mrs. Quigley, inuo-
Gently.
"Aud your carpet is safe, - said I, ris-
ing to 60.
"And Jake, too, fur yet awhile, any
way" she replied, tossing her head de-
family.
AS I wended my way homeward with
my butter, l mused on the witness OF
mothers, and thought Mrs. Quigley's
ruse might be of use to other mothers
anxious for the welfare of their sons and
their carpet. Epoch.
American Songsters In German Trees.
A wealthy merchant of Hamburg,
I 4