The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1892-11-03

arranged his collar befc rc the glass:
"Therc isn't married man around
that can compare with me for starchings
and sickness"
Aud II there was time when he
thought he looked particularly grand, 1t
was when he was dressed in his Sunday
suit and mounted on his faithful white
horse. He WAS trying to make up his
mind whether he ought to step OH. aud
call her the biggest simpleton in all crc.
alton, or go of about his business, when
Polly began talking again in tender,
chiding tone, as IL her feelings had been
hurt:
"Ol, Ebcnezcr! how caa you ask IL I
love youl Didu't Jim Winters pack of
to California just because wouldn't
have himl Didn't Ruby Oakcs try to
drown himself because | mittened himl
Didn't refuse Jerry Vail only last sun.
day, Just fos youi Aud after I've waited
between hope aud despair all these years,
you ask nc tbatw
And Polly covered her face with her
hands as if to conceal either her bushes
or her tears, but shortly she uncovered
her tace-and pretty, pale, though
somewhat care-worn face it was-lnd
continued:
You're very kind anl thoughtful,
Ebenezer, to ask Inc about fixing up
your house. Where you've lived Sd
many years cant help being happy
home for me; but might suggest one
or two little improvements, seeing you
asked me. You mi yht just cart the rub
bish out Of the front yard--.he swlll-
barrel, and ash-heap, aud grindstoue,
and such-and make up some posy beds.
I've got lots OF seeds. and you can have
some OF 'em--hollyhocks, and china
asters, aud marigold,, ani double pop
pics, ard syeet-yillians, aud four.o'.
clocks, and morning. .glorie'. They'll
want to 90 by the window, and you'll
have to move tie pigtrough. Then your
square room would be more like some
thing il il had a carpet, and sofa, and
a picture or two, and center table
aud, above ALL, curtains for the win
dows. .r,sSs--..ss ,-sfse..- 81 :. ys-%'
"You haven't got mauy dishes, l
s'pose, but Ill bring host. I've got
two whole sets OF blue stonewarc, all
except the slop-bowls, besides the best
part OF gilt china set. You've seen
en-, guess. '""hc house wants paint
ing, too; never saw so brown house
for "A white one. Then well want an
extension table, so when Betsy and her
children visit us they can sit down.
Don't bc offended, dear Ebenezer,
shouldn't haze said all this, for the
world, but you know you asked me-"
Ehenezer didn't know whether he
ought to be offended CT not. He was
aatterei and yet mortified. aasdaxs.s- T..
Polly put her hand in her pocket aud
brought out her handkerchief, and with
it came her tatting shuttle aud thread.
The sight OF these brought her mind
back 70 the sober realities OF life. It
was stitch, stitch, stitch, with poo: Polly
from morning to night, with no one to
love her or care for her us she merited.
SO she sat down with her back to the
( IN, -; aud when Ebenczer knew by the
Tow sos, that reached him that she was
crying, he let go the bushes carefully.
so as not to disturb her, aud walked off
! home. -
He lay awake until long after midnight
that night. His thumb paiued him a
little, but his sleeplessness was not
caused wholly by that.
He was thinking of the time, many
years back, when Polly Virgins, then
rosy girl of eighteen, was very dear to
him. He remembered how she had gone
to Dame Chadwicks "app!e.cut" one
night with jim Winters, and that she
lirted with him all the evening. He re-
membered, too, how angry aud jealous
he was about it, aud that he treated her
coldIy and never sought to WOO her after
that.
He made 4 resolve at last, and then he
closed his eyes aud went to sleep--to
dream of tables of all kinds, with sofas
aud pictures, and blue dishes, and rolls
of carpeting, and poppy aud marigold
seed by the bushel being piled pro-
miscuously in his front yard, and that
he was giving to the house coat OF
white paint.
Then he was stretching aud tacSing
down carpet in the sarrct, and
He awoke with u groau. lie must
have been hammering away at his sore
thumb, for it was throbbing and acaing
terribly. Sleep was out OF the question
now, so Ebenczer got up and lighted n
candle and walked the bare floor till
daylight, wondering why he had ncv.r
felt SO lonely before, aud thinking, as
he had never thought before, that Il
bachelors life was wretched one.
A few days after her walk on the
beach Polly sat knitting in her sisters
best room, when that lady came in from
the store, whittier she had gone for a roll
OF butter.
"Sakes alive, Polly, you will never
believe it! Ebenezer Stickney Is turning
everything inside out and upside down
at his house. They're painting the house
outside, aud papering aud whitewashiug
inside, aud he's got jim Black there
clearing out the yard. | didn't think