The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-02-11

hangln
asWhy?' sez /. ! didn't know what
she meant
Silence gave Amos the mitten once,
sez mother 'leastways they say she did,
and he's been terrible cut up about it, and
that's what makes him so slack about him
self. I guess there wouldn't have been
many rags a-hangin' if Silence he'd had him.
"'Why wouldn't she have him ? sez l.,
az guess she felt above him, sez
mother. She was Squire Temples daugh-
ter, and he was jest a-tendin' in the store
then. guess she thought he want quite
good enough for her, sez mother, but she
didn't get nobody any better. 1t don't do
for girls to be too partickler.
"Well, arter mother told me thet, |
never see Amos Dawaon, but l thought
ont, and wanted to say somethin' about it
to Silence, but 1 didn't darse to. Silence
was one you couldn't take no liberties with
arter all; if you tried it, you'd find all Of
sudden that you'd walked up again a
stone wall, when you thought you was go
ing to trample down posies. Mother used
to say that there was somethin' of old
Squire Temple in her. So | never dare
say anythin' about Amos Dawson to 81
lenee but the time come when she said
somethin' herself.
''One AFTERNOON was over to Silence's
and she had TO go up to the south cham
ber arter somethin', and | followed on.
The south chamber was a great square
room, and it used to be the Squires; he
slept there as long as he lived, and s'pose
he died there He want sick long.
"Silcnce was a-huntin' in a chist for
somethin. and | was lookin' round the
room. [ can remember jest as well how
that room looked as if was in it. There
was a great high-posted bedstead, with
curtains to it, and valances, and they were
blue caliker with green and yaller roses on
it. There were two chists of drawers, and
great cheer covered with caliker like the
bed-curtains, and some fagbottomed cheers,
and the fire on the hearth was laid all
ready to light, as if the old Squire was
jest goin' to walk in. His camlet cloak
and his bell hat was hangin' up on hook,
side of the chimbly.
''The minute ] see that camlet cloak
and that hat, had a kind of a turn, for |
could remember Jest how the old Squire
used to look a-walkin' out in EN-, though
I want much more'n baby when he died.
looked round at the otker things in the
room, but alters kept a-comin' back to
that cloak and hat, and I'd stand there on
the hearth a.lookin at EN-. dunno
what made me so crazy over EN-. Some
times I've thought twas Providence. 1t
made considerable difference in some folks
lives anyhow,
II stood there a-starin' at that cloak and
hat, and Silence she went on a-huntin' in
the chist; she couldn't find what she want
ed to, very easy, and l dunno whatever put
it into my head, but took notion to peek
into the pockets of that cloak. | dunno
how darse to; l knowed well enough l
hadn't no business to be meddlin' with the
old Squire's cloak, but / give one look at
Silence to be sure she want lookin' and
put my hand into pocket. There
want nothin' in it, but l fumbled round
till found another, and then | pulled out
somethin' that looked like letter, and
Jest then Silence she turned round
"'What's that you've got there, Cinthy
AnnT seq she, and was so scarf and
ashamed / couldn't say nothin'; ! jest
handed her the letter. She took it and
opened it, and l peeked round her shoul-
der, and what do you s'pose twas. It was
\ this valentine
II jest caught glimpse of the pictur,
but l tell ye didn't stop to read no varse
then, for the fust thing knew, Silence
she jest dropped right down in faint
didn't have no idee what to do, for I'd
never seen nobody in faint afore. l
thought fust I'd run and get mother, then
I
| I didn't darse ia leave Silence, and ! Jest
stood lookin at her and shakin', ! was so
scarf.
''Pretty soon she begun to come to a
Ieetle, and she groaned, and | got down
and took hold of her hand.
@.Aint there somethin' can do? seq
II. You amt dead, er ye, Silence?
"Silence she could jest grunt out some
thin about the campfire bottle on the ta-
bic in the west chamber, and | tell ye,
run fer it, and poured the campfire on
her,-uscd up most hull bottle. Ieould
smell campfire every time ! come into the
honse fer week arterward
'It want long before Silence come to,
aud she got up with Inc helpin her, and
crawled downstairs; | wanted her to lay
down on the sofy, but she wouldn't; she
sot down in the rockin' cheer, and went to
knittin' white as ghost she was, too, and
when she tumbled down, she had hit her
forehead on the bedpost, and it was swell
lin up as big as hens egg. Shed put
the valentine in her pocket; see her slip
it in, when she come to.
aSilence sot knittin', but she seemed
dreadful sober, and went home pretty
soon. l wanted to make some tea for her,
but she wouldn't let me, and she wouldn',
let me get mother over, so went home,
n