The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-09-30


gaggin' out in the moonshine ev'ry
night with ole Dan Smiths boy, d
younker as never took no noshun to dig
taturs an work like other boys, is
played out an done with. He only
knows enough to lay araound an read
books an putter an fuss an tinker
over some wuthless riggin'."
"Oh, pa!' half sobbed Mandy Ann.
Don't 'oh pa mer' went on the angry
old man, shaking one long crooked
finger in the shrinking girls face.
"Pve sed it, an / mean it!''
'Jed's nice feller," timidly ven
tured the girl. He's eddycatin' of his
self, an he knows heaps"
"Huah!" CALCULATED the father Lots
of good his eddycashun II do him when
he has to saw wood an cut hoop-poles
fer livin', the way his father did
afore him"
But he's goin' ter be rich-hes goin'
ter be great inventor He says there's
lots of money made in little things, if
they only ketch the public fancy, an
now he's gittin' up puzzle game he
calls Hens in the Kitchen The puz-
zle's to git the hens out. It's marster
cute"
"'Hens in the Kee-e-chin!' Now
hain't that a nice thing for young
man to be fritterin' away his time over!
swan! the idee makes me wanter take
club an knock some sense inter his
head! Him an inventor. The ideer
"Why not him, pa? You know Mr..
Gordon, as is comm here to board next
week, is an inventor. That's how he
made his money, an he tole me last
summer he uster go barefoot when he
was boy and never had no money till
he got up that cultivator riggin''
That's all right He invented cul-
tivator. but he didn't fiddle away his
time on Hens in the Kitchen riggin.'
It's no use to talk to me. Mandy Ann,
I'm dead sot agin Jed Smith. If he
comes raound here any more, him an
NELL have an argument an he'll wish
we hadn't. If you've got ter have
feller to spark up to, take Nat Bates"
'"Ob, pa He's awful humbly, an his
best suit of clothes is sliimigilious. He's
the most saumin' feller l know, an
he's SO ignerent he can't write his own
name"
"But his old dads with much as
fifteen hundred dollars. sides his farm,
an that's good for nigh two thousan
He's rich man. Mandy, an Natll get
ev'ry dollar bumby. You've got to
look arter them little p'ints, gal. Now
you put yourself ter bed, an don't you
let me hear no more about Jed Smith"
Mandy Ann had never disobeyed her
father, but the time had come when
cho fxA1f rah e1,
went to bed, as directed. where she
sobbed herself to sleep and dreamed of
Jed Smith all the night.
'Don't you think you was jest leetle
peaked on the gal, pa?" timidly asked
Mandy AIMS mother SIT hain't no
ways likely Jed Smith an her'll be
wantin' to git hitched jest cause he
comes an talks to her at the gate two
ur three times week. 1hey's alwus
been playmates an set store by each
other, an Jed's nice lookin' feller-"
''That'Il do, Marthy!'' snapped Old
Dad. Don't you try to dictate me!
You're alwus runnin' things to suit
yourself, but I'm goin to hev my say
this time!''
Mrs. Brown sighed and was silent. 1t
was SO long since she had had her own
way in anything that she was easily
hushed
The following day, as Old Dad put
the harness on his rawboned white
horse, he observed to Mandy Ann, who
happened to be within hearing:
"Fm goin' over to see Josh Cole. He's
got big dorg as he wants ter trade
with me for some hens, an guess we
kin make u dicker."
"Whut you want of dorg, pa?"
II want him ter keep that putterin'
Jed Smith from breakin' the hinges off
my gate," replied the old man, as he
pulled himself into the rattletrap
wagon. "Git up, Ketury" Away he
went.
Mandy Ann was frightened.
II must tell Jed abaout that dorg."
she said.
Hurrying down the lane and across
the fields, she came upon comely
young fellow who was stretched in the
shade beside murmuring brook. He
sprang up smiling and holding out his
hands rs she approached.
'sl've succeeded, Mandy, dearI" he
cried, joyously--''I've finished the puz-
zlel I'll be rich as soon as can find
capitalist to back mel
Then cloud came over his face, as