Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-02-16

Priscilly Quisenberry; an recollect
she called her an old maid.
"Old maid, indeed! Priscilly's the
best lookin' girl on HuclSleberry Creek,
old or young; an worth dozen like
Mirandy Sprigs, besides.
''Well, if she thinks it's such joke
to send me picture of an old maid,
I'll just send it back to her, to let her
/, see l know where it come from"
And when Mr.. Cheeseboro mounted
his sorrel mare, TO make the projected
call at the Quisenberry farmhouse, the
valentine was carefully deposited in
his overcoat pocket.
1t went no further than the village
postoffice, however, where Felix pro.
cured a square envelope, inclosed the
old maids 'picter," and posted the
missive, addressed to Miss Mirandy
Sprigs."
1t was late in the afternoon, and
Priscilla was in the kitchen, getting
supper. A swapping fire roared and
cracked in the well-blackened cooking
stove, on which she placed skillet of
fresh pork, to fry. Taking a handful
of dried sage she rubbed it to a powder,
and sifted it slowly over the meat,
which was already beginning to give
out a most appetizing odor.
Priscilla's heart was still sore from
the shock she had received; but with
the pride of her sex, she hid the
wound from other eyes, and went about
her household duties as usual.
Going to the cellar, she brought a
pan of rosy checked apples from the
bin, and was pairing them for sauce,
when slip-shod footsteps sounded in
the hall, and Lucinda opened the
kitchen door and looked in.
Where's your pa, Priscilly?" she
asked. Felix Cheeseboro is in the
settin'-room, and wants to see him"
Priscilla looked startled.
"Mr. Cheeseboro? IL don't know.
What does he want?"
"Do you reckon asked him what he
wanted? You needn't to color up So
faint you he wants to see. It's your
pa, told you," and Lucinda .shuf1led
away.
"Priscilly hain't no idee where he is,
Felix" she reported. Nor me either.
But you mout's we'll stay to supper.
He'll be sure to come in then"
Felix did not think he could stay To
supper; but he. waited awhile, in
hopes of seeing Priscilla His wait
ing proved to be in vain, however,
and he finally took his departure,
promising to call again.
Reckon Priscilly was too busy to
come in" he thought consolingly, as
he rode off on his sorrel mare. Its
too bad she has the whole house to
tend to; but she shan't have it to do
long, if / can help it," he added, with
look of decision in his gray eyes.
IL wonder if he got the valentine, y
thought Priscilla, as she finished par
ing and quartering the apples. "lf he
did he will see that l know who sent
it to me-"
On the same afternoon, Nirandy
Sprigs was doing up her frizzes liz bits
of tin, which she kept for the purpose,
being, as she thought, more efticacious
than curl-papers.
81 want 'em to friz right nice for to-
morrow night" she commented, twist
ing one of the tins till it nearly brought
tears to her eyes. "Mebbe Mr.. Cheese
boro III ask me to go the meetin' with
him. If he don't I'll go alone, an
most likely he'll fetch me home, like
he did from singin'-school last week.
GIVE got ahead o. Priscilly Quisen.
berry. anyhow" she added, with a lool,
of triumph in her black eyes, land
I'm a-going to keep it. She'll be mad
as hops to find I've cut her out
"Wait till 1 eit to be mistress o.
Felix Cheeseboro's big house, though.
Won't show the folks7 Ill turn up
my nose at them stuck-up Quisenber.
rvs, too.
can that sassy Indy III hev TO step
around mighty lively, / kin tell her