The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-11-29
THE UPSET ING OF PHILAHDRR jerks

~ lCtFOucll dL ~ otttA satin eto1h
hat encircled his thin and grizzled neck.
Land. Philander, I shouldn't "a spoke
il I'd known you was within hearin'."
Aunt Dorey Flagg leaned over the chop
ping-tray in her portly lap and wiped the
cinging bits of citron from the chopping-
knife with her forefinger, with an embar-
raised airs MIRA. Gid you hear?" she said.
in an impressive whisper. as Philander,
after holding up a kerosene lamp-not quite
steadily-so that he might look at himself
in the ancient mirror with a gilt eagle at
the top. as he had done every Wednesday
night for twenty-three years, went out of
the great kitchen with the little hesitating
shuttle that was peculiar to him..
WAS you speakin' about Lyddy?' said
Maria, appearing in the pantry door. She
spoke in a scared voice; she was a timid
and appealing woman, with an air of hav-
ing been Inadequate to the demands of life,
but not quite resigned to failure.
II never thought but what twas you that
was standin' behind me. / never heard
him come in" said Aunt Dorey. in dismay.
But therel 1 don't know as it's anything
KILN for him to hear her name spoke. All
/ said was, Where on the face of the
earth do you expect Lyddy N her husband
be? Come Thanksgivin' time you can't
help thinkin' of them that's wand rers N
that you won't likely never see ag'in.' He
up N answered me, Phiiander did, m his
voice kind o. shook, They're movin'
round says he. Ieonidas Cram wouldn't
never be satisfied 'thout he was movin'
round"
"Well, Inever.' exclaimed Maria, sitting
down and extending her feet into the stove
oven. with the air of abandoning herself
nffprIU IN nafanfchpa ant gu. -: II
their names-or heard 'em spoke, SO fur's
l know-for twenty years"
"Philander's a man that's ben humored a
dretful sight" said Aunt Dorey.' / some
wonder at you, Mira. you that's had a
chance TO find out that 'tain't good for men
folks to be humorec too much. don't
know as twas any worse for him to have
Lyddy marry a man that want what he'd
ought to be than twas for the rest of you"
HE set a sight by Lyddy, always said
Maria. "She was the youngest, m she al
ways kind o. chung to him. When she had
the whoopin'-cough he'd set N rock her by
the hour; 'twasn't a mite for q great boy.
N if there was anybody on earth that he
despised, twas Leonidas Cram. He was
good-lookin', Leonidas was, n smart-ap-
pearin', but he was shifless n argyfyin..
He always wanted to argyfy on religion
N politics. He'd set in the store m tell
m how the country ought to be governed,
whilst his mother had to take in slop- work
to keep things goin'. Philander he was
always set. m didnt care about hearin'
nobody else's views. m Leonidas he would
keep argyfyin'. He never belonged TO no
church, n never voted with no political
party, so furs as I know, but there wa nj
40 time nor season but wat he was arnold
In forth. He want the LATEST person /
ever see; he'd Keep takin' hold OF some
thing; first twas c%arpenterin'; then he
school over to Jordan's Mills; then be
studied law, n twas when he was
a lawyer that he helped Ambrose GrindaIl
'count of some flaw in~the title"
That didn't make Phflander think any
ways did set by proputty," interpoiated
yYou wouldn't hardly a thought that
NED have the tace to come courtin' Lyddy,
sued Maria, in her reflective, reminiscent
tone that, was always slightly aggrieved,
youngest, m always kind of petted, special
ly. after mother died, N wouldn't hear to
Philander nor nobody. That was the fall
weak'nin'. but l don't expect he could have
rendered it anyhow; he was always in
clined to think that whatever Lyddy done
was right. That vas why the folks was SC
surprised when he made a wifi n left his
whole property to PhiisnderAtHe farm m
she M0 fSlng to n Ly sds mie Wed s hni Our mot o6r a
tions, Matildy m /, when we was married
n twas expected that the rest of the prop
n Lyddy. When there mas talk of Lyddy's
marryin, Joel Sparks, Philander was FOL
havin' the other part finished off cause he
| couldn't bear the thoughts of havin' her &C
away. He calc'lated the house was big
enough for two famiiies2n' SO It's, good
ness knows-'n' they'd always live here to-
gether. Then he seemed to be 'lottin' or
Marvin Eunice Wing, philander did"
IN, he's seemed to be 'lottin' on it ever
e chuck MIRA Hu" you D DON'T SUPPOSE H5ra = t has
Lyddy's MARVIN as she did had anything
to do with. Philander,s diliy-dallyin' aboul
help il. He's slower N cold moiasses
m SO dretful prudent. 1t don't pear to m,
'thout backin' out; now does it to you?"
"Philander's got his peculiarities," Maria
| admitted, in a reserved voice (Aunt Dorey
was young, brought a Western franknes.
Jared a little on Maria). But it seems Il
something came acrost him when Lyddy
went that's hindered him about every
"He could "a KEEP her If he'd ben a mine
to-" said Aunt Dorey, with her uncom
could "a divided with her same as folks
expected your father would divide the prop
utty.. Or he could "a let 'em stay. I CUES
hFOiludc tfdIl MOuiui L ODJCIl " Sldy1l
where anybody would keep him."
"Lyddy wouldn't "a stayed that way
Lyddy was proud. Sometimes seem IS if
couldn't stand 1t, nohow not to know what,
become Of her. She amt wrote for ten years
m that was from way off in Missouri
he was preachin' then, when we heard be
fore he'd gone back to carpenterin', afte
keepin' store a while. Lyddy, she wa
tryin' to dressrnake: That was the tim
that Philander up m finished off the othe
part, N / didn't know but what he wa
goin' to send for 'em; but he never don
EN- you never asked him what he wa
a-finishin' 1T off for? Well, you be close
notified, Mriai'
1--WE amt the kin that talks a grea
sight" admitted Maria.
IN i expect Eunice Wings the san.
kind" said Aunt Dorey, somewhat impa
tiently. Il never could get a nearness t
her when she was young. she's let hin
shilly-shally round her, .humorin' him n
to be a double m twisted old maid, n
expect jest about as cranky s he is"
81 kind of think" began Maria, an
then hesitated, doubling whether the un
wonted condolences to which she was be
ing drawn on were not indiscreet.
Land sakes, Mira, 'mongst " folks.
said Aunt Dorey. im~patientlv.
said a word to me- but I kind of thin
that Philander's bein' so hard on Lydd
created a GOODNESS between 'em. They wa
jest of an age, Lyddy m Eunice Wing, r
they thought a terrible sight of each other.
"A GOODNESS! Hain't he ben courtin' he
stiddy for more N twenty years.? erie
Aunt Dorey.
Hes ben to see her every wednesda
evening, m he always sees her home froI
Friday evening prayer meetin'. "acknOWl