Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-03-09
Deacon puttsr's Nooipg.
Why He Didn't Succeed
With the Pretty School
Teacher.

'>' ~ WV "NJC "bOuV VAoV3
said old Deacon Puffer to himself
one morning as he stood leaning
against the road fence. Everything
about the house has been going to
rack and rnin since Betsy Jane died.
Them two gals of mine amt worth
their salt. Two lazier critters never
breathed. They don't do nothin'
but dawdle about from morning till
night. They won't churn-tain't q
wemans work. They won't weed
the garden-'tain't a woman's work.
And there amt no use of my sayin'
anything to 'em. just as quick as I
begin 10 pint out their faults
to 'em they git up on their
high heels and go to sassin' me. Yes,
I've got to git married agin. And,
now, who shall I git That's the
question"
Producing q large plug of tobacco
the deacon gnawed off q liberal
amount and chewed it meditatively.
"There's that young gal I left the
school to, he continued, presently.
81 don't know as / can do any better
than to git her. She's big enough
and stout enough to do pile of
work, and as she's poor she of course
knows the valley of money and won't
be apt to be wasteful. To be sure,
she won't be as handy about the
house on the start as a country gal
would be, but then she's quick.wit-
ted andll soon learn. I'll look her
over when she comes along and
make up my mind whether I'll take
her or not"
He glanced down the road. Some.
thing white appeared in the distance
and soon resolved itself into a young
girl OF perhaps twenty summers.
She was tallish with a willowy
form and refined, thoughtful face.
She had one of those exceptionally
sweet mouths which seemed to say :
"Come and Kiss me-" while the
naughty eyes that looked out thro'
spectacles seemed to say: Don't
you dare to even thin k
of such thing!" Add to
this that she had literary aspira.
tons, and was in nowise disposed to
underrate herself, and you have fair
idea of Miss Maud Pellew.
"Good mornin', Miss Pellew, y
called out the deacon as she came
abreast.
"Good morning, Deacon Puffer,"
she responded in a low voice, but
clear as q bell.
It's nice mornin'."
Yes; very"
"How do the scholars behave ?n
Pretty well.'
"Haye you had to lick any of 'em
yit?"
@No."
Wall, give it to 'em if they need
it,
ST shall,p said Miss Pellew with
decision.
eff you need any help keepin' 'em
straight just call on me-"
" Thank you; but doubt not I
shall be able to keep them in proper
subsection without any assistance.
don't doubt it, nuther. You
look as if you were purity strong.
They'll have purity big job ON their
hands il they try to run over you.
I'll bet on you single-handed ag'in
the hull school. Hee, hee, bee |"
Miss Pellew smiled and passed on.
Deacon Puffer looked at her admir-
ingly.
:" My mind is made up-I1l take
her. She's bigger and solder than
thought she was. / tell you them
arms of hers have got muscle in 'em.
They just make churn hum. And
see her step off, Why, she goes like
racer. And what good color
she's got / tell you she's healthy.
Prob1y never was sick a day in her
life. / shan't have to be buying
medicine for her every little while,
as Ibid for Betsy Jane. Yes, I'll
take her, I'll marry her as soon as
her school is through with, and that
will be in very few weeks. III stop
her as she goes by tonight and talk
! it over With her.