Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-01-18
Deacon PUf8p'S WOOilg.

'Tve got TO git married aghn
there's no two ways about that,
said old Deacon Puffer to hlmsel
one morning as he stood leaning
against the round fence. "Every
thing about the house has beer
goin' to rack and ruin since Betsy
Jane died. Them two gals Of mine
amt worth their salt. Two lazieI
critters never breathed. They
don't do nOtain' but dawdle about
from mOrnin' till night. They won't
chGrn faint a wOman's work
They won't weed the garden
'tain't a woman's work. And there
amt no use OF my say in anything
to 'em. Just as quick as l begin
to pint out their faults to 'en they
git up on their high heels and go
to SasSin' me. Yes, I've got to git
married ag'in. Yes, Tve got to
git married ag'ln. And now, who
shall | glt9 That's the question" :"
Producing a large pug OF TO
baccO the deacon gnawed off a
liberal amCuUt and cheWed il
meditatively.
"There's that Young gal Iltt the
school to-" he continued, presently.
II dOL't know as | can do any
better han to git her. She's big
enough and stout enough to do a
pile OF wOlk, and as she's moor
size of course knows The valley of
money and won't he opt 10 be
waSttfIl. To be sure, she won't
be as handy about the house on the
start as cOHnIry gal would be,
but then she's quick. witted and'll
soon learn. iii look her over when
she comes along and make up my
mind whether III take her or nOt-'
lie glanced down the road. Some
thing white appeared in the dis.
tanCe and soon resolved itself into
young girl of perhaps twenty
summers. She was tallish, with a
WillOwy fOrm and a refined, thought
fol face. She had one of those
exceptionally sweet mouths which
seemed to say: "COme and kiss
me-" while the somewhat naughty
eyes that looked out through
spectacles seemed to say: "Dou't
you dare to even think of such a
rhing~ Add to this that she bad
literary aspirations, and was in
nowise disposed to underrate her.
self. aud you have a fair idea of
Miss Pellew.
"GoOd mornln', Miss Pellew,"
called out the deacon as she came a
breast.
"GOOd morning. Deacon Pnffer,"
she responded IN a low voice, but
clear as a bell.
ats a nice mOrHin'."
ayes; very"
Chow do the scholars behaved
pretty WELL"
"Have you had to lick any OF
'em yitT
"No."
avail, give it to 'em if they
need IT,"
ii SHALL" said Miss Pellew with
decision.
"Ifyou need any help keepln'
'em stright just call on me-"
Thank you; but | doubt not
shall be able to keep them in proper
subjectlon without any assistance"
"DOE't doubt it, nuther. You
look as if you were purity strong.
They'll have purity big job on
their hands If they try to run over
you. III bet on you SINGLE handed
ag'in the hull school. Hee, lee,
hep
Miss PeIlew smiled and passed
Oh. Deacon Puffer looked at her
admiriDgly.
"My mind is made up.-PIl take
her. She's bigger and solder than
| thought she was. l tell you them
arms of hers have got muscle in
'em. Thev'll just make churn
hum. And see her step of ! Why,
she goes like a racer. And what q
good color she's got tell you
she's healthy. Prob'ly never was
sick a day in her life. shan'l
have to be boy ing medicine for her
every little while, as l did for
Betsy Jane. Yes; I'll take her; I'lI
marry her inst as soon as her schOO
is through with, and that will bt
/ in very few weeks. I'll stop bel
when she goes by tonight and tall
1t over with her"
ShoulderiDg a hoe the deacon
started of toward his potato patch
/ gtTbora,s 0na fhfnO I didn't thinb