Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-03-09

Ine OLD deacon cauSub NOM VI Hct
gown. " Hold on minute be en-
treated, 81 need wife worse'n TIE
gals need a ma. I've got to have
somebody in the house TO see to
things, and that too, right along
Come, now, be sensible and promise
me that you will be Mrs. Puffer just
as quick as your school is done
WITH
/" l will make no such promise.
+" You must be out Of your head !!
Why, I'm the richest man in the
whole town."
Miss Pellew's lip curled.
And you're poorer'n Jobs tur-
key-so / hear"
Miss Pellew's face flushed.
And / felt certain that you'd
jump at mel What reason can you
possibly have for refusin' such q
good offer 7"
~ have the best reason in the
world, Deacon Puffer-I do not love
you. Good afternoon" and witch
ing her gown from the grasp of her
sutton, Miss Pellew departed with
her spectacles turned skyward. The
deacon followed her with his eyes.
Beggar on horseback !" he NUT
tered. He fell to. scratching his
head. The operation set his brains
a-jogging.
81 didn't 60 to work about il
right,n he declared. Il can see that
now, when it's too late. Her mind
runs to love and potry and sicl
nonsense, and / orter have humo.ed
here. I orter have told her that she
was as pretty as pictur and that
couldn't sleep nights thinkin' about
her, and that if she would only mar.
ry me she might have it all her own
way afterward. / b'lieve I'll STOP
her to morrow when she goes along
-and-why, she's coming back !"
Hal Ha! She's changed hel
mind !" chuckled the deacon.
81 forgot my book" said Miss
Pellew, as she came up.
The deacon's jaw fell. She picked
up the book from the pile of boards
and turned to go.
" Hold on a minute," cried Dea.
con Puffer, grasping her wrist.
s'pose sou think that because don't
say anything to you about love that
/ don't care anything for you, but !
do care heap. I can't sleep nights
thinking about you, for you see you
are as purity as a pictur-yes, q darn
sight purifier than any pictur / ever
sot eyes on. Why, Betsy Jane
would look like an old scarecrow
side Of you'll
" Deacon Puffer, you ought to be
ashamed of yourself! How can you
talk so about your dead wife ?" and
the young girls eyes blazed with in.
dignation.
Wall, l s'pose / orient to use
SIGH language about her, but then
you see I'm carried away by-by-
passion. You see your purity face
makes my bosom bile like a volcan-
err" said the deacon apologetically
and extenuatingly.
Miss Pellew made an effort to
break away, but he held her fast.
"Just bold on half a second" be
pleaded, II want to set you right or
another pint. Il s'pose you thinl
that If you marry me you'll have te
work hard. But you 't-yor
won't have to work at all yot
needn't as much as lift your finger,
to help the gals. You can sit in tho
pieazzy from morning till night and
read po'try and hear the cows heller
And III buy you silk dress and {
| gold watch and a-pieanner And
/ amt a-foolin' begosh ; I'll do JUS
as l say p
Deacon Puffer, you are only
wasting your time and mine. | an
much obliged to you for your offer
but ! cannot accept lt.'
You mean you will not instead
Of you cannot" said the deacon Will
an evil scowl."
You can put it that way il yo'
choose. Now let % of nay wrist.
said the school teacher, and her eye
flashed war.
aI'll let go when / darn pleas
and not BEFORE" hissed the deacon
Tightening his grip on her wrist
"Who be you, anyhow, that you Sc
such a high valley on YOURSELF
Why, just nobody at all. You hav
to teach school TO keep from s,arvin
And / s'posen you think you cal
have this school as long as you wan
it. There's just where you slip uE
my fine lady, you'll never teach j
this district again. And III tur
you out before your time il up
you amt keriul how you carry sal
/ hear that there's q lot Of youn
fellers in the reighboIhood hangin
around the schoolhouse to see you
No respectable girl would stoop t
SIGH low business. IF ] hear an
more of it, I'll
At this point Miss Pellew, VIII
had suddenly grown very pale, CAV
| tba daaoop a vioorous Sian in IN