Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-01-30

red topics, "but t'won't pay ter wal
eny longer; it can't allus be Jest tel
suit us and one had better not be toe
partic'lar; besides, I've seen the best
moon Imaginable turn out taters al
soggy, and, visy versy, I've knowed
he wust one fetch good crop"
'It's jest bout the same as 'tis with
people," he went on, after moment.
pause. "Them folks that pranc,
round in fine clothes may be all hollel
at the core, while an old pair of over.
alls kin cover the legs o the best maj
ihet walks"
"What do yeou think bout thet,
Jane?" said he, turning so as to ad
dress comely young girl who sat il
the doorway, cutting potatoes for the
,ext days planting.
"You are always right, Uncle
Jabez," answered the girl, tossing her
head pleasantly.
"Twant very 'stonishin' thing te,
say, I'll low," continued the old man,
''but tits one people sometimes fergit.
I'd some intention of applyin' thet re-
mark ter yeou, Sis, but it don't seem
Jest right when l see how purity yeou
,e."
Jane laughed merrily, and going tc
the old man put her arms around hi:
neck and kissed him. "How would
you apply it to me, Uncle Jabez %
said she softly.
"Wall, now," said Uncle Jabez,
"yeou've TUX me SO sudden like thet
hardly know what ter say, but what ]
mean is thet yeou shouldn't git high
notions. III low yeou're purity level
on most things, but same phys ter
courtin and fellers and poetry and sech
like. Seems ter me, yeou don't care
SO much fer young Hobbies over there
as you used ter Tore thet city chap
come over ter the Rutledges ter waste
the summer. Better not Judge too
much by the outside shell.
"Hobbes amt So smooth lookin'.
p'raps, but he's got common edication
and sense. Thet young Rutledge nav
know how ter say cutter things cause
he's from the city, where people
heads is allus full O. trash, and he NAV
hev lots O. money, but fer jest thenf
reasons he amt goin' ter marry any
girl from the country; besides, them
fine birds thet roost SO high and are
SO 'fraid o their feathers amt worth
ickin' when they're caught"
Jeanette Clifford loosened her hold
on Uncle Jabez's neck, and the red
mounted to her brow as she resumed
her seat in the doorway.
Uncle Jabez Whalens was privi.
legged character in that section of the
country, passing as sort of encycio-
padia of information and always ready
with good-natured advice. He was
uncle to everybody and generally
loved and respected. His home for
many years past had been with the
Clitfords, and the family regarded him
with even more reverence than if he
had been one of the family.
Jeanette worked in silence for some
minutes while Uncle Jabez smoked
vigorously at his pipe. "Well, said
she, finally, drawing long breath OF
determination, "Mr. Rutledge seems
like gentleman and is very much
more easy hammered than Oscar
Hobbies, and if he wants to show me
attentions 1 shall not object until see
something really bad in him. If Oscay
doesn't like it he can lump it,
'Jane," said Uncle Jabez, while the
expression on his good-natured face
softened into sudden seriousness.
II may be trihe for'ord, but there's
some things don't like bout thet
feller thet yeou mayn't hev noticed
an it makes me b'lieve him shaller.
The sight O. him o set me thinking O.
something thet happened long time
ago, afore I knew yeou or your dad OF
eny O the folks round here; when I
lived back East and had little girl O
~ own bout your age.
'1 never said much bout Sal, but il
yeou'll come and sit on this bench I'll
seii yeou something I've never told
More"
The old mans voice had grown
husky, his face twitched and he seemed
to be struggling to keep back the tears
<om his eyes.
Jeanette forgot her momentary re.
sentiment and carried her basket tc
the little seat close to him.
'Iwill listen," said she.
The ola man sat in silence for some
moments, looking off into the dis
tance.
''Yeou look a good deal like Sal.
aid he, finally, laying down his pipe
md looking into her face.
''Seems ter me I never noticed thu
resemblance SO much afore. She had
est sech eyes and hair and was like
wise purity, but she died afore she was
quite as old as yeou. We use ter live
in the country and had n place some
thing like your dads, with a great big
house and barn and q brook runnin
thru the meadder, and two big OAK
Trees back O. the house thet seemed tel
spread their great branches over the
roof protectin' like, only they some
times was bit bothersome, film th'
caves troughs full O. leaves and acorn
and rottin' the shingles cause thu
bladder kept off the sun.
'In front O. the house was flower:
md lilac bslshes and a row O mapl
trees and gravel path leadin' from
the stone ct the bottom O. the door
step to the yard gate. Sal TUX care o
the flowers and kept the grass moved
and everything looked as slick ant
clean as eny O. the fine places in tn
city, and she was a powerful help t.
her mother, and sometimes I used te
think her cookin' beat her mother S
but faint no use dwellin' on sec
Rings now.
'Sal went ter school winters GA
llus left off haadmost. and har tAache