The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-07-16

1t by a log partition, between the
spaces of which might be seen all that
passed in the dining room, andso close
to the fireplace of this apartment that
a loud whisper might be easily heard
from one to another.
The strangest MATCH" said Ned,
resuming the conversation with a
parsons gravity, that ever I heard Of
was that of George Scott and David
0noW-two most excellent men, who
became 50 much attached to each
otner that they actually got mar
ried"--
THE lackaday +" exclaimed one of
the ladies.
And was it really a fact?" inquired
another.
"Oh yes, ma'am," continued Ned, ST
knew them very we'll, and often went
20 the house; and no people could have
uVeo happier or managed better than
they did. And they raised a lovely
parcel OF c~hildren-as fine as I ever
saw except their youngest son Billy
he was a little wild, but upon the
whole, a right clever boy himself.
Come, friend Baldwin, we're sitting up
too late for travellers" So saying Ned
moved to the shed room and followed
him.
The ladies were left in silent amaze
ment; and Ned ~suspecting, doubtless,
that they we're listening for a laugh
from our chamber, as we entered it,
continued the subject with undated
gravity, thus: "You knew these two
men, didn't you3"
"Where did they liveG" inquired I,
not a little disposed to humor him.
why, they lived down there on
Cedar Greek, close by Jacob Denman's
oh I'll tell you who their daughter
Nancy married. She married John
Clark-you know him very we'll"
"Oh yes" said I, II knew John
Clark very well His wife was a most
excellent woman"
well, the boys were just as clever
for boys as she was for a girl, except
Bill and / never heard anything very
bad of him; unless it was his laughing
in church, that put me more out of
conceit of him than anything I ever
knew of him. Now, Baldwin, when I
go to bed 1 go to bed to sleep and not
to talk, and, therefore, from the time
my head touches the pillow there must
be no o talking. Besides, we must
take an early start tomorrow, and I
am tired" So saying, he hoped into
the bed and I obeyed his injunctions.
Before 1 followed his exampleI could
not resist the temptation of casting an
eye through the cracks of the partition
to see the effect of Ned's wonderful
story among the kind ladies. Mrs.
Barney Git is time to give their names)
was sitting in a thoughtful posture
her left hand supporting her chin and
her knee supporting her left elbow.
Her countenance was that of one who
suffers from slight toothache. Mrs.
Shad leaned forward resting her fore
arm on her knees, and looking into the
fire as if she saw groups of children
playing in it. Mrs. Reed, the land
lady, who was the latest of the three,
was thinking and laughing alternately
at short intervals. From my bed, it
required but aslight change of position,
to see any one of the group at pleas
ure.
l was no sooner composed on my pill
low than the old ladies drew their
chairs close together and began the
the following colloquy in a low under
tone, which rose as it progressed:
Mrs. Barney. Didn't that man say
them was two men that got married to
one another?"
Mrs. Shad. 1T seemed to me So"
Mrs. Reed. "Why, to be sure he-I
knew he said so-for he said what their
names was"
Mrs. Barney. "Well, in the, name o.
sense what did the man mean by say
ing they raised a fine parcel o. chill
dren9'
Mrs. Reed. Why, bless your heart
and soul, honey! that's what I've been
thinkin' about. It seems mighty curl
Gus to me, somehow or other. 1 can't
study it out, nohoW."
Mrs Shad. 1.-The man must be jok-
ing, certainly"
Mrs. Reed. mo, he wasn't jokin'-
for I looked at him and he Was just as
much in earnest as anybody I ever
seen-besides, no Christian man would
tell such a story in that solemn way.
And didn't you hear that other man