Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-12-15

up round the kitchen on lines, and
nails, that Josiah and me looked as il
we wuZ settin in a calaco tent. And
what COVE the room more gloomy and
melancholy cast, | found when / went
to lite the lamp at mite that the kero-
sene wuz all gone-and bein out oy
| candles, / made for the first time in
! my life what they call "clut"-which
is button tied up in a rag and put
in a saucer ov lard, set fire to the
rag, and ii makes a lite which is better
than no lite at alias slut is better
than no woman at all-in that way
suppose it DERIVED its name, but 1t
haint a daZlin lite, nothin like so gay
and festive as gas. /, beet out with
work and watcher, thought | would
soak my feet before / went 2 bed, and
so / put some water in the mop pail
an set by the side ov the stove with
my feet into 1.-THE thought had come
to me after | had put my mite cap on.
Josiah set behind the stove rubin
some linament into his back-he wuz
barefooted, with his coat and vest off.
Josiah wuz jest speaker 2 me and SEE
he
II believe this linyment makes my
back feel easier Samantha, | do hope
| shall get little rest to mite"
SEE | Il hope so too Josiah" Jest
az sed these words, without minutes
warnin, there came knock--and the
door opened at the same time-and in
.lot m OF inop
TO be a hundred and so, men women
and children, headed by Betsy Bobbet.
Josiah SO wild with horror and amaze
ment that he forgot his lameness for
the time, leaped from his chair, and
backed up against the wall between the
back door and the wood box. / rose up
and stood in the mop pail, 2 stricken
with amaze and horror to get out of 1t
for the same reason heedin not my
mite cap, which was cut Sleeps head
fashion.
I'VE have come to surprize u" seq
Betsy Bobbet sweetly. My tongue Glove
to the roof ov my mouth-no word
could speak for l wuz speechless, but
/ glanced at EN- with looks which
suppose filled EN- with awe and dread.
for Betsy spoke again in plaintive ack-
cents
Wont you let us surprize you?"
mo! Nor SEE / wildly-for then my
voice came back-"I wont be surprized!
u shant surprize us to mite. We wont
be surprized! Speak Josiah" SEE turn
ing to him in my extremity. Speak!
tell her: Will we be surprized to nite?"
mo, nor seq he in firm, warlike
tone, as he stood backed up aginst the
wall mo we wont be surprized.
"U see friends" SEE Betsy to the
crowd-"she wont let us surprise her.
We will CO." SO she headed EN- off
but she turned at the door, and seq she
in reproachful ackcent, 'Mebby it is
right to serve a old friend in this way
i have known u long time Josiah
Aliens wife"
Il have known II plenty long enuff''
sez l steppin out of the mop pail and
shetten the door which they left open
pretty hard.
Josiah came from behind the stove,
pushin chair ahead of him, and walk
in by the help ov it, and seq he
Darn the suprize parties; and
darn"
Don't swear Josiah" seq I. II should
think wuz bad enuff off without
swearin."
Il will say darn Betsy Bobbet, Sa-
mantha. Oh, my backv' he groaned,
settin down slowly on his chair. II
cant set down, nor stand up"
~ jumped up lively enuff when they
came in" seq 1.
Throw that in my face, will u, what
could l du-and there is pin sticking
into my shoulder, do get it out Saman-
tina, Ii has been there ever sense they
came, only l haint sensed it till now"
Wall" SEE l in a kinder soothing
tone, as drew it out ov his shoulder
it must have hurt him awfully had he
not been 2 crazed with fear feel it
SEE ''less be thankful we are as well
off as we be, Betsy might have insisted
on stayin. III rub ure shoulders with
linyment agin, and | guess ure back
will feel better. Do u suppose they'll be
mad. Josiah?'
Il don't know, nor l don't care" SEE
he. "but l hope So" And truly his
wish came to pass, for Betsy Bobbet
haint spoke to me sense. The rest did
mt seem to care but she was awful mad.
which shows that it makes a differ
ence with her, who does the same
thing, for meetin with a disappoint-
ment here, they went that night right
from here to surprize the Editer of the
Gimlet, and it come straight to me, Ce-
lestine Peedick told Miss Goweley and
Miss Goweley told me, he turned EN-
out of doors and shet the door in their
faces. The way it was, his hired girl
had left him that very day, and one OF
his twins was taken sick with the
collie. He had just got the sick baby
to sleep, and laid it in the cradle by
the fire. and he had give the other one
some playthings and set her down on
the carpet, and he was washin the sup
per dishes, with his sleeves rolled up
and a pink bib apron on that belonged
to his late wife; he was just finishing
his dishes when he heard an awful
screamin from the well babe and Wild
ly wringin out his dishcloth, he rush
ed out with it still in his hands. and
found that she had swallowed side
thimhl he ketched her uD and spatted