Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-03-12


cried the old lady. 81 guess | might
ha' been married any time 1 said so,
David Hatch. 1 amt forgot how
you got down on your knees an
begged me to hev you, with tears i'm
your eyes, and so at last took pity
on you. / was alters terrible soft
hearted critter. WelP lemme see,
where was /? Oh, yes, | know.
Wall, as l was a-sayin', mother an
/ was q livin' on the old place, an
we KEEP hearin' how that Polly was
goin' to be married to that worth
less Uriah Hayden, an at last moth
er says to me one day, says she, Il
can't stand it any longer, Susie. l
can't bear to hev one o. my gals
throw herself away like that. |
want you to go right down there an
see if you can't prevent 'em from
bein' married..
"' Why, mother,' says 1, what
can do ?"
"'Oh, dunno, says she; but
you was alters a cunuin' critter, am
maybe you can manage it some way
or other.'
"It was settled I should go, an
Aunt Hannah Smith could come
over to stay with mother. 1t didn't
take me long TO get ready, for we
was well off, an l had good clothes.
In them days Polly an looked as
near alike as two peas, an we was
both considerable good lookin', if |
do say it. When ] left home ! re-
member that | wore an alapacky
gown, ell trimmed with fringe, an
hat with green feather on it.
Twas about twenty miles down to
Polly's, an went on the stage an
arrived Wednesday noon. Polly
warn't expectin' me, but she was
real tickled when l walked into her
neat kitchen. She KEEP askin' me
questions about mother an the folks
at home, an answered 'em all an
never mentioned what we'd heard
about Hayden. You see, 1 bided
my time"
"Done jest so ever since I see
you," interrupted Uncle David, has.
tily.
David, wish you'd keep STILL"
said Aunt Susie, mildly. YOU'RE
alters a jokin' when / begin to tell
anything. should think you'd
know by this time that it's dretful
bad manners to interrupt anybody
when they're pursuin' the thread of
a narration. Well, Polly said she
hadn't been feelin' jest right for
few days. Says she 81 amt slept
much for two nights, an feel dret-
ful near beat out. hev been tryin','
says she, Ito decide an important
matter, and at last I've made up my
mind. The individual,' says she,
'iS comm for his answer this even
in, an when he comes you'll hev
to excuse me. I'll bring some mag
aZins out into the kitchen for you to
read while he's here.'
"Oh, that'll be all right" says
l, carelessly.
"You see, knew by that they
warn't engaged yet, an was to my
wits end to know how to manage.
! knew 'twouldn't be no use to argy
with Polly, for she was alters terri
BILE sot in her ways, an 1 found out
before long by her talk that she'd |
made up her mind 10 accept him.
But as we sat there talkin' an idea
flashed across me. You see, when |
was gettin' over the fever, good old
DIR. Wheeler gave me some restin'
powders 'cause ! couldn't sleep.
Says he, You needn't be afeared to
take 'em, for there's nothin' in 'em
to hurt anybody Well, when l
was packing up to 60 down to Pol
ly's, see them powders an some.
thing seemed to tell me to put 'em
in, so / did. AM now I said to my
self that if l could get a chance I'd
drop one into Polly's tea at supper,
an then if I could get her to sleep
afore Uriah come, could easily send
him off with flea in his ear.
"'Wail, 1t seemed that everything
worked right in my favor. After
Polly'd got the table sot and the tea
poured out she went into the buttery
after something she'd forgot an
dropped the powder into her cup.
1--WE eat our supper, and then I
helped her wash the dishes. After
we had sot down Polly began to
nod, am says she, pm terrible kind
o. drowsy, Susie. b'lieve I'll lay
down few minutes an I may drop
asleep. If anybody should come in,
he sure to call me- She went into
the bedroom an laid down, an it
warn't no time, hardly, afore she
was sound asleep. / felt kind o.
guilty an scared like, though
knew that no harm was done. DIR.
Wheeler had said that the powders
wouldn't hurt anybody, an he was
a nice old man as ever lived.
"Wall, / went an dressed myself
in one of Polly's gowns, and fixed
my hair like hers an then sot
down in the sittin' room. Pretty
soon heered knock at the door,
an went ar opened it. There stood
Uriah, in his Sunday suit. / had
seen him few times, some years
ago.
"Good evenin', Mrs. JONES' says
he.
"'Good evenin', Mr.. Hayden,
says |. walk in an set down.
~ didn't feel jest at my ease, but
| tried to appear so. He made a
few indifferent remarks about the
weather, an the new meetin' house,
an responded as best | could.
couldn't help thinkin' that | should
be in an awful predickerment if
Polly should wake up.
"Wall Mrs. Polly said
he, Il called tonight, accordin' to
agreement, for my answer. You've
had week to reflect in, an
1t seems to me that ought to
be long enough. 1 won't say
anything about the state Of my
affections. You know already how