The Monitor-register., 1897-04-23

matter with you a-sleepin' in your chair
like that. You must be crazy, or else
you're in love. I thought you was
mighty attentive to that wilder last
night; but | didn't think you'd be SO
shaller as to set by a cold stove till
mornin'."
Hiram said nothing, but busted him
self with the fires; when they were burn
ing brightly, he called Dan, the hired
man, and went out to the barn to feed
the stock. Dan soon Joined him, and
almost the first thing he said was some
bantering remark about the widow. This
did not improve Hiram's state of mind,
but it prepared him somewhat for the
many sly hints and jokes that he heard
on every side when he went down to the
village later in the day.
When he returned home, Aunt Sabrina
was about to leave for Martha's, having
learned that Martha had sprained her
shoulder and broken two of her ribs by
a fall down the cellar stairs.
"You know, Hiram" said she,
you're like my own boy; but Martha
needs me more'n you do, an Mrs.
Hathaway tells mean she got the
news straight, too, so there's no use O.
your denyin' it-that you an the Hidder
are to be married fore long; an so l
thought I'd better go for good. know
that l couldn't nohow git along with
her,"
Hiram's face flushed and be was about
to deny the truth Of the report, but was
stopped by the entrance of Marth as
husband, and Aunt Sabrina was soon on
her way.
Nearly everyone in the little village
called on Martha during the next few
days, professedly to see ''poor Martha"
but really to question Aunt Sabrina
about the rumor that was afoat in the
village.
Again and again Aunt Sabrina plated
the bottom of her starched apron and
told this story to her questioners.
mo, Hiram didn't tell me. Mrs.
Hathaway told me about it, an 1 think
Mrs. Clayton must "a told of it to her,
for she said she got the news straight,
an l don't know anyone else that could
"a knowed about it. I told Hiram what
heard, an he didn't deny it, an acted
dretful put out when I said l couldn't
git along with her nohow, an so I've
left for good"
She would then smooth out the wrink-
les she had made in her apron, while she
listened to the remarks and EXPLANATIONS
of the visitors. Mrs. Gillet, the grocer's
wife, said:
1--we known Sary Dash off and on for
a good many years, more'n she'd thank
me to tell, and you III see style when she
goes to keepin' house. l wouldn't
wonder if she had the hull house new
furnished"
Another said: II saw him a lookup at
the new cutters in front of Benson's
shop. l wonder if he want going to
buy one ?"
Thus their tongues wagged, and heads
were nodded Or shaken as they approved
or dlsapproved the match.
The next morning after Aunt Sabrina
left SO suddenly, Hiram staid in the
house to cook breakfast for himself and
Dan. The buckwheat cakes were sod
den, the coffee was muddy, and, as he
washed the breakfast dishes, he again
resolved to go at once and ask Ruth
Whitney to marry him. He harnessed
his horse and soon was on the road. AS
he drew near to Mrs. Oayton's house, he
saw Mrs. Dash standing by the front
gate, and when he came within speaking
distance, she said
81 would like to ride down to the viii
lage with you"
He was too bashful to tell her that he
was only going to the next house to ask
Ruth to marry him, and SO it happened
that Mrs. Dash rode down to the village
with him. Ruth saw them pass by, but
if she cared, no one was the wiser. She
did care more than she would own to her.
self; and she came home from the village
the next day, feeling out of sorts with
the world, and said, with almost a sob,
as she went to her room:
II don't care. l never will marry a
man that hasn't got spunk enough to ask
me like a man. l know Hiram used to
like me; but what's the use of thinking
of what used to be, when he is about to
marry some one else p"
She had heard in the village that
Hiram had bought a new cutter and was
going to have the house %refurnished,
some even said ga new house built and a
piano from the city," This last was
considered the greatest extravagance of
all, and for the time the people could
talk of little else. Some aver went so
far as to ask Mrs. Dash when they were
to be married; and she, without saying
plainly that the day was set, gave them
to understand that it was in the near
future.
All this Ruth had hea ID, and who can
blame her if her pillow was wet with
tears ere her weary eyes closed that
nights
The thirteenth day of February Hiram
sat 10 his comfortless house and thought
over the situation. When be went to the
village with his horse and cutter, Mrs.
Dash was on hand to go with him; and
when he went afOot or on horseback. she
would come out and detain him on some
pretext or other; and all this was in
sight of the Whitney place, and she
seemed to take delight in being very
familiar with him, calling him "Hiram"
when any one was by to hear. He be-
came SO wrought up, as he thought
about it, that be said aloud:
81 can't stand this any longer. She'll
marry me in spite of fate if 1 don't do
something at once"
He paced baok aud forth 10 thought:
II don't believe l could ever ask any
woman to marry me, for I have resolved
more than a hundred times to go to Ruth
and learn my fate, and here l am actually
getting a little bald, and not married yet.
l have it l will send a letter to Ruth.
and that will serve a direct refusal"
He sat down and wrote his letter, and
in conclusion asked her tosset a light in
the south chamber window, on the fol.
lowing evening, if she could give him a
favorable answer Then a new difficulty
presented itself; everyone in the village