The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-05-19


ble."
"Ma'am?" said Charlotte.
Nothing; go on"
.Wr .nitu over -, ,Yad him
tr, eel COM
N.' in an de
:, pusson
'cui anoder
pusso IN Aunt
Dinali ~. iildle of de
readin'. Geit h Ok an axed
me ter set by vi him about
you als an he t J, - eAillun."
(which, OF culn,a. .yau did"
"Yessum, an de nax' night he cum
again an den ev'ry night fur TO- weeks
an lowed ez he war reel kline ter
Aunt Dinah, but she seq now dat she
'spicioned he he'd his eye on me frum de
fust."
ibid you think SO, too, Charlotte"
me, Miss Mary" she said. with
touching humility; 20, Lor', no; what
he gwine look at me fur? amt no
fancy Niger; l can't do nothin' but
clean house an cook an wash"
THAT is good DEAL" l said, admir-
ingly; "for after all, beauty is only skin
Deep"
"Yessum," said she, with pathetic
wisdom, 'but hit goes long way wild
| a man; howsomever, hits all de same
ter me now"
| Ibid you talk much, Charlotte" I
asked, for was curious to know the
process that had procured for her the
"catch" of the Howell quarters"
"No'm; amt sayin' nothin'; l jest
sot an listened whilst he talked"
"You let him see how smart you
thought he WASP"
20, yessum."
"Kate was right" remarked; "she
said that pot of incense was more eff
fective than anything else, and be-
lieve she knew"
''Ma'am?" said Charlotte.
"What did he say when he pro-
posed?"
'Hit was kinder suddint, Miss Mary.
wuz cookin' a 'possum what Mr.. Ralph
shot in the chicken house and sent ter
Aunt Dinah. Iwuz bal1in' hit wild sweet
potatoes and de smell sholy wuz nice,
an Lincoln sez ter me, sez he: Char
lotte, you amt much on looks, an I
lows ez folks expec' me ter look high
ern you, but you sholy duz know how
ter cook 'possum; Charlotte sez he,
an he comes over ter de hyarth whar
I wuz standing; Charlotte, Lse bin on
settled in my mine about you fur some
tion now; so,' seq be. will you marry
me?"
"And did you say yes at once?" !
asked, hoping to hear of some exhibi-
tion Of proper spirit.
"Yessum." said Charlotte.
'When do you intend to be married ?''
Week after mex. Flowed ez it wuz a
good plan ter hev hit right away fore
he he'd time ter change he mind"
"Oh, Charlotte" cried, you
oughtn't to be SO suspicious"
Miss Mary" said Charlotte, "ef
wuz good lookin'. like you il, reckon
wouldn't be, but bein' ez hit is. rss
gwine ter hurry things up"
Have you told Priscilla yet?"
"No'm;" and into her eyes came sc,
and determined look, "but Use lait
off in my mind ter tell her terday, an
dere amt no use of her rarin' neider
kase Ise gwine ter marry Lincoln, NJ
matter what he ma sez."
arose and invited Charlotte indoors
and when she departed short while
later she carried bundle of my cast
off finery with her.
On her way out of the. yard sh'
stopped at the kitchen to break he1
cruel tidings to Priscilla; meanwhile
had fed to the flower garden. for
knew Priscilla would soon seek me ou
to rave against Charlotte, and hopet
thereby to escape her. Vain thought
was stretched at full length on ,
bench. staring up through the sweet
olive branches at the blue, blue sky be
yond. when the garden gate banged vic
lently, and down the path, her head
handkerchief tilted to one side and he
eyes flaming, came Hncoln's mother.
Priscilla" said, as she reached
me. collecting my moral strength t.
grapple with her. II suppose you hav
rushed out here to abuse Charlotte t
me, but as have not the slightest in
tention of listening to you, you nigh
as well 60 away"
Miss Mary" said Priscilla with con
: centrated bitterness. dat oudaciou
niger gal done hoodooed my boy; h
never would hev looked at her widou
hit; she done kunjeered him."
"All mothers say that" ! replies
unsympathetically; ITO tell the truth
; think Charlotte 10 much more to b
pitied than your son, for from what
hear o. him think he must be yer.
vain and conceited fellow. and tha
kind does not usually make good hus
bands"
Miss Maryi" cried Priscilla.
Eyes, mean 1t. Now do leave m
alone; you give me headache"
priscilla sWent ont Of the Garden 4