Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-07-03


well, what Of TT" asked the neigh.
bor jocosely. "a mans safe from harm
| rs long as he's got preacher with him.
aln't hep
| You've only just moved to town,
Mrs. Rollins" returned Mrs. Jorden.
-or you'd be surprised too. Don't you
know anything about Elias Pollock
and Jane Larkumr
Cant say that do"
"Elias has been goin there a-courun
for 30 years"
Mrs. Rollins pushed back her blue
sunbonnet and smoothed her hair re-
iectively. THAT Is good while" she
said slowly.
"A good while! II you've never
heard IL before, wonder-l do. indeed
that you can be 10 cam about itr
exclaimed Mrs. Jorden somewhat re.
sentfully. feeling injured. as most OF
us do when. after having related q
marvellous piece Of news, our audience
falls to evince the requisite degree OF
| surprise. "The strange part OF II is.'
she went on. that nobody has the
faintest idee why they never married.
At first folk said II was her father OBJ
jected: then when he died they said
| Il was his mother that didn't Ike Jane;
then when the old lady dropped OF IL
must be his sister Mary that was In
the way; then II was her Aunt Susan.
next his cranky brother John, and so
on till every blessed man and woman
that could a had the slightest reason
90 object was gone. And all that time
Elias has been there every Saturday
night and every Sunday afternoon as
reg'lar as clockwork. and never on any
other day. and that's why | am so sur
prised to see him there this mornin."
"And folks amt never had no clew
rs to Shy they didn't marryT" asked
Mrs. Rollins, with pyrotechnical dis
play OF negatives.
Not the least In this world. There's
| old Mrs. Clawson. over on Pearl street,
that's been through everybody's Affairs
with a lantern; she's tiggered on II till
she's nigh about crazy sometimes. She
won't ever own up that she don't know.
but she'll give you one reason today.
and II you ask her next week she'll
give you another. Elias Is well to do,
and Jane owns that big house and q
200 acre farm. II they'd "a broke the
match square Oh, there wouldn't a
been anything strange about n. but to
keep right on a-courtin has made II the
mystery OF the town
They're a-gittin along In years, and
I don't s'pose II would seem right to
'em. either, to break OF or TO marry
observed Mrs. Rollins quietly. Il
guess It's got 10 be a habit. same AZ
drinkin coffee or smokin. But l don't
hold with long engagements myself
She pulled her sunbonnet forward.
tied the string slowly and passed on up
the street
"I don't believe that woman would
be the least bit surprised II the presi
dent and the queen OF Spain would
ride past together In buggy! thought
Mrs. Jorden as she looked after her
ncighbor. After having remained nj
| the gate some time she went INTO the
| house, sat down at the window ana
took up her knitting work. She could
knit and see all that was going on In
the street nj the same time. After
awhile the door OF the red brick house
opened and the minister came out. She
beckoned to him and ran out to the
gate.
81 made some raspberry vinegar yes
terday," she said. after they had shaken
hands and inquired after each others
health. "and | thought a bottle OF IL
would brace up your mother this hot
weather. I'll bring II out right away
Thank you kindly. Mrs. Jorden,' he
replied, "but will call for II another
time. must hasten back to the par
sonage. where am TO marry another
couple at half past 10 o'clock"
-.Another coupler You amt been n
marryin." and she paused with a gasp
| Of astonishment. He nodded and smil
ed. Our friends Miss Larkum and
| Mr.. Pollock are now man and wife"
| he said.
"WeIl. / am beat! Did you find out
what had delayed the weddin so longT'
81 did not indeed. but ! must go.
| Good morning. Mrs. Jorden."
Seems rs though everything that
could happen In Sanderson Is a-happen-
| In this week." murmured Mrs. Jorden
While Mrs. Jorden fingered at the
| gate the door Of the red brick house
| opened once more. and Zander Martin.
a distant relative of the bride. appear
ed. When he saw the old lady. he i'm
| mediateiy crossed the street and came
| toward her. He wore his Sunday suit
and broad grin.
"Have you heard the news?" he ask
ed.
"Yes: Mrs. Gibson Just told me, and
| never was so took aback In all my
life. What induced 'em TO marry"
"well, you know they've been en-
gagged for pretty considerable OF a
spell"
I guess l do know II. and nobody
knows why they amt been married
,oag enough to "a had grandchildren
BY this time"
Zander reached over the fence,
plucked twig from the SNOWFALL bush
and began to peel the bark on with his
penknife. 1T has been q puzzler,'
said he. "Elias and James about as
close mouthed a couple as you'll find In
q days ride, and. although I'm rsla-
ton, never found out what put on
the weddn till this mOrnin."
"Tell me about II. Come In the
house. won't you. and have some cake
and elderberry wineY'
"No; I'm obleeged to you. We had
some cake and fixin's at the weddin.
Nobody there but the relations, and
that's me and Melissy. She went there
last night. In talkin 1t over Jane told
her why they'd put 1t OF so long. You
zee, they was both Of the opinion that
no couple ought to marry till they
could agree on all important subjects.
They was both Presbyterians and