The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1901-11-07

ali DuC IL WuS a providence to keep us
from bein too sot on the things of this
world and reminded how short life wus
and went back and married 'em proper.
And SO we did get back to Virgins,
only. Mr.. Virgins hevin been too mean
to get the wagin mended, the wheel
come off, and they wus all split out and
eenamost drownded goin over Slabside
bridge that amt got no railin. Mrs.
Virgins, poor dear, wus soaked, and
when we tux her into our wagin she
kept sayin. "Jedgments-jedgm
Judgments Is cominw We knowed what
she wus thinkin of, and we tried to
cheer her up.
Well. when the folks wus dried and
dressed over we all went to. supper, and
we praised it up as much as we could.
but Mrs. Virgins sot down In her place
like a ghost. and folks began to talk
and laugh and help everything. But
she didn't smile.
She passed the chicken salad plates
to the help. and the help gave 'em to
the folks, and we all tasted 1t. but it
didn't relish. Still we tried to eat it fur
her sake. Most of us done it, too. and
up some. Mrs. Virgins didn't eat no
salad herself, so she didn't know how
it tasted. After supper we all went in
to the parlor and sot around, and 81
Barker wus tryin to git up dancin. and
did hope things would end happy,
when all Of a sudden folks began to
look pale and say they wus p'isoned.
So they seemed to be. One arter the
other wus took sick, and they all said
the same thing-it wus the salad. l
felt very poorly myself. and so did my
| Obediah. The minister had gone home
| sick. and there wus a regular panic.
There wus one doctor there. and he
sent fur another, and old Miss PEBBLES
said it wus like old cholera times. 1t
| wus awful. anyway. but jest as we
| wus at the. wust, we ladies lyin about
in the up stairs rooms expectin to die
and feelin sure it wus arsenic, Mrs.
Virgins appeared amongst us.
Friends and Teller Sinners" she said,
1--WE air all on the pint Of death. and
| here. before you all. make confess
sion. l am thief and a robber. and |
shall never be pardoned. 1t wus me
that robbed my husband, and. more
than that, stole the chickens to make
the sallad-one Of 'em from each of my
good friends and neighbors. Judgments
has fallen!'
"You wus driv to it, Mrs. Wiggins."
sez l. "by your partners meanness.
We all knowed it. and none of us
blame you"
You don't know ALL" said Mrs. Wig
<-;r, %hn<
and TUX my chances and stole bottle
of lie. The recipe said to make the sal
lad dressin with lie. I'd never made
none. | stole the bottle Oh | shan't
never be forgiven. l shan't never be for
given! l TUX a bottle of prison Of some
sort, fur it wus in the drug drpartm
where lies is kept. and I'm n muir
dererw
"Oh, no." says the doctor. Bring me
the bottle. Mrs. Virgins. and | guess
I'll find out how to cure EN-
| Mrs. Virgins fetched it: doctor he
tasted it.
This amt bison. ladies'" seq he
There amt no great harm done. only l
| don't suppose the recipe mentioned cas-
| tor oil for salad dressing. "riSn't usual
anyhow. Nobody is goin to die this
time. Mrs. Virgins. unless it is you
yourself. You lie down and quiet your
self"
Poor Mrs. Virgins. she dropped on
her knees and prayed right there fur
thankfulness. and we all fined in. and
as soon as folks knowed they hadn't
TUX arsenic they all got better Mrs.
|
and her not eatin any had made them
that worn't in the secret think that
she'd gone crazy and done it a-purpose.
which scared 'em more
And they do say Mr.. Virgins amt
quite so near as he used to he since he
saw what might come of drivin Il wo
man into corner for want of penny
Still, we shan't forget Melindy Wig
gins wedding in hurry. those of us
that went to it,