Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1901-06-20
The Demoniac Possession Of Miss Ke-
turah.

was huO"H w LAohS VIZ 4N"S' Wv
trouble among the neighbOrs in all
the 48 years Of her quiet life.
The knowledge of this was in her
subconsciousness, even at the time
when she told young Miss Vincent
that Mrs. Overton had said that she
thought Mrs. Vincent and her husband
were the softest couple she ever saw,
and che had seen good many, first
and last, too. Miss Keturah then
went on to tell what others had said
in disparagement of Mrs. Vincent's
housekeeping, and it was not long be-
fore her caller went home in tears.
Now, l wonder" thought Miss
Keturah, "what made me do that ? |
never did such thing in all my life
before. My, but could make lot
of trouble if set outl"
Somehow she had not the least COM
FUNCTION about what she had done,
and when a few minutes later Mrs.
Overton came in Miss Keturah imme-
diately began to tell her guest what
had been said about her butter by
Mrs. Vincent.
"She said she believed you put in
so much salt to make it weigh more,
and che had mind to buy salt in the
first place and save money. Miss
Keturah repeated this remark with
great relish. "Of course, I don't
agree with her at all. l think your
butter is nice. and 1 like it salt.
Mrs. Miles was in here the other day
and she was talking about your butter.
She thinks as l do, but she said she
did not get milk at your house; it
smells so strong of the bran"
Mrs. Overton looked very angry.
I'm going to see Mrs. Miles right,
away" she declared. "I'll tell her
that she needn't bother to get milk OF
US if she don't want to. We can find
plenty of folks that Will pay us with
out waiting six months about it, too.
And III go and see Mrs. Vincent and
tell her to use soap grease for butter
if she don't like any salt"
Mrs. Overton had hardly gone be-
fore another neighbor came. In fact,
there was a continuous stream Of call
ers. Each one went away angry with
some other neighbor. A little girl
was crying softly because some one
had made fun of her clothes. Ayoung
lady of musical tastes was flushed and
excited. He'd rather heaf it thunder
than to hear me sing, would he? Well,
he'll have to hear me sing just the
same, and l shall open the windows
when practice.
Another girl was pale and dry eyed.
$50 he said he thought was good
little girl, but without much force Of
character. He will discover tonight
that have force enough to break our
engagement"
Miss Keturah noticed the effect Of
her words in every case and gloated
over each victim. There would not
be anybody in town on speaking
terms with anybody else by night, "
she said to herself "Myl what a
string of company l am having this
afternoon; everybody I know. And
if here don't come the minister. Dear
me I.guess he's heard something, he
looks so sober"
Rev. Mr.. Fletcher seated himself
and regarded Miss Keturah reprOach-
fully.
81 am very much surprised" he
began, that is to say, I am greatly
panied to learn of your extraordinary
conduct this afternoon.
Then you have heard Of it? They
say that bad news travels fast, and
Miss Keturah laughed. "You don't
know what fun it has been. never
did anything like it in my whole life
before. But I think it does anyone
good to let themselves go once in a
while. Don't you think SOP" She
looked at him frankly.
"No, indeed" he answered, sternly.
~ certainly do not think SO. Do you
realize what you have dOne2-what
an amount of harm that never can be
undone?"
"Well, they had no business to tell
me the things they do. l didn't tell
anything but the truth. They come
to me and tell me these things and e1-
pect me to keep them. They make
q reouler moral RAG of me. After a