Smyrna times., 1901-09-18
MELlNDA'S
1'A WEDDING.
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to death. Beaus was scase down to
Punkinville, fur none of the young men
would stay arter they wus grOwed up.
Besides, Pelig is real forehanded and
quite a catch.
His ma was sOt ag'in his marryin at
all, and Melindy she wouldn't never
hev caught him eff she hadn't took airly
mOrnin walks bout the time he went |
over to his place of business and met
him as eff by accident
1 am told that he proposed by Tag !
CARTS barn and wus excepted in front |
of the shOemaker's and gave Melindy |
her engagement ring jest this side of |
the blacksmith's.
Well, Mrs. Virgins she wus real sOt
up about it. and she said that Melndy
should be dressed up as much as any
bride there ever had been in Punkin-
vile, eff not leetle better. But Mr..
Virgins, Melindy's pa, he come of
close family, and he wus near himself
'twus his mater to be-and when Melin-
dy's ma asked him fur money to shop
fur the things he jest buttoned up his
pockets and said. "Naw" He oilers
Pronounced no that way when he wus
sOt. ''Naw," sez he, 81 amt toiled and
mOiled forty odd year fur to let my
money be spent like water. You kin
make a list out of what is wanted, and
I'll get it,
Well, when he spoke up like that Mrs.
Virgins she knew 'twusn't no good
talkin, so she said, "P'raps you air
right, pa" and she wrote down some
things and kinder winked acroSt to Me
Indy, who wus beginning to cry at the
idea of her pa, that didn't know caliker
from blankets, a-choosin her weddn
clothes.
The help saw all that and heered
what wus said and naturally told folks.
Well, that AFTERNOON Mr.. Virgins
went to town to sell his potatoes and
got the money and come down on the
boat as usual.
The boat landin is in quite lonesome
place, and he went home by a sort of
side path anyways, and just about dusk
the Browns heard a hOwlin in the pic
mic woods and, goin to see what it wus
there wus old Virgins tied to a tree.
He told 'em he'd been beset by rob-
bers and that they wus so fierce and
furious he'd been obliged to give 'em
every cent he had. He described 'em
as most outlandish critters. He said
their hair wus like cotton wool and
their faces black. Their hats wus tied
on with big handkerchiefs, and they
wus queer and slopy in the small of
their backs. Their hands and feet wuS
sort of small and skinny lookin. and
they had blue overalls and linen busters
on. lie said 'twusn't their strength that
overcome him, but their bein so spoOky
and supernaturallike. And one of EN-
said in holler voice, Little you know
who we be-" and the other: Were TAX
in your money because you don't per.
vide as you should fur solemn occa
siOns. Beware in futurev'
When he got home, he cried ard said
he wished he'd Civ Mrs. Virgins the
money for Melindy's things, but she
said it happened fortunate that her sis
ter. Melindy's aunt had sent her {
present fur her weddin.
The help now. she don't think then
robbers wus supernatural, and she ST;
If ever Mr. Virgins finds out the trUtl
she dunno what will happen to Mrs
Virgins. | kinder think myself tina
the robbers wus Mrs. Virgins an'
Melindy dressed up in some old clothes
with cotton batting wigs. and don
blame 'em.
Well Melindy had her clothes afte
all, but before they wus finished MI
Virgins he'd got over bis skeer AM
got as mean as ever again, and b
wouldn't give his unfortunate wife notf
in extry for the supper. She borrie
The Tide of Fashion from the Rabbit
and found out that she'd Orter he
chicken salad.
But Mr.. Virgins, he said he WI
sellin his chickens, not devourin of 'eI
hum, and suppose what she had don
before kinder weakened poor Mrs. WIZ
gins conscience, for, seein her ow
coops wus locked up, the poor soul wei
around to the neighbOrs and stole OIL
chicken apiece from each of us. 1t WI
kinder just to do 1t that way when 81
might have took 'em all from one or
and those of us that caught her at
made up our minds not to say nuthi
N9 Jesl W pray Luz heI, anu We =,
over word that eff there wus anyth
we could do to call on us. And pc
haps she felt we'd be willin to spa
the chickens, but wus proud about as
ing fur 'em.
Well, she got the things togetn
somehow, and she cooked the chicke
and made the salad and borried char
| OF most of us and got up a real fu