West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-09-25
MRS, DOLBY TALKS.
She Tries 10 Find Out Certain Things,
Hut the Deacon Il too busy
Trimming his Toe Nails.


the best tea. bar OF soap and two nut.
mugs. Upon his return he placed his
purchases on the Kitchen table and sat
down and removed his shoes aud stock.
ings. IL had occurred to him ON his way
home that his toe nails needed trimming,
and he had opened his jacknifo aud was
prospecting around when Mrs Dolby came
In from calling at ncighbor's She had
something to say 60 him. and she didn't
loose minute In beginning.
II was just over to Mrs. Whites to see
she was going to make soft soap next
tall, and she felt u her duty to tell me
what she saw last Tuesday afternoon. She
Is woman who never gossips about any
one, aud she never tells anything unless
she thinks II her duty as Christian
woman. Deacon where were you last
Tuesday afternoon at o'clock
Deacon Dolby had begun the work OF
cutting of a generous section OF his big
toe nail and he paused In his work a
moment aud puckcrcd his eyebrows In
thought. Mrs Dolby kept her eyes on
him and waited but he returned TO the
attack on the nail without having replied
TO her question.
IL can tell you where you were" she
went on In an accusing voice. "rhere was
stranger In town with lung testing
machine. II was cents TO blow through
tube and test your lungs You stood
around awhile and then paid your money
and blew. MIS-. White was passing at the
time. aud she says your eyes bulgod out
and your hair stood up and your face was
as red as beet. remember that your
lace was still red when you got home and
wondered u you had been rubbing IL
against the fence Yes you blew and blow
and blew and blew and the man said your
lungs were oil right. DO you deny Il
deacon i''
The deacon didn't. lie had blew so
hard that his heels were lifted of the
ground aud his nccktic showed up under
his ears, but why affirm or dcnyp
1T isn't your blowing complain Of. but
your display OF seldshness. All you cared
about were your own lungs. You never
thought OF mine. You didn't seem 10 care
whether had any lungs or not. You knew
had had hacking cough for year or
two aud that had worried good deal,
aud yet you come sneaking home and
never said word Mrs White says YOU
can't blame me for suspecting that you no
longer care for me.
The deacon hnd now finished with the
big toe. and as no direct question had been
asked he did not feel called upon to dis.
cuss things In the abstract. One can't
enter into heated discussion and cut his
teo nails at the same time.
But we will let that 60" said Mrs.
Dolby after a'minute--"wc win let that 20.
and will ask you u II is true that while
you were down at the cooper shop the
other day TO get new bung for our vinegar
barrel there was fight between a lightn.
Ing rod man and a tin peddlcr. Mrs.
Richmond says there was. She says those
two men called each other liars and thieves
and villains aud finally pitched into each
other and rolled all over the street. She
was scared half TO death; but she &c.
mewbers seeing you there and she says
you just looked on and seemed to enjoy
IL. Is u true. or has she got things mixed
up IL doesn't seem possible that I'm
married 10 a man who n stand by and see
two human beings kicking and biting and
scratching each other. but maybe It's true,
descon--maybc lis true"
While Mrs. Dolby was swallowing The
lump in her throat and wiping away her
tears the deacon shifted his feet TO get at
the other big toe and let his mind 20 back
to the incident referred 10. II was true
that there was rough language. followed
by fight In which the pcdGler got the
best oft but IL had been a sudden affair,
and no one had had time to interfere. As
deacon he would have mediatcd II there
had been an opportunity; as man he was
glad that the peddIer had licked He did
not give voice 10 his thoughts. however,
bot was industriously handling the knife
when Mrs Dolby started of again
II don't want TO accuse you of wrong.
doing. and don't want 70 say that IL looks
as u you were backsIiding bat u was only
few days ago that sent down % the
store for yard OF black cambric. Mrs.
Haniey was in the store buying ten yards
OF calico. ana Jou sat down on the box
while ai'ing There was nail In the
box, and you jumped up with whoop and
danced around and said things Mrs.
Haniey won't tell me what you said
Every time ask her she breaks down and
cries have tried TO get u out OF you in
your sleep but you only gfoau and grit
your teeth and draw up your legs. Deacon
Dolby. am living with a pirate Have
you got TO using such words as nobody
hears except around a circus -
The deacon could have made defence.
Any man who sits down on a wire nail Is
apt 10 rise up suddenly and express his
opinion IN plain English. and any jury In
the land will bring In a verdict OF tempo.
rary insanity The incident had came and
gone. however. and why discuss II now.
when he could not remember where he put
IN his exclamation points, lie simply
pared away and ignored the question. aud
Mrs. Dolby heaved a sigh and observed
There Is one more thing The other
day asked you 10 whitcwash the cellor
Al cellers ought to be whitcwashed at
least once year II sweetcns things up
and keeps the bugs out You didn't seem
to want TO do VI. but you finally fixed 10 q
pai' OF whitewssh and went at You
we're working away when went over to
Mrs. Saunders to see II she could lend me
her natirons next day While was gone
man called here 70 see about selling fruit
trees. was on my way back when he
came out Of the gate on the run. his face
as white as sheet. lie gave me one look
but did not stop That man was scared
almost TO death. deacon. and want 70
know what scared him. What had he seen
or heard -
\ smile crept over the deacon's face
and there was chuckling noise in his
throat but he had just struck broken
nail and was TOO busy TO stop and make
explanations
u may be wrong said Mrs Dolby
= L. 4