The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-12-22
-H E R
ANNIVERSARY
Copyright. 1876. by T. c. Mcclure
BY LAWRENCE PERRY

@ Copyright, 1896, by T. {. Mcclure
csosc,ososo.cosSeCso.0sosC
Never had there been such winter
in South Dusenbury. What with nIu
sicales. lectures. socials and the lik'
the little village usually managed {,
fill i'm the dark. cheerless gap between
harvest and sowing nicely. But this
winter the felicities of village life had
been augmented by an amazing and
unparalleled number Of wedding anni
versarles. Wooden weddings. tin wed
dings, crystal weddings. had followed
one another in rapid succession until
those who were blessed in the giving
were hardly less numerous than those
blessed in the receiving.
Now. South Dusenbury contained its
share OF spinsters, village parlance
which. being interpreted, signiticd that
the woman TO whom the term was ap-
piled had lived twenty-eight years or
morc-generally more-and was still
unmarried. To their eternal credit be
il said that they rcjoiced open hearted
~ i'm the marital anniversaries Of their
fellow citizens and had contributed not
a little TO the general atmosphere of
happiness which attended these func-
tions.
No. not quite all. One exception
one distinguished exccpt'on-must he
noted. KeZiah Bottleby. Miss Bottleby
was u strong minded. tall. angular wo-
man. an ardent church worker and
ready 10 turn her helpful hand TO any
thing when the needs of the noighbor-
hood required. But these wedding an
niversaries began to pail upon her. and
by the time Deacon Thompson and
Mrs. Thompson had celebrated their
silver wedding she was thoroughly dis
gusted. she lost no opportunity in let
ting that fact be known. Hers was n
trepchant tongue. Some were amused
more were madeEuncomfortable. But
there was no other result. The ami
versaries continued just the same. OF
course this fact did not silence Miss
Bottleby.
81 tell ye." she said one afternoon at
a meeting OF the Kings Daughters. ''it's
perfectly scandalous. Sech graspin'
tendencies as has been exhibited In this
village this winter Is downright hea-
thenish. Why. look at old John Newell
and Sophy Newell. They amt done
nothIn' but spat these mortal twenty
five years. accordin' TO all accounts.
and. laws me. there they stood up to-
gether ut their silver weddin'. she in a
new gingham dress and all perked up
and simperin' about with one eye and
countin' the presents with the other. 1t
made me sick. And | guess I showed
Jest how felt too.''
As usual. Miss Bottleby was listened
to in the most respectful silence. and
when she ceased speaking no one ven.
tured a remark. Miss Bottleby gave a
contemptuous sniff and applied herself
to her needle. While she sewed on. the
glimmer OF an idea shot through her
mind. and as she pondered and en-.
larged upon 1t the stern lines of her
face relaxed into n broad smile. Yes
she would do IL. There was no reason
why she should not and many reasons
why she should. II so many persons
congratulated themselves and asked
others To join them simply because
they had been married a score or so OF
years why should she not be congratu
lated i'm remaining single a similar
period? Surely IL was more difficult &c
remain unmarried than TO find a hus
band. Yes. she would do 1t.
In day or two the villagers received
the following invitation:
Miss Keziah Bottleby. having exist
ed in single blessedness for forty-fivC
years. requests your presence at hel
home on Thursday, May IL. at 3 O'Clock
in the afternoon, the occasion being nj
nuts will be served. and presents may
be stored in the parlor."
They were the talk OF the village
| these invitations. and every one saiC
| how like Miss Bottleby it was. The!
all meant to so. too. for they felt tina
she did deserve something for her Ion:
| years of abncgation. The general tend
ency was 10 defeat her purpose by IL
| noring the obvious sarcasm and pre-
tending that they took her seriously.
/ Hiram Spinks had received an invl
tation. and IL had struck Il responsive
chord in his heart. for he. too. had en-
joyed life of cclibacy.
lie met Miss Bottleby several day
before the variety" party. and sh
smiled so warmly that Hiram lifte,
his hat clear from his head instead o
giving the customary little Zip of hi
hand.
How be ye. Hiram?" said Miss Bot
tleby. 'Fine warm day."
"why. how de do-o-o. Keziah?" sal
Hiram. Yes. uin; yes. it's tolerabl
warm
That was all. Keziah swept by. bu
Hiram suddenly gave start and turn
ed to look Mt her rctrcating figure.
"a fine. smart woman" he muttered
"a real woman He was thinkins
Fe tho''-''. ." 'hn wav to his lionel
home and finally slapped his hand o
his thigh.