Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-01-12

/ is a file young FELLOW, honest and
square. That Hiram and Mandy must
be a team. Are they going to get mar
ried?"
81 think So" said Quincy. "He
lstammers, you know, and think he is
afraid he will break down when he
tries to propose"
Aunt Ella laughed heartily; then she
said, What constitutional liar that
Stiles must be, and as for the Profess
sor, l would like to have set-to with
him myself"
AS she said this she doubled up her
| fists.
ooh, he wouldn't meet you that
way" said Quincy. "He only fights
with woman's weapon, his tongue"
and he told her of his little boxing
match with Robert Wood.
Aunt Ella continued: so can ,imag-
/ inc what pretty. sweet, little country
girl Hubby Mason is. My, heart aches
for Indy, her martyrdom has, been
out of all proportion, to her contemplat-
ed wrongdoing, if wrongdoing it really
! was. Had been in her place would
have married Jones and left my
clothes behind; and then, said Aunt
Ella. "how my heart goes out to that
dear, sweet girl that you call Alice!
Do you love her, Quincy?" s
'sDevotedly," answered Quincy. az
never really loved a woman before"
"Then marry her." cried Aunt Ella
decidedly.
Everybody at home but Maude will
object" said Quincy.
"Maude's the best one in the family,
next to yourself" snapped Aunt Ella
They will bring up Uncle jim" con-
tinued Quincy.
"Nonsense!" replied Aunt Ella. ''Un-
Gle Jim was fool; any man is a fool
who thinks he can win the battle Of
life by making sottof himself. Bring
this girl to me, Quincy. She must be
a genius, if she can write as you say
she can. Let me care for her and love
her and.ma life pleasant and beauti-
full for her until you get ready to do
it yourself"
81 will, some day, Aunt Ella. You
are the best friend have in the world,
and when I have the right to bring
Alice to you, will lose no time in do
ing SO. Thank you for your kind
words about her. / shall never forget
them, and she shall hear them some
day. But must go now"
A. They. both arose. Promise that you
will come and see me every time you
are in Boston, Quincy; if you don't,
shall come down to marlborough to
Isees you"
She gave him another kiss at part
ing.
4 AS he left the house he ,deliberated
for a moment as to where he should
go next. 1t was i4:30. He decided to
4 go to. Leopold's lodgings in Chestnut
a street. He found him at home, but
4 for a wonder'he was not working.
"This is an off day with me, he ex.
II planned; this is our haying season,
and I've been working nights, days,
and Sundays for a fortnight. "!,
4 II came to express Miss Pettengills
obligations and thanks for your kind
and very successful efforts in her be
A half"
"Oh! that's all right" said Leopold
"By the way, have you told her she
ought to write a book?" 4a
mot yet,"' said Quincy; .'but I'm go
ing to soon. She has just lost dear
friend; but I won't forget it."
Don repeated Leopold. "She is
a diamond that ought to be dug up, cut
and set In eighteen carat gold. Excuse
my apparently brutal language, but
you get my meaning"
Certainly" said Quincy; and you
are not working today"
"No," replied Leopold; "loafing an6
enjoying it, too. I've good mind te
turn vagrant and loaf on, loaf ever"
: "Come down to Parker's and have
dinner with me-"
Cant do it," replied Leopold; "my
, stomach is loafing, too. 'Twouldn't be
fair to make it work and do nothing
myself. Just as much obliged. Some
other day. Don't for get the book he
cried, as Quincy left the room.
Quincy took his dinner at Parker's
caught 6:05 express and reached East
borough Centre at 7:30. Abbott Smith
drove him home to the Pettengil
house.
The next day was Friday. Everybody
at Mason's Corner, with quite a mum
Der from Eastborough and Montrose
came to Mrs. Putnam's funeral. The
little square in front of the church, as
well as the shed, was filled with teams
While waiting for the arrival of the
body, quite number of the male resi-
dents of Mason's Corner were gathered
upon the steps of the church
Strout spied Abner Stiles and ap
proached him. Bob Wood has jes
told me-" said the Professor that he
has decided not to leave his presen
place, SO I've concluded on second
thoughts to give yer that job at the
grocery store
Abner's eyes twinkled.
"I've had my second thoughts, too,
/. said he, 1--WE hired out to Deacon Ma
son for life, and if | jine the church hi
says I can work for him in the mex
: world. So kinder guess l shall have
to decline yer kind invitation to lif
! boxes and roll barrels"
When the services were out every
person in the church passed up the
center aisle to take a last view Hel
husband had been buried in the Mont
rose cemetery. and she had told Mr.
: Tiiton that she was to be laid by his
: side. The marlborough cemetery was
! in Westborough and for that reason
many of the late residents of Mason's
2 corner slept their last sleep at Mon
: trose.
< AS they stood by the coffin, Alice
\ said How does she look?"
4 Very pleasant" replied Quincy;