Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-01-23
MbcnCbinQs
Dunnned
By Hmy Harris
Copyright. 1908, by May McKeon


ing to hum"
1t was Aunt Judith Wellman who
spoke. She had arrived from Indiana
for a visit with her sister In Michigan.
and the pair had been talking for the
last hour on the veranda, while Farm
er Henderson was doing up the chores
at the barn.
what do you mean. Judith" was
asked.
'T mean several things. ! mean that
I have never heard of a case like IL.
Your Minnie has been old enough to
marry for these last three years, and
you've let q Teller dawdle around here
and make sleeps eyes at her and keep
all other fellers away and yet hasn't
asked her to be his and maybe three
more years doing 1t. ! call II n mean
shame. When | say that things are
going TO hum ! mean that somebody
has got 10 toe the mark mighty soon
or get out. You and Elisha ought to
have put your foot down long ago.
"You wouldn't do anything to en-
barrass MinnieT" pleaded the mother.
That's according. | guess the en-
barrassment will all be on the other
side. however Embarrassment is all
right in a girl, Hannah, but 1t shouldn't
be carried too far. Both of us were
embarrassed when we were girls. but
we weren't so much so as TO kill our
prospects of getting married. We knew
when our beaus had hung around long
enough Has Minnie ever given this
chap jogY
Mercy. no"
Have you or Elisha ever given him
jog?"
"Neverv'
Then it remains for Judith Wellman
to do IL, and she's right on deck, with
both elbows stuck out. 1t won't be a
week before wei know whether Joel
Davis means business or is just sitting
around like bump on log"
"But you won't-won't'-
IL don't know what I'll do, except to
decide the case one way or other, and
you needn't ask questions. ] don't be-
lieve in folks getting married within a
week, and l don't believe In counting
for half a lifetime. A fellow either
wants a girl or he don't. If he does. let
him take her; II he don't, let him shy
OF and give some one else a chance"
Minnie Henderson was twenty years
old and q recognized belle for ten miles
around. Everybody was agreed that
she would make somebody a good wife.
She had been keeping company" with
Joel Davis for nearly three years. Joel
was bachelor OF twenty-seven, living
on the next farm west. He was steady,
sober and industrious, and everybody
said that he would make some girl a
good husband. But Joel was also bash
full and retiring. He was in love with
Minnie, TO be sure, but that very fact
made him tremble in her presence. A
hundred times over in the last two
years he had resolved to propose. but
on each and every occasion his courage
had oozed out of his fingers ends. He
felt that the time must and would
come, but whether 1t would take an
earthquake or cyclone to bring II
about he wasn't sure.
1t was three days before Aunt Ju-
dith saw Joel. she liked his looks, and
that changed her plans somewhat. She
hadn't been going to say a word Il
Minnie, but now she changed about
and opened fire with:
well, l am astonished, So that's
the Teller that has been hanging
around here for half his lifetime ant
will probably die of old age on your
fathers doorstep
IL don't know what you mean by
hanging around" retorted Minnie
with a blush and toss of her head.
"Why, coming over here two or three
times week TO talk about grasshop
pers and tater bugs. / am surprised
at you. What can you see in such a
Teller to encourage him? l suppose he
knows pumpkins from squashes, but
I'll bet a big apple that If you asked
him when the pilgrim fathers landed
he'd fall off the veranda. Minnie Hen.
derson, IL you are the girl | take you
TO be you will send that Teller packing
this very evening"
You misjudge him, aunty. He does
not push himself forward. but assure
you that
1--WE got eyes In my head" snapped
her aunt. ut never takes me over five
minutes to size up man. Joel Davis
is an itv He'll always be ten days be-
hind the Fourth OF July. It's wonder
your father and mother have allowed
IT,"
Minnie choked down a sharp answer
and went off TO her room to cry. and
Aunt Judith sauntered into the kitchen
10 say 10 her sister:
There, now. I've got the thing start.
ed, and you and Elisha have got To
turn in and help me. Minnie will cry
and then get mad and then see Joel
and there'll he wedding before you
know il. Don't you weaken when the
time comes"
Next day Joel came TO the house "a
bring back bushel basket he had Dor
rowed Minnie was upstairs and Aunt
Judith hiding behind the door. so IL
was left for Minnie's mother to say:
"Joel. I've been wanting TO speak 10