The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1907-03-07
WbenCbings
Dunned
~ -Imy HorrE


"
spoke She hsd arrived from Indiana
for visit with her sister IN Michigan,
aud ibc pair had been talking for the
last hour on the yeranda, while Farm
or Henderson was doing up the chores
NJ the barn.
"Wbat do you mean. JndlthY' was
asked.
Il mean several things. mean that
have never heard OF ease like II.
! Your Minnie has BEEN old enough to
| marry for these last three years. and
you've let feller dswdle around here
and make sleeps eyes at her and keep
all other feilers away and yet hasn't
| asked her 20 bs his and maybe three
more years doing II call II mean
shame. when ! say that things are
going 10 bum I mean that somebody
has got 10 toe the mark mighty soon
or get out. You and Elisha ought 10
hay. put your foot down long ago
"You wouldn't do anything TO EN-
barrass Mlnniey' pleaded the mother
That's according J guess the EN-
barrassment will all he on the other
side. however. Embarrassment is all
right In n girl, Hannah, but II 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 jogr
Mercy. nor
"iIavc you or Elisha ever given him
jogr
"Neyerr
Then II remains for Judith Wellman
TO do H. and she's right on deck. with
both elbows stuck out II won't be a
week before well know whether Joel
Davis means business or Is just sitting
around like bump on log"
"But you won't WON'T"
II 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
week, and don't believe In courtlng
for half lifetime A fellow either
wants girl or he don't II he does, let
him take her; If he don't, let him shy
of and give some one else a chance"
Minnie Henderson was twenty yenrs
old and recognized belle for ten miles
around, Everybody was agreed that
she would make somebody 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
hi and 7fe;tifing. YIe was IN love with
Minnie, TO be sure, but that very fact
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 word to
Minnie, but now she changed about
and opened fire with:
well, | am astonished! So that's
the feller that has been hanging
around here for half his lifetime and
will probably die of old age on your
fathers doorstep"
II don't know what you mean by
hanging around" retorted Minnie,
with blush and toss OF her head.
"Why coming over here two or three
times n week to talk about grasshop
pers and tater bugs. am surprised
at you. What can you see In such
teller to encourage hlmi ] suppose he
knows pumpkins from squashes, but
I'll bet a big apple that II you asked
him when the pilgrim fathers landed
he'd fall OF the veranda. Minnie Hen.
derson, II you are the girl take you
to be you viii send that feller packing
this very evening"
"You misIudge him, aunty. lie does
not push himself forward, but assure
You that
'Ive got eyes In my head" snapped
her aunt. at never takes me over five
minutes 10 size up a man. Joel Davis
IS an IT. He'll always be ten days be-
hind the Fourth Of July. It's wonder
your father and mother have allowed
H."
Minnie choked down sharp answer
and went OF TO her room to cry. and
Aunt Judith sarntered into the kitchen
to say TO her sister;
"There. now, I've got the thing start
ed. and yon and Elisha have got to
turn In and help me. Minnie will cry
and then get mad and then see Joel
and there'il be wedding before you
know II, Don't you weaken when the
time comes"
Next day Joel came 10 the house 10
bring back bushel basket he had bor-
rowcd. Minnie was upstairs and Aunt
JndIth hiding behind the door. so II
was left for MInnie's mother TO say;
sJoel, I've been wanting 10 speak 20
sou for some time don't think you
ought to come here as often as you do"
A.w.whatl' gasped the lover as be
turned very red.
'Your coming here so often keeps |
other young men away and does not
give Minnie fair chance or course 1
she has no thought Of marrying you,
10 orlt isn't right to waste her time on |
yon'
Jcri stared with open mouth. but 10
rave his neck be couldn't sny a word |
10 reply. After making several vain
attempts be walked OF. ou his way
home be turned aside and climbed the /
fence 10 speak 10 Farmer Henderson.
working "a his Geld. Minnie's fsihera
had been posted and was waiting for
his opFortuaiiy. Joel hsd siamner.d
oai tia: Il Nss bot day and that corn
seemed 10 he booking up and that he
w,us afraid that one of h.s cows had
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