Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-08-28

tim woman. If she Is an old maid"
Her sixty acres of land were we'll man
aged. and. though contrary to custom,
she never worked In the cotton her
self, at the end of the year she was
usually ahead of those who did.
AS Jake Alders came in sight, limp
and detected figure astride Of the pa
tient mule. she stood up and peered
under her hand. why don't the fool
straighten up and use the back his God
give him? He'd be right decent lookln'
If 1t want for his slouchy ways" And
Miss Josie pulled her own shoulders a
trlfe straighter as she walked slowly
down the path.
"Howdy, Jake? How's the children
and what's the news from the water:'
The mule came to halt. WELL
now. Miss Josie. was jes' a'sayin' to
myself as how | was a-goin' to ask
your advice this very mornln' along of
the children. You heard tell how Man
dy was wantin' her funerl preached
In the spring? Sorter foolish. Lord.
Wimmen folks has their notions. an
I'm a man what believes In humorin'
'em, dead or alive. Parson Arms, he
lowed he'd get here aSunday, an we
was a-layin' off to have the funer'l
preached down at the bayou; but, Miss
Josie them kids amt got one rag
what's decent to wear to their mas
funerl, an what I'm a-goin' to do
'twixt now an then God knows.
Jake paused and looked hopefully at
Miss JOSIE then he went on. Seem
as you be such fine manager. was
a-thinkin' you might kinder help me
out and if
Now, see here, Jake Alders! Do
you think I'm woman or Christ
mas tree? How do you reckon | can
make clothes grow on them six kids
'twixt now an Sunday. an this heah's
Tuesday? Man, you've plum lost your
senses"
Jake fidgeted with his rope bride.
Il didn't know but what you was
shut up. Jake Alders. You know
you've been plannin' all along the road
as how you was a-goin' to dump them
J kids an their fixin's on my conscience.
an now you've been an gone an done
It. Yes, Pm fool for meddlin'. but
I'll get 'em ready, but don't you ask
me nothin' more. cause | amt goin' to
do It." Miss Josie trailed this last over
her shoulder as she disappeared into
the house. and Jake grinned knowing
ly as he logged down the road.
During the remainder Of the week be
made himself as scarce as possible
about the struggling two room cabin
that owned him as master. Miss Josie
took possession OF It and the six sinai
Alders, whose tow heads were sub
jected to a process of yellow soap and
rainwater and later to innumerable
little rolls Of paper. Meanwhile Miss
Josies machine clattered unendins
miles of pink calico and domestic, ant
her energetic tones stirred the Alder>
progeny to something like industry. st
that the cabin shone with unwontet
cleanliness as Saturday afternoo,
deepened into twilight
The parson was to spend the night
and Jake had gone to the station t
meet him. Miss Josie was preparin.
to go home, having completed all tn
arrangements. even to laying out tn
finery In six little heaps on the bencl
that ran along the wall. There wer
rolls of light bread and jelly cake
two roasted fowls and some of Mis-
Josie's own pies, all destined to d.
duty as the funeral baked meats.
Miss Josie started down to the gate
trailing torrent Of minute instruc
tons to the forlorn little group in tn