The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-07-01

presently, gianc1ng at him bashfuIly.
why don't you get marriedT
Ell thought could get the right
kind Of woman" Simeon stammered.
"a woman like you, now The bed
and mattress fairly rose IN the air.
Simeon turned his head and coughed
violently.
~Oh, Mr. Yates" broke In Miss Gull
len, blushing becomingly, '.if / thought
that you would have-that ! would
make you good wife, She dropped
her sparkling eyes groundward. The
feather bed shook with renewed en-
ergy.
~But- / thought you said that you and
the Deacon began Simeon
-Oh nor Miss Cullen interrupted
4 only meant that the deacon wanted
TO marry me. Why, Mr.. Yates, you've
no idee how that perststtn' old hypo-
critic has pestered me-" The bedding
experienced sudden terrific upheaval
Simeon acted as II he were going to
explode. "Why, II had let him l
honestly believe he would have got
down on his knees. ! know I amt as
young as once was, but reckon I
know q man when I see one. Now,
you, Simeon Again she glanced at
him shyly,
"Well, them said Simeon, his eyes
twinkling, IL should ask you to mar
" me would you promise to-
-O-h, 6imeonr' blushed Miss Cullen
softly. 'T-I-yes, / believe would.
Simeon.e
"Would you promise" continued Sim
con, pinching himself to keep from
laughing aloud when be saw something
under the feather bed behaving scan
dalously-~would you promise to sick
your dog on that old idjit of Dea-
con Partridge Il he hangs around here
any morey
No sooner bad be uttered those
words than from the midst Of that pile
of household necessities there came
the Visible indication Of a terrific
storm, followed by the subdued but
and the next second feather bed, mat
tresa and deacon arose tn concert, and
there, fn the astonished presence of
Miss Cullen. stood Partridge, his arms
and legs tangled In the environments
Of blue striped ticking and his head
and shoulders covered with a speckled
coating OF downy feathers Feathers
protruded from his eyes; feathers vi
hrated 90 the end OF hts nose, feath-
ers waved matestically from the tips
of his ears He couldn't see OF hear
or speak for feathers. He could scarce
y breathe for feathers
sPooht pooh, pooht be puffed. blow
ing great lunches Of feathers from
bis mouth "Ahchool Ahche-oor' he
sneezed The tears were running down
his face. making the feathers stick the
closer to his scarlet cheeks.
Miss Cullen spfang to her feet press
ed her trembling hands to her eyes
and shriebed.
well Welt" said Simeon, regarding
him with vermastering hilarity.
''Wefl, web, this Is the first time ever
see partridge runniR around half
picked. Say, why don't you go out be
hind the barn and SINCE yourseif2'
The deacon could not speak He
could not do anything but open and
shut bis mouth like chicken with the
gapes and go -Cut. cut, cutl~.
why, be thinks he's an old settin'
hens' exclaimed Simeon. eytng him
wonderfngly. Shouldn't wonder but
he'll be a-scratrhin' up your flower bed
next, Miss Cullen Say" he added to
the perspfrfng deacon. why don't you
fly up in tree and go to roost again r
FL didn't come here to be laughed
al" whimpered Partridge, exricating
himself from the ticking and nearly
crying with indignation Il came here
to call ON Miss Cullen
"Huh!' replied Simeon. pressing his
hands against hts quivering sides and
regarding the other with austerity.
"Huh. dye reckon Miss Cullen hasn't
anything to do but to entertain oyster
richest Why don't you run away some
where's and stick your bead tn the
sand?"
Il tell you atn1 gofn' to stand here
and be fnsufted by no sQuatty old hip
pypotamouset' shrtlled the deacon an
giy.
1Ruther be hippypotamouse than to
be a featherwefght snapped Simeon.
IF you're 60 blame brave, why don't
you flap your wings and crowp Why
don'tfyou let folks know that you're a,
Shanghai that,p not afeard Of anything
tn the barnyard even II your pinfeath-
ers- ain't all grown outY'
@I'm q man Of peace Brother Yates"
replied Partridge meekly. SIN an
elder In the church, and I DON'T want
to get mad. and don't want TO
swear
MAY be that you're tnrntn' to an an
GEL retorted Simeon doubtfully, ~but
you look to me more Ike dominicker
that's too thin to bile and too tough TO
eru vrx,rr <,y, <pb< ~