The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-01-26

~ AAfA n MAN A1sOOEsDs
wonderin' why 1 didn't git married
ag'in."
what impudencel'
"He said folks was a-sayin' that it
was my duty to-"
"Humph!'
"And he said folks was wonderin'
why you didn't git married ag'in.'
"Just as If it was anybody's bust
nessp' snapped Aunt Martha.
"He said folks said it was your
duty"
"Well, if folks will attend to their
own business III attend to my duty.
I'll tell 'em so If they come talkin' to
me- I hope you didn't encourage him
to keep on gabbin'r'
MOO 1 hadn't much to say, though
after he'd gone l did considerable
thinkin'. I'm lonely man, Aunt Mar
thai
"You orter git fiddle and learn to
play on it."
"Sho! / hain't talkin' about fidd!es.
I'm a-sayin' that If had wife around
the house things would be different.
Just another swaller Of that cider,
please. I'm thinkin' you've got the
best cider in the neighborhood. Yes,
Aunt Martha, things would be differ
emit"
"Well, why don't you go and git mar
ried them
Gosh hang 1t, will. That's what /
come over here this evenin' for. Aunt
Martha, we have known each other q
long time l know you are mighty
good woman, and you know I'm a
purity good man. Our farms jine, and
can run two farms as well as one.
You must be lonesome too. There
must be times when you'd like to have
man around the house to manage
things. You've got twenty-eight hogs,
and IL the cholera breaks out among
'em what on earth you goin' to do? I
was a-thinkin' to myself last night
"Abel, stop right there" said the
widow, kindly, but emphatically. Il
know you to be good man, but |
hain't in love with you. You haven't
teched my heart yet. Until you do I
don't want to talk ut marriage.
You jest go right along bein' good and
feelin' lonesome, and if find my love
bein' aroused I'll tell you So"
"That's only fair" said the sutton as
he rose up to go. 81 hain't one to drive
a woman into marriage as one drives
hogs. I'll keep right on and take your
word for it, and If you find you can't
love ME III stay single all the rest OF
nv DAYS. I'm kinder sot on you, you
see, and don't want nobody else"
During the next month things went
along as usual, and there was no fur
Their reference to matrimony. Then
Abel was sent for, and as he reached
| the widows house she said:
"Abel, my sister, over at Tompkins-
vile, is sick and has sent for me. I'm
goin' over and may be gone three or
four days"
well, I'll run things the best can
while you're gone" he replied.
"What l want you to look out for in
particular is that old speckled hen.
You know I've had her for the last
ten years. and I've learned to think a
good deal Of her. She-hain't well tall
Jest now, and l hate to go away and
leave her She's got signs OF the pip,
and IL should come back and find her
dead it would almost break my heart.
Abel, l want you to be kind to her.
/ want you to sympathize with her.
want you to doctor and nurse her"
"Tll do 1t, Aunt Martha. I'll jest put
in all my time nursin' her up. I'll be
jest as kind to her as would be to a
baby"
THAT'S good of you. She's only a
critter. but when one gifts use to crit
ter he can even love an old speckled
hen. She amt laid an egg for these
five years past, but she's got hold on
my affections for the eggs she used to
lay. Why, she's laid over hundred
with double yolks, and one time she
fit and licked a chicken hawk"
"You go right on, wilder, and leave
it all to me-" said the farmer. I'll dc
Jest as much for that old hen as
would for a brother. hain't sot up
a night for the last twenty years, but
| If she's taken bad shan't close my
eyes till you git back"