The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1909-04-02
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A Will and a: Way |
(Copyright. Dodd, Mead Company

II
Copyright. Dodd. Mead Company
The ancient. mariner reached for
ward, and, taking up his beer, drank
with relish. The generous liquor
warmed his blood, and his eye bright
ened.
i've buried two wives, but ave
to be careful myself, old as l am,
he said, thoughtfully. There's more
than one woman about ERE as would
like to change 'er name for mine.
Claybury's got the name of being a
marrying place, and they don't like
to see even a widow-man.
But there used to be one man
in these parts as the Claybury wom-
en- couldn't marry, try as they might.
He was a ugly; little man with red
air and foxy face. They used to
call I'm Foxy Green, and e kept 'appy
and single for years and years.
"He wasn't man as disliked being
in the company O. women, though,
and that's wot used to aggervate 'em.
He'd take 'em out for walks, or give
'em lift in is cart, but none of 'em
could get old of i'm, not even the wild
ders. He used to say e loved 'em
all too much to tie hisself up to any
one of 'em, and e would sit up ere
Of a night at the Caulihower and send
men with large families Almost crazy
by celebrating 'ow many pfnts o.: beer
their children wore out every year in
the shape O. boots.
Sometimes is uncle, old Eb-
enezer Green, used to sit up ERE with
i'm. He was strong. 'earty old
man, and ed sit and laugh at Foxy till
is chair shook under i'm. He was
a lively sporting sort o. man, and
when Foxy talked like that e seemed
to be keeping some joke to hisself
which nearly choked i'm.
you'll marry when I'm gone,
Foxy he'd say.
"'Not me- SEES Foxy.
"Then the old man nd laugh agin
and talk mysterious about fox-hunts
and say e wondered who'd get Foxy's
brush. He said ed only got to shut
is eyes an e could see the pack in
full cry through Claybury village, and
Foxy going is 'ardest with is tongue
'anging out.
Foxy couldn't say anything to i'm,
because it was understood that when
the old man died e was to ave is
farm and is money; so q used to sit
there and smile as if e liked it.
when Foxy was about 43 is
uncle died. The old mans mind
seemed to wander at the last, and e
said what good man ed always
been, and wot comfort it was to i'm
now that e was goin' And e men,
toned a lot O little sums O. money
owed i'm in the village which nobody
could remember.
"Tve made my will, Foxy he ses,
and school-master's takin' care of it;
I've left it all to you
'The old man was buried q few
days after, and Foxy stood by the
grave 'olding handkerchief to lis eyes,
and behaving as though e 'ad lost
money instead of coming in for it.
Then they went back to the farm, and
the first thing the schoolmaster did
was to send all the women of before
reading the will.
''Wot's that for?' ses Foxy, staring.
"'You'll see,' ses the schoolmas-
ter; them was my instructions. It's
for your sake, Mr.. Green; to give you
a chance-at least that's wot your
uncle said
1T was all straightforward enough.
The farm and stock, and two cottages,
and money in the bank, was all left to
Josiah Green, commonly called Foxy
Green, on condition
There was such a noise O. clap.
ping, and patting Foxy on the back,
that the schoolmaster 'ad to leave of
and wait for quiet.
"'On condition. he ses, in a loud
voice, that he marries the first Clay
bury woman, single or. widow, that
asks i'm to marry her in the presence
of three witnesses. If he refuses, the
property is to go to 'er instead
Foxy turned round like mad then.
and asked Henry White wot e was
patting i'm on the back. for. Then.
in choking voice, he asked to ave
it read again.
"'Well, there's one thing about
it, Mr.. Green ses Henry White:
with all your property you'll be
able to fave the pick O. the prettiest
gals in Claybury.' =.
""Ow's that?' ses Joe Chambers,
very sharp; he's got to take the first
woman that asks i'm, don't matter wot
'er age is
HE got up suddenly, and, without
even. saying good-by to Foxy, rushed
out of the 'ouse and of over the fields
as ard as e could go.
"tWots the matter with 'im?' sea
Foxy.
"'Anything wrong with the drink :?
ses Foxy, puzzled like. ,,u-,.r.1
They shook their 'eadsl agtn. tand
then Peter Gubbins, who'd beenistar
ing ard with is mouth open, got up
and gave the table bang with is fist
":Joe Chambers as gone arter ii
sister, he ses, and Henery White ar.
ter is wife's sister, as 'e's been keep
ing for this last six months. That's
wot they've gone for
Everybody saw it then, and in two
minutes Foxy and the schoolmastel
was left alone looking at each other