Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1909-11-06
Copyright. 1909. by Associated Lit
erary Press.
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&linerva's name was one OF fate's
subtlesi irOnips. he girl was so far--sC
very far-frOm wise Indeed she knew
90 more than to be sweet and blddablt
10 Grabbed task miSireSSes. They were
the Grimley sisters who had taken
her IS they said daily. out ordinarily
and 60 whom she served for hands
feet and eyes She, was rated sharply
II siie talked back. which was seldom.
since she had rather talent for ST
lence than for speech
The sisters were not consciously un-
sina u was just.that they had Fallen
into Che way Of fretting at everything,
Life had dpfraudpd them OF the natu.
rOi outlets husbands and children.
Therefore they made the most Of such
small worries as remained to maiden
grntlpwOmcu.
Minerva came 10 them when she was
ten For the next eight years her ap-
petite and her trick of breaking things.
especially those she was handling with
utmost care, bad served as vital griev-
anres. Hut since she was full grown
she Rte much less aud hardly ever let
fall anything. no matter bow fragile
Or precious: hence the Miss Grimlcys
had bad to invent a new sin for her
They had chosen to ind it in her pos
Sil'le future husband According 10
thPtr u0tiou. she was always intent
upon inatrimOny aud schcmiug to en-
snare whatever mascullne prrsnn
chance threw In her wav.
Tue young circuit rider. for exanmlc:
jim Mace. the constable, who rode by
the Gig gate every other day: the Two
LeOnards. WHO farmed the lower place:
even the young fellow c!erking owe.
"a, the crOsSroads--h hadn't hp ACTUALLY
tried TO get board at the Grimley ulan.
siOO@ Or. Bnll. the one person who
dared speak up TO the sisters, rated
them sOuadly for such suspicious. No
wonder. be said poor Minerva. as s3y
and modest as any white rose. was |
awkward. almost rude. indeed. To all |
the young Fellows She encountered ana
therefore likely TO die an old maid.
htss Jane and Miss Abby nodded
approval there Minerva was to have
eVeFyttnag When they were gone. ia
would De quite enOGsh to Keep her like
tady Husbands were but worries
most of the time. AS for children.
theF shnok their heads and sighed
CsesrlE, Ia their judgment. woman
fGaS lucky ~ cslnpe such things. Loot
at Minerva herself: Where would she
ne Nav IL the Grimleys had not chosen
that bettcF east?
DE. Bell. who had tongue ms rough
and heart MS warm as his grentcOat
goWed at. them. After awhile. being |
a stiateGtst. he did something else
something which ut first blush made
him augh great shouting muyn
Wien his wife asked the meaning VI
4 Ae sand systematically:
oh. Lar going to cure some chronic
asses 6y provoking an epidemic
And that was all she could get out
II biIR, no matter how hard she tried
She could not try very hard. since.
ike the rest of the neghbOrhOOd, She
was giving all her mind to the coming
session Of the synod.
Il was to be a great occasion. Min
STEERS. Ineir wives sons and daughters
we're coming by the score. Their mum
Der would not he too great, however
'or the countryside's hospitality.
With no prOvOcutiun whatever IRON
the church Or RelI fixed it 80 thr
liriuieys would have rather more than
a double SHARE 9t the clerical influx
namely Deacon Rtota and his wife.
Or. HcnshhW, IA pulpit Samson, just
beginning % look about him over the
edges 0f weeds not yet rusty; Profess
or Henderson, famed for perSunding |
Nancy into college channels. and young |
Lee not vet come to full ordination,
How the doctor managed all this Is not
Known. He was almost INSCRIPTIONS
when It came 10 carrying out u plan
Ar FEAST two other households were
full OF bitter Jealousy over the parcel
ing Que OF guests. but the guests did
moi suspect it-least Of all those fated
to sit at meat with the Grimeys.
Miss Jane was famous cook, Miss
Abby was past mistress at PRESERVING
Minerva made cake that was simply
heavenly. aud black Susan was mira
ele OF eficient strength In the Kitchen.
so tue visitors rejCiced that their lines
had faIIen as they had. Indeed. all
through synod week they could not say
enough In praise and gratitude to their
hostesses. AS a consequence Miss
Jane aud Miss Abby forgot either to
scOtd. on 20 suspect. Carried away by
the tide OF bospjtable impulse. they
showed for what they were-excellent
geutlewomen OF the first rank.
AS for Minerva. she fairly blossomed.
Even tue most callOus onlooker saw In
her a nev creature. She was 70 ra
dlant. indeed. that before three days
were out Professor Balderson. IA sea
.o,oa t,~ohator mazda IN hi9 mind 10