Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-12-10
Peter Buskirk's
... Prudence

1eteT 6uShlrh was very fond OF
money; not so fond that he quite
starved himself to keep it, or to hide
IL up chimney, or refuse himself fire
or lights or a pillow; but yet SO very
ION OF 1t as to be on the verge OF
miserhood without quite falling over
Beggars reaped no harvest from his
purse nor kitchen, and matchmakers
could make no impression on his bach.
elor heart. Peter Buskirk saw through
the latter as well as the former, and
buttoned up his pockets as hastily in
the presence of ~bewitching woman,
hood as in that of a seedy gentleman
with a folded document in his breast
pocket. The men wanted to rob him,
che women to marry him. The last
is the worst. Not hat Peter hated
women; on the contrary, ever at SO,
ne was remarkably susceptible. A
bright eye put his heart in a futter.
But the fact was, women, as wives or
daughters, were expensive. They need
ed clothes and were fond of dainties.
They were proverbially ~extravagant.
Should he marry M she would spend
his money while he lived and squan-
DEF it after he was dead. And with
this awful terror before him, Peter
steered clear of the shoals of matri-
mony.
There was n inconvenience in this
ba~chelorhood, however. That was the
housekeeping; for it involved a SER
vant-some one to make beds, wash
dishes 0nnk oc1 jrNr " ,hor< ~.
servant-of-all-work was the bane of
Peters life-eating and drinking in a
manner which kept the master of the
house in a continual ferment; vast
Ing butter and fuel; and each change
In the Kitchens encumbrance being
followed by the mysterious disappear
ance of towels and napkins and such
small wares. There was no rest for
good MI. Buskirk. He tried Betty
and Dinah and Mary and Ann, and
then, in despair. flew to a certain Mrs.
Brown. the giver of tea parties innu-
merable, to ask advice.
Servants are sad plaques" she
said.
Eat you out of house and home"
said Peter.
Not to be relied on for honesty"
said Mrs. Brown.
Thieves, ma'am; thieves" said Pc
ter.
"Ah,' said Mrs. Brown, "a gentle
man has no time to watch them. Now
I should advise marrying, Mr.. Bus
kirk"
"Marrying!"
Yes, sir, a wife can manage such
things SO much better. Besides, If
o chose a smart, capable woman she
would be much more economical to
marry"
"E~conomical!" yelled Peter, my
good lady. Eh!-I-oh, goodness,
Feathers and flowers, lace and silks.
and rings and-and ice cream and
things-economical! How many yards
do you take for a dress, ma'am?"
well, sir, twelve or fifteen-some-
times, when it's silk, you know, eigh-
teen"
Eighteen yards, at five shillings or
50 a yard, and not one dress, but
twenty. My good lady, it would be
enough to ruin a man"
Mrs. Brown reflected.
But if you find an economical wom-
an. Mr.. Buskirk."
"Ah! If I could find a mermaid"
"One who never wasted a penny"
"She does not exist, ma'am."
"Who lives on next to nothing. The
fact Is, Mr.. Buskirk, 1 have such a
lady in my eye. She's a widow-quite
q young one-Mrs. Barlow, and I'll
have her at Peach House next week"
Peter Buskirk srinned sarcastically.
Economy in gowns and bonnets,"
re said to himself. They want to
marry me and spend my money"
And he went home wroth.
However, economy forbade him to
refuse an invitation to dinner, and
when, a week after Mrs. Brown sent
her compliments" ETC., Mr.. Buskirk
donned his Sunday suit, and went
over to Peach House at 5 precisely.
The parlor was full of ladies'; ladies
in silks and muslins, iounces and fur
bellows. Most of them Mr.. Buskirk
knew well, aud he looked about in
vain for a stranger. Mrs. Browns
note had said: Mrs. Barlow will be
with U.s."
But which vas that economical
widow? Probably the lady in green
silk near the piano. He could not re-
member her face.
Suddenly Mr.. Buskirk's doubts were
set at rest. Mrs. Brown calculated:
Dear me, where is Cousin Betsey?
Mr.. Buskirk, o must be introduced
to Mrs. Barlow"
At these words something small and
nat emerged from between two portly
dAmea and stood before him. It va