Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-06-04
THE WIDOW
PEPPERS TACTICS.
They Brought Quick Results In
Two Love Affairs.
BY HARRIET WHITNEY.

1t was o'clock Monday morning,
and the smoke of Louizy Cottonwood's
wash fire in the back yard was thread
ing its blue haze into the fresh, early
air.
Louizy's father, Lyman Cottonwood,
striking out cross lots, Jagged little
while he started his after breakfast
cob pipe. His gaze dwelt ruminative-
ly upon the big ash hopper few mo-
ments, then travelled back to the form
of his daughter just appearing from the
smokehouse with tub In her arms.
"LouizyP'
The young woman turned her head
around, set her tub upon backless
chair and came forward, her low, fiat
shoes patting softly over the short
goose grass" Her figure looked skimp
In its blue calico washing gown; her
locks were hempy in color and not too
plentiful; she had gathered them up
high and twisted them so tightly that
the outer corners of her eyes were
drawn upward like those Of a Chinese
woman.
"Louizy," said her father, leaning an
elbow on a corner of the hopper, 81
was goin' to tell you an furgot; the
Wilder Peppers a-comin' up today fer
basket of windfall Spy apples to
make dumplin's, an gotter be at
Harris all day helpin' thrash. You
show 'er where the good ones is at, an
don't you sass Ter none. You under
standT
II amt carin' how many Spy apples
she gathers. Reckon apples wasn't
the only thing you an her was settlin'
about yes'day evenin."
"Wulp'-Lyman looked Off slantwise
across the hopper-"I got 'er penned
mp es clost es you ever kin pen wo-
man. The darned contrary birds won't
never give you a square out yes tell
after the preachers sent fer. But you
kin count on haYin' a stepma before
pumpkins is ripe"
81 wouldn't think, then, paw
Louizy's voice became mildly reproach-
ful-"seein' how happy you're a-goin'
to be, you'd begrutch me-an'-an'-
| Sam
Her father came up from his loung
ing attitude with jerk.
"Louizy Jane Cottonwood, how many
times gotter tell you that's diffrunt?
Now, listen yere''-he licked off his
points with the forefnger of his right
hand In the spread palm of the left-"I
told you the whut fors an why sos yes'-
| day, an that's nuff said. An now lis
ten at this: Eff don't find Sam Dor
kins at Harris thrashin' today it's
sign he's over yere, an eff he is you'll
see me back, an you'll see me bounce
Sam over the fence into the bresh
| quick enough to jolt his ears crooked.
| Now, mind whut I've told you"
| Louizy shed so many tears over her
wash that morning that when the fat
little Widow Pepper came with her
basket she cast many sharply inquisi-
tive glances at the red rings OF the
forlorn maiden's eyes.
"Looky here, Louizy Cottonwood"
said she at length as the two trudged
up to the orchard. you amt been
actin, the baby cause your paw wants
to marry ag'in, hev your"
| Louizy shook her head.
] 'T wouldn't care a speck If he mar
| ried tomorrow If he'd have the man
ners to leave me an Sam Dorklns
alone"
"Humphp' said the widow. "whut's
he layin' up against SamT
"Nothin' partickler, but he lows
there's no sense Of me a;marryin' fer
half dozen years err so. He's count
in on takin' q lot of city folks to
board of summers after you an him
air married, an he says two women III
| be needed to cook fer 'em."
"Wen, sayW Mrs. Phebe Pepper
brought the exclamation out with a
chop. Then she stopped in the path
and laughed with a heartiness that
threatened to break her apron strings.
Mrs. Pepper was short and wide, and
her little round, dark face expressed a
mixture Of good nature. shrewdness
and obstinacy.
Hes a curious old plant, your paw
is" said she, "but I've fist got this to
say: Eff any man O. mine ever takes
any summer boarders he'll do the
J cookin' er else he'll hire it done"
| Louizy shook her head dissentingly.
you'll think different when paw
gets you"
'He amt got me yit," said the wild
ow cheerfully. "Looky here, Louizy,
how old air you're
Thirty three" confessed Louizy,
with slight blush.
| 1.-THE law me! An you're scared to
] marry without your paw says you
/, kinY'
The blush widened. taking In Loui-
zy's ears.
you don't know paw" said she dis.
mally.
Couldn't more than kill you, could
he?"
"some folks tongues IS worse than
KILN"
The widow trudged forward in silent
self communion, which lasted until
they reached the Northern Spy apple
tree. Louizy began to fill the basket
with the bright streaked windfalls, but
Mrs. Pepper pumped herself down
comfortably into the clover.
Sam Dorkins is goin' on forty" said
she meditatively. Hes a sight higher
to my age than yours"
Louizy paused suddenly in her task
and looked questioningly at the widow.
ooh. was jest a-thinkin'," the latter
observed carelessly, biting juicily into
n hfQ annIa aNfa uns Cor, xr,ao oIIaru