Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-12-26
AUNT PATsrS wOOING
HER METHOD OF CAPTURING A
BAsHFUL sUIToR WAS THE
TALK or THE COUNTY.

the idea that women ought TO pro-
posc,v said the red-headed man.
"Still, ! know one woman who took !
matters neglected by a bashful suit
or into her own hands and wound up
the business so neatly and in so novel |
a manner that she won plaudits from /
everybody who ever heard the story.
"This woman was known the
county over as Aunt Patsy Mitchell. |
Aunt Patsy lived alone in a big red
brick house that was set down in the
middle of an immense yard. The
yard at one time was well shaded,
but the trees had been felled one by
one until nothing remained standing
but few cedar trees and one mon
strous oak.
"This oak stood in corner not
far from the front fence. It was
the most perfect specimen of fine,
symmetrical forest tree to be found
in that part of the county, and Aunt
Patsy had always been very proud of
it. IT'S grand type of endurance
she had often been heard to say.
Why, perfect as that tree is, it ought
to be standing five hundred years
from now Knowing those to be
her sentiments, the surprise of the
neighbors was unbounded when it
was learned that Aunt Patsy had
sent for two woodcutters and had
ordered them to chop down the oak
three feet from the ground.
GA few days after the tree had
been felled and dragged away L was
walking past Aunt Patsy's house
with Walter Craig. Craig was a
man who had managed my fathers
farm for several years. From the
top of his head to the, sole of his
loot Craig presented very peculiar
appearance, but his most striking
single feature was his mouth. That
forgan was kept wide open day and
might, sleeping or waking. Craig
Ereally had very good, sound sense,
especially IN all matters pertaining
I to the management of a farm, but
his gaping mouth gave him an APP
pearance of idiocy which greatly be-
lied him in the opinion of the
neighbors. But however much he
might be ridiculed by others I had
firm faith in his judgment, so when
he proposed that day that we stop
and see Aunt Patsy a minute as
scented quite willingly AS we neared
the house we saw Aunt Patsy her
self standing at the front gate. We
went up and stopped on the other
side.
"'Aunt Patsy said Craig, 4 don't
want to be pryin', but I'D like to
know what you had that tree
whackea over for?'
"For a moment Aunt Patsy
seemed embarrassed
"1 reckon, she said, there's a
whole raft of people hereabouts d
like to know that very same thing
CT reckon said Craig, there is
"Well' returned Aunt Patsy, q
don't wish any of 'em harm, so l do
hope they won't hold their breath
till they find out. Not but what
they're gcrn' to some day, for they
are, but theyll have to bide my
htime.'
"Craig nodded respectfully. 'And
what you, goin' to do with the stump.
Aunt Patsy?' he asked. You ought
to have that dug up by the roots
81 oughtn7t do anything of the
kind retorted Aunt Patsy I've
made all my caPlations regardin'
that stump, and 1 certainly don't
cal'late to have it dug up
"EWell, then,' suggested Craig,
I'D train honeysuckle or something
around it next summer. 1t don't
look very well standin' up there
rough and uneven, like that
"Aunt Patsy looked at Craig quiz
zically. I've made my cal'lations,
was all she said.
"That was in the fall. All win
ter the oak stump stood in Aunt Pat
sy's front yard, bleak and drear, but |
early in the spring two men who
we're used to clearing OFF, we're
called in for a consultation, and