The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-03-08

him up and out Of this-this pesthole
in fortnight"
Here was joyful tidings, the better
for being So unexpected. Keziah
leared against tho boards and drew a
long breath. Grace said nothing. but,
after a moment, she went into the
house
That's a good thing. too COM
mented Parker. watching her as she
went. Il wanted TO talk with you, Ke-
ziah Coffin, and right away. Now. then,
| don't know about. and rather guess
you do. Young women-even when
they're her kind and that's as good
a kind as there is-don't risk smallpox
for any young man they pick up cas-
ually."
Keziah considered All right, doc
tor" she said, when she reached a de-
cision, "all right; I'll tell you the
whole thing"
She went on TO tell all she knew of
her parsons love story.
DR.. Parker listened.
Hum" he said thOughtfully, Il see.
What made her change her mind so
suddenly? You say. or you gather
from what Mr.. Ellery told you. that
she had all but agreed to marry him.
She cares for him, that's sure. Then.
all at once, she throws him over and
accepts Nat OF course her uncle's
sudden seizure was a shock and he
wanted Nat to have her, but she isn't
the kind of girl to be easily swayed
But never mind that, that doesn't
count now. Let's look at things as
they are this minute. She's here and
folks know 1t. AS they do know 1t
they'll begin to talk, and the more
they talk the farther from the truth
they'll get-most of 'em. Nat, poor
chap. Is dead, so her promise to him
is Cancelled. Ellery will get well If
he isn't troubled. If she leaves him
he'll go to pieces again, so she mustn't
leave. And she can't stay without an
explanation. | say let's give the ex-
| PLANTATION; let's come right out with
the announcement that they're en-
gagged"
But she's Come-Outer and
there's the church"
We'll, know it. But he never was
30 popular as he is now. And she
isn't by any means steady-going
Come-Outer. Why, Zeke Bassett and
the rest have been finding fault with
her and calling her a backslider
That'll help. Then you trust me to
whoop up her heroism and the fact
that without her he would have died.
We can do 1t, Keziah. Come on! I've
tackled a good many jobs, but match
making isn't one of 'em. Here goes
to tackle that"
keziah was delighted; here was
work after her own heart. But she
still hesitated.
Doctor" she said. you've forgot
one thing. that's Oracle herself. Would
she marry him now, knowing it may
mean the loss of his ministry and all,
any more than she would at first? l
don't believe It,"
That's your part, Keziah. You've
got to show her she must marry him
or he'll die; see?"
Keziah's hesitation was at an end.
Her face lit up.
Il say good" she cried And now
want to give you piece Of advice,
your course for the first leg, as you
might say: you see Cap'n Zebedee
Mayo"
"Humph! Cap'n Zeb is the first
man l mean to see"
Captain Zeb listened with his mouth |
and eyes and ears open. Mrs. Mayo |
was with him when the doctor called, |
and she. too, listened.
WE'LL" exclaimed the captain, |
when the plea for support was ended. |
We'll, by the fiukes of Jonah's whale, |
Talk about surprises. Old lady, what |
do you say?"
Il say go ahead, Zebedee. Go |
ahead! If Mr.. Ellery wanted to mar
ry Jezebel's sister, and | knew he
really wanted to, I'd do believe I'd |
help him get her. And Grace Van
Horne is a good girl. Go ahead"
Say, doc. there'll be a lively row,
and l kind O. like it." said Captain
Zeb.
There was, and it was lively enough
to suit even Captain Zeb. DR.. Parker,
on his calls that day, was assailed
with a multitude of questions con-
corning Grace's presence at the
shanty. He answered them cheer
fully, dilating upon the girls bravery,
her good sense, and the fact that she
had saved Mr.. Ellery's life. Then he
confided, as strict secret, the fact
that the two were engaged. Before
his hearers had recovered from the
shock Of this explosion, he was iusti-
flying the engagement. Why shouldn't
they marry If they wanted to? II
was free country. The girl wasn't
a Come-Outer any longer, and, be-
sides-and this carried weight in a
good many households-whata black
eye the marriage would be for that
no-account crowd at the chapel
Captain Zebedee, having shipped
with the insurgents, worked for them
from sunrise to sunset and after. Zeb
was something Of a politician and
knew whom to get at" He sought
his fellows on the parish committee
and lahored with them. Mrs. Mayo
and the doctors wife championed the
cause at sewing circle. They were
lively. those sewing meetings, and the
fur few. Didama Rogers and Lavinia