The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-04-06

deepening, didn't the gals say yew
was a 'spectin' somebody terday? Law,
I amt saw Cap'n Sam1 fer ten year
or more. / guess on these here pop
PIN trips o. his'n he hain't wastin'
time on no men-folks. But, Blossy,
yew better give me a chance ter talk
to him this AFTERNOON, an mebbe I'll
speak a good word fer yer"
Blossy, not always keen to see a
joke, and with her vanity now In the
ascendent, felt the color rise into her
withered cheek.
ooh, you needn't take the trouble
to speak good word for me. Any
man who could ever write letter like
this doesn't need to be coaxed. Just
listen:
The man you take for a mate is the
iuckiest dog in the whole round world. Pe
rather be him than king of all the coun-
tries on earth. I'd rather be him than
strike gold mine reaching from here to
China. I'd rather be him than master OF
the finest vessel that ever sailed blue wa
ter. That's what I would. Why, the man
who couldn't be happy with you would
spill tears all over heaven.
no longer with pique. Her voice qua.
vered and broke; and finally there fell
upon the faded page Of the letter two
sparkling tears.
| Abraham shuff1ed uncomfortably
from one foot to the other; then, nut.
| tering something about the "pesky
| apple hook" went scuff1ng across the
floor in the direction of the chimney.
Blossy, however, called him back.
81 was crying, Brother Abe, because
the man l did take for mate once
was not happy, and-and neither was
I. I was utterly wretehed: so that
! I've always felt I never cared to
marry again. And-Samueps wig is
always slipping down over one eye.
and simply cannot endure that trick
he has Of carrying his head to one
side, as if he had left-hsnded spell
of the humps. 1t nearly drives me
| frantic.
Brother Abe, now tell me honestly:
| do you think he would make a good
husband?"
Abe cleared his throat. Blossy was
| In earnest. Blossy could not be
laughed at. She was hts friend, and
Angy's friend; and she had come to
him as to q brother for advice. He,
too. had known Samuel as man to
man, which was more than any OF
the sisters could say.
Stroking his beard thoughtfully,
| therefore, he seated himself upon a
| convenient wooden chegt, while Blossy
| slipped her old love letter in and out
| OF the envelope, with that essentially
| feminine manner OF weighing and con-
| sidering
'Naow," began Abe at length, this
| Is somep'n that requires keerful de-
| batin'. Fust off, haowsomever, yew
| must remember that wigs an ways
never made man yit- Ez l rfccoleo'
| SamI, he was pooty good ez men go.
should say he wouldn't be any more
of a risk tew yew than l was tew
| Angy; mebbe less. He's got quite a
| leetle laid by, I understand, an a
| tidy story-an' -a-half house, an front
| stoop, an, by golly, can't he cook!
He's a splendid housekeeper."
sHousewifery," remarked Blossy
sagely, as she began to gather her mis-
sives together, sis an accomplishment
| not In an old one. They say there
| hasn't been a woman inside Samuel q
house since he built 1t, but it's az
clean as soap and sand can make it. "
II bet yer" agreed Abe. "Hain't
never been no fly inside it, neither,
warrant yer. Fly can't light artex
! Sam'Ps cleanin' up nohaow; he's got
| ter skate"
He says he built that little house
for me-" said the old lady, as she
closed down the lid of the trunk. There
was wistful note in Blossy's voice,
which made Abraham declare with a
burst Of sympathy:
"'Tain't no disgrace ter git married
at no time of life. SAINTS a good per.
WIDER; why don't yew snap him up
terday? Well miss yew a lot; but
Here's the apple picker right over
your head. interrupted Blossy tartly,
and Abe felt himself peremptorily dis.
missed
Scarcely had he left the attic, how.
! ever than shes too, FASTENED down the
steep, narrow stairs. She spent the
remaining hours before train time In
| DOMINIC her beautiful lace gown, and
| In making the woman within 1t as
young and ravishing as possible And
| lovely, indeed, Blossy looked this day,
with a natural flush of excitement on
her cheek, a new sparkle in her bright,
dark eyes, and with her white hair ar.
ranged in fashion which might have
| excited a young girls envy.
The hour for the train came and
went. and, 10! for the first time In the
history of twenty years Captain Darby
did not appear.
Blossy pretended to be relieved, pro
testing that she was delighted to find
that she would now have an extra
hour in which to ponder the question.
| But the second train came and went.
| and still no Captain Darby.
All the afternoon long Blossy wore
| her lace gown, thinking although there
were no more trains from the east.
| ward that day, that Samuel would still
| find his way to her. He might drive
as he usually did in June, or he might
even walk from his home at Twin
| Coves, she said.