Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-12-14

you're tust oh ick fall az lcornin',
clean up to yoIr back teeth; but We
won't any Of ne know the difference.
Most city parsons preach about things
that are ten miles over the heads of
us country people. You can't imagine
how little thinkin' most Of us do up
here. We're moro troubled with DO
tato bugs than We are with doubts;
and you'll have to learn lot about
M before you really get down to bus
mess, suess.'
"Yes, I expect to learn more from
you than you will from me. That's
one Of the reasons why wanted to
come 30 far out in the country"
Him! 1 hope you won't be disap
pointed"
Mrs. Burke adjusted her glasses
and gazed interestedly about the room
J at some pictures and decorations
which Maxwell had placed in position,
and inquired.
"Who is the plaster lady and gen.
tleman standin' on the mantlepiecer
1.-THE Venus de Milo. and the
Hermes Of Praxiteles.''
"Well, you know, just can't help
preferrin' ladies and gentlemen with
arms and legs, myself. suppose It's
real cultivated to learn to like parts
of people done in marble Maybe when
go down to the city next fall to buy
my trousseau, I'll buy few plastcrs
myself, to make the house look more
cheerful like"
Maxwell caught at the word "trnus.
seau," and as Mrs. Burke had spoSen
quite seriously he asked:
Are you going to be married, Mrs.
Durke?"
"No such thing! But when hand
some young widow like me lives alone
| frisky and siXty-ish with six lonesome
awkward widowers in the same school
district, you can never tell what
might happen any minute; In time
of peace prepare for war; as the pa
per says"
Maxwell laughed reassurinsly.
II don't see why you laugh" Mrs.
Burke responded. chuckling to her
SELF "Taint polite to look surprised
when woman says she's goin' to get
married. Every woman under ninety
eight has expectations. While there's
life there's hope that some man will
make fool of himself But unless
miss my guess, you don't catch Inc
surrenderin' my independence. As
long as have enough to eat and am
well, I'm contented."
"You certainly look the picture of
health, Mrs. Burke"
"Oh, yes! as well as could be ex-
pected, when I'm just recoverin' from
visit from Mary Sam"
"What sort of visitor is that?"
asked Maxwell, laughing.
MARY Sam is my sister-in-lay. She
| spends a month with me every year
on her own invitation. She is what
| you'd call hardy annual. She is the
most stingy and narrow minded wo-
man l ever saw. The bark on the trees
hangs in double box plaits as compar-
ed with Mary Sam. But got the best
of her last year, While l was cleanin'
the attic l came across the red paste
board sign with Scarlet Fever paint
ed on it, that the Board of Health put
ON the house when Mickey had the
fever three years ago. The very next
day | was watchin' the bus comm up
Main street, when l saw Mary Sans
solferino bonnet bobbin up ana down
inside. Before she got to the house,
l sneaked out and pinned up the sign,
right by the front door. She got onto
the piazza, bag, baggage, and brown
paper bundles, before she caught sight
of 1t. Then / wish you could have
seen her face: l wouldn't have be-
lieved so much could be done with so
few features"
"She didn't linger long?" laughed
the parson, who continued arranging
his books while his visitor chatted
"Linger? Well, not exactly. She
turned tail and run lickety-spindle
back for the bus as if she had caught
sight of a subscription paper for for
egn missions. l heard Jim Anderson,
who drives the bus, snicker as he
helped her in again, but he didn't give
me away. Jim and | are good friends.
But when she got home she wrote TO
Sally Ramsdale to ask how Mickey
was; and Sally, not bein' on to the
game, wrote back that there was moth
in the matter with Mickey that she
knew of. Then Mary Sam wrote me
the impudentest letter ever got; and
she came right back, and stayed two
months instead of one, just to be
mean. But that signs done good ser
vice since. I've scared off agents
and tramps by the score. always
hang 1t in the parlor window when
I'm away from home"
"But suppose your house caught
fire while you're away?'
"Well, I've thought of that; but
there's worse things than fire if your
insurance is all right"
Mrs. Burke relapsed into silence
for a while, until Maxwell opened q