Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-01-12

Atulk hain't a thing to carry her to
Boston on except her two feet"
A relieved expression stole over
Eliza's face. She was not one to deal
out money freely.
And what's MORE" continued Bet
sey, ''she knows her aunt is dreadful
dressy, and she'd cut a pretty figure in
Boston without a decent dud to her
back" Betsey finished impressiyely.
And you. see to it that she don't have
unless she'll marry Zed!"
Mrs. Willet sat bolt upright. why,
Belts, you don't mean
Eyes, 1 do" interrupted Betsey. It'll
fetch her If anything will" And the
friends were closeted together in close
conversation for an hour longer.
The farsighted Betsey gave Zed a
full month in which to think over his
prospects concerning the meadow
lands. Then she forced him to a de-
cision.
'sThat mar Skinner was here yester-
day." she remarked casually, Ito see
about buyin' the medder lots. | told
him I'd let him know in ten days what
would be lone with them medders. /
told him l was thinkin' of givin' 'em
to my son, but If he didn't want EN-"
significantly. I'D sell 'em to him."
Zed's upper lip twitched, and he took
a firm hold of the nape of his neck,
but he made 40 reply until nine and
one-half days later. Then he stopped,
swill pail in hand, and asked gruffly,
MA, when you goin' to begin that
there house on the medders?"
"Just as soon as the frost is out of
Ser it's got to be used by the last of
September"
She had won. She FASTENED to tell
Eliza. The latter was pleased, but she
looked actually pale.
"Ain't my plan with Atulky work
in'?" asked Betsey anxiously.
Mrs. Willet groaned. "Workin'r' she
calculated. Its workin' M to death.
Why, that girl keeps me all of a trem-
BILE. | don't know where we're comm
out. Last Monday she says, says she,
Ma, if l marry Zed I'll have Aunt
Atulky cit me a black silk coat lined
with white satin Listen to that, Bet
sey Agnew, And l gave in. Tuesday
she come in and says: Ma, If l marry
Zed you've got to git me a bow of
furs. l won't have him without EN-
Just hear that, Belts! And l give in.
And yesterday she says: Ma, I'm goin'
to have one of them long lace fishers.
Aunt Atulky says they're all the rage
And, Belts, l give in. Now, where am
l goin' to stop givin' in?" Mrs. Willet
applied her handkerchief to her eyes
and wept.
Eyes, yes, Elizy, l know it's hard"
responded Betsey, with the light of vic
tory in her eyes, "but it's worth all that
to have our own way where people
think we can't. Now l must hurry
along and hire the carpenters. By the
way" with her hand on the doorknob,
I'm goin' to send Zed over Sunday
night to set up with Atulk."
Eliza groaned afresh. "Of course it's
got to be done. but it'll mean another
silk dress out of me, as likely as not.
before she'll set up"
Zed "set up" Sunday night with his
prospective bride-that is, he sat In
n cOrne of the large parlor and
blinked at the lamp. He held himself
down by means of his toes hooked
around the hind legs of the straight
backed chair on which he sat. Mrs.
Willet, with a face full Of anxiety.
had received him and Immediately re-
tired and closed the door behind her.
A commotion began at once upstairs
and down. Zed grinned appreciative-
ly until the door few open and Atulka
projected herself into the room and,
without so much as casting her scorn-
full eyes on Zed. fOunced into a. chair
in the farther corner, pressed her nose
against the w~indowpane. stared fix
edly out into the darkness and chewed
gum.
Zed sat patiently until the hands of
the clock designated the hour specified
by Betsey and then tool his silent de-
parture. He nearly fell yer Mrs. Will
let, whose ear had been applied to the
keyhole in order hat she might report
progress to Mrs. Agnew the following
day.
There was no word for her to report.
nor was there until September, until
the house was finished and the we'd
ding day set, until Zed's upper lip had
been permanently twisted sidewise in
disgust and Atulka had secured such a
tr%ousseau as no one in the county had
ever had before. Then Mrs. Willet had
a report to make n Monday morning.
1t was not much, but it excited and de-
lighted both mothers.
"They talked!' Mrs. Willet ex-
claimed.
"Now the Lord be praised!' cried
Betsey, piously sinking into a rocking
chair. What'd they say?"
Mrs. Willet shook her head. 81
couldn't make out a word, they talked
SO low"
II should like to know" said Betsey
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