Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-01-25

corner Of her apron she remarked to
herself:
well, I suppose am glad, mighty
glad; but somehow It isn't the jolliest
thing in the world to have ones
friends get married. They are never
the same again; and in ten times out
Of six the lady In the case is Jealous
Of her husbands friends, and tries to
make trouble. 1t takes a lady saint
to share her husbands interests with
anybody, and maybe she amt to
blame. Well, the next thing In order
is to fix up the rectory in six weeks.
The best way to repair that thing is
with a match and some real good ker-
osene and a few shavings; however,
! think Pll set Jonathan Jackson to
work this afternoon, and go around
and interview the vestry myself"
Jonathan proved resignedly obed-
lent to Hepsey's demands, but the yes.
try clustered and scolded, because
they had not been consulted in the
matter, until Hepsey said she would
be glad to receive any contribution
they might choose to offer; then they
relapsed into innocuous desuetude
and talked crops.
AS soon as the repairs were well
under way, the whole town was wild
with gossip about Maxwell and Miss
Bascom. II he were going to occupy
the rectory, the necessary inference
was that he was going to be married,
as he surely would not contemplate
keeping bachelors hall by himself. At
last Virginia had attained the
height of her ambition and captured
the rector! Consequently she was the
center of interest in every social gath
ering, although, as the engagement
had not been formally announced, no
one felt at liberty to congratulate her
To any tentative and insinuating ad
vances in this direction Virginia re-
piled by non-committal smiles, capa
BILE of almost Interpretation; and the
seeker after information was none the
wiser.
Mrs. Roscoe Jones, by virtue OF her
long intimacy with Hepsey and her
assured social position in Durford' s
thirty gentry, felt that she was enti-
tied to some definite information; and
SO as they walked back from church
one Wednesday afternoon, she re.
marked:
II hear that the parish is going to
repair the rectory, and that you are
taking great interest In 1t. You must
be on very intimate terms with Mr..
Bascom and the vestry."
"Well, not exactly. Bascom and
haven't held hands in the dark for
some time; but I'm going to do what
| can to get the house in order for Mr..
MAXWELL
II wonder where the money Is com.
ing from to complete the work? 1t
seems to me that the whole parish
ought to be informed about the mat
ter, and share in the work; but i sup
pose Mr.. Bascom's shouldering 1t all
since there's been no effort to raise
money by having fair"
81 really don't know much about II
as yet, Sarah. OF course Bascom's
charitable work is mostly done in Sc
cret, so that nobody ever finds out
lie is a modest man and wouldn't like
TO be caught in the act of signing 9
check for anybody else. II might
seem SNOWY"
Eyes, l understand,'' Mrs. Roscoe
Jones retorted dryly; "but under the
circumstances, that is"
"Under what circumstances" Mrs
Burke inquired quickly.
"Oh, considering that Mr.. BascoE
is Virginia's father and would wan
to make her comfortable, you know
mo, l don't know. I'm awful stuplt
about some things. You must have dis
covered that before.'
"Now Hepsey, what is the use O
beating around the bush like this
You must know the common GOSSIP
OF the town, and you must be in MI
MaXwell's confidence. What shall
say when people ask me If he Is en-
gagged to Virginia Bascom?"
Tell 'em you don't know blesse
thing about it. What else can you tel
'em? You might tell 'em that you trie,
tn pump me and the pump wouldn'
work cause it needed packin'."
After this Mrs. Roscoe Jones fel
, that there was nothing left for her L
10 but retire from the scene: so sh
crossed the road.
When Mrs. Burke began the actua
work on the rectory she quickly res
i2ed what she had to cope with. TIL
warkmen Of Durford had pleasin
habit of accepting all Offers OF worl
tnd promising anything, and making
! start SO as to get the job: and ther
7 aaving upset the whole premises, the
1 promptly "lit out" for parts unknown
in order TO get another job. and D
: mortal knew when they would return
, It always seemed promising and hopt
j f'il TO see laboring man arrive in hi
! veralls with his dinner pail and tool
r at seven; but when two hours late
he had vanished, not to return, It wa