Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-10-05

interested in Uncle Joe and Miss
Amanda Parlow's love affair.
"Why didn't they get married-like
my papa and mamma? ?" she asked.
"Oh, goodness knows - exclaimed
Mrs. Gormley. "Some says twas his
fault and some says twas hern. And
mebbee twas third party's that l
might mention at that" added Mrs.
Gormley, pursuing up her lips in very
knowing way.
zone day." she said. growing conf
Dental, cit was in camp-meeting time
one day somebody seen Joe Stagg
drivin' out with another girl-Char-
lotte Lenny, that was. She was mar
ried TO a man over in Springdale long
ago. Mr.. Stage took Charlotte to
Faith camp meeting.
Then, the very next week, Mandy
went with Evan Peckham to barn
dance at Crocketts, and nobody amt
ever seen your uncle and Mandy Par
low speak since, much less ever walk
together"
One particularly muddy day Prince
met the returning hardware merchant
at the gate with vociferOus barkings
and a plain desire To implant a well
coming tongue on the mans cheek.
He succeeded in muddying Mr. Stages
suit with his front paws, and almost
cast the angry man full length into
mud puddle.
"Drat the beast!" calculated Mr..
Stage. I'D rather have an epileptic
fit loose around here than him. Now.
look at these clo'esl | declare, Car
lyn, you've jest got to tie that mongrel
up-and keep him tied :"
"All the time, Uncle Joe?" whis-
pered the little girl.
Eyes, ma'am, all the timel If I find
him loose again. I'll tie a bag of rocks
to his neck and drop him in the deep
est hole in the brook"
After this awful threat Prince lived
a precarious existence, and his mis-
tress was much worried for him.
Aunty Rose said nothing, but sic
saw that both the little girl and her
canine friend were very unhappy.
Mrs. Kennedy. however. had watch
ed Mr.. Joseph Stagg for years. In
deed, she had known him as a boy,
/ long before she had closed up her own
/ little cottage around on the other road
and come to the Stage place to save
! the hardware merchant from the con-
/ tinued reign Of those drifting crea-
/ lures of whom Mrs. Gormley had
/ spoken.
AS a bachelor Joseph Stagg had
| been pfeyed upon by certain female
! harpies so prevalent in a country COM
/ munity. Some had families whom they
partly supported out of Mr. Stages
/ larder; some We're widows who looked
upon the well-tO-do merchant as a
marrying proposition.
Aunty Rose Kennedy did not need
| the position of Mr. Stages housekeep-
er and could not be accused Of ASSUME
! ing it from mercenary motives. over
/ her back fence she had seen the havoc
| going on in the Stage homestead after
| Hannah Stagg went to the city and
! Joseph Stages final female relative
/ had died and left him alone in the big
/ house.
one day the old Quaker-like woman
could stand no more. She put on her
sHnbonngt, came around by the road
1 to the front door of the Stacg house,
/ which she found open, and walked
! through to the rear porch on which the
woman who then held the situation Of
/ housekeeper was wrapping up the best
! feather bed and pillows in Il pair of
the best homespun sheets, preparatory
/ to their removal.
The neighbors enjoyed what followed.
| Aunty Rose came through The ordeal
as dignifed and unruffled as ever; the
! retiring incumbent went away wrath,
fully, shaking the dust of the premises
from her garments as a testimony
against "any sich actions"
When Mr.. Stagg came home at sup
per time he found Aunty Rose at the
helm and already different mir about
the place.
Goodness me, Aunty Rose" he
said, biting into her biscuit rayenous~
~, Il was a-going down to the mill,
/ hands hotel to board l couldn't stand
it no longer. If you'd stay here and
do for me, I'd feel like rev man."
you ought to be made over into a
new man, Joseph Stagg," the woman
said sternly. "a married lnan."
"No. no! Never thatr gasped' the
hardware dealer.
'If l came here, Joseph Stage. it
would cost you more money than
you've been paying these no-account
women"
u don't care" said Mr.. Stage rccl
lessly. go ahead. Do what you
please. Say what you want I'm
game"
Thereby he had put himself into
Aunty Roses. power. She had reno
waited the old kitchen and some of the
other rooms If Mr.. Stagg at first
trembled for his bank balance, he was
made SO comfortable that he had not
the heart to murmur.
OF course. Carolyn May let Prince
run at large when she was sure Uncle
Joe was well out of sight Of the house.