Year: 1860

sot apart for time of fasting aad praying.
don't know as Fast Day is any holier than any
other day /; and what good there is in going
without your breakfast and dinner, for the sake
of stuffing yourself to death at supper, is more
than | can see into. Howsomever, s'pose it's
all right, for the custom is as old as the hills.


"But this particular Fast didn't feel myself
under no obligation at all to keep. Pm publi-
can, maturity, and Governor Sanders wasa dimy-
crat. and warn't bound to pay attention to a
dimmycratic appointment So got my wheel
out, and went to spinning jest the same as though
nothing was happening. was spinning stocking
yarn to foot pair of stockings for yer uncle
that was before he'd bid adoo to this vail Of
tears-and my wheel flew round like top. II
do say it, Pve seen the time when l wouldn't
turn my back to the President for spinning.
could run out the thread as fine as silk. and not
a knot or bad place in whole skein. It's quite
an art to spin right we'll, and have the yarn oil
the way alike.


"The folks went by to meeting, and of all the
staring at the windows when they heerd my
wheel l thought Polly Green would turn her.
self inside out, she stretched and tp-toed so to
get peep in to see what was up to. Polly
Green is worse than the fever and egg that they
have out West She's bound to know everything
that takes place in the neighborhood, and if she
can't find it out she's Jest like person setting
on darning needles. There can't dog go by her
house but she's in torment to know who he be-
III
gound without her knowledge, she'd turn green
and yeller with disappointment. But kept on
o spinning-determined not to pay no respect to
q dimmycrat Fast Day, and kinder thinking I'd
act all day jest as bad as | could.


"Yer cousin Ellen was here a-visiting at that
time and her beau, Edward Smith, come down
from Bagvile almost every night to pay his
dresses to her. He arrived Fast Day morning
airly, and sed that there was going to be ball
at Bagville that evening, and he'd come to invite
Ellen and to go. He'd carry us up in shay,
if we'd promise Ellen said yes, of course but
didn't know hardly what to think of it.
didn't know as it would be exactly prosperous for
church member to attend ball. l asked yer
uncle about it, and he said what was sass for
the goose was sass for the gander.' | asked him
what he meant by that, and he said he meant
that if it warn't no hurt for one to go, he didn't
see as twas for another If / wanted to show
off to the Bagvile folks he guessed ! shouldn't
have better opportunity. Ellen was crazy for
me to go--it would be such fine fun, she said
So to please her, told Edward that I'd 'compa-
ny EN- He seemed as ticked as could be, and
by the way, niece, that young Smith is a nice
chap, and he has got the very beau idea of q
nose-a lniment of the physiology that admire
and do hope when you are married, your hus
band will be blest with an ofactory jest like his'n
A pretty nose is quite setting out to an indivd
ual s face.


"Ellen was we'll pleased because I'd decided
to go to the ball-you know she's a funny hand
at a scrape, and of all the critters to carry on
She beats the Dutch IL wouldn't be possible
for anybody to have the dispepsy, nor indisgus.
tion when she's round, she's so full of sperits.
She pearts me up when she comes here jest as a
shower in the summer time does the grass. She 8
a eetle too fond of fun--apt to reticule every
body that don't do as they ought to. Why, last
winter she actilly latled right out in prayer
meeting while Deacon Ross was a speaking, be.
cause the deacon said that If there warn't but
one person in heaven he meant to be that one,
and injoy hisself all alone and he guessed when
the rest of us come that way we should find out
that he spake the truth.


al nudged Ellen to try to keep her STILL but
it didn't do no good, she giggled right out, and
the deacon he raised his hands above his head,
and cried out:


"The Lord have mercy on that scornful sin.
ncr, and show her how wicked it is to laff at the
Christian religion'


al wasn't lafing at the Christian religion,
says Ellen as quiet as could be, L was a--lafing
at Deacon Ross


"'The same thing says Deacon Ross. bridling


al beg your PARDON says she. Il don't see
any connection between the two


"My goodness! You'd ought to have seen
the deacon's face if it warn't redder'n beet
then miss my guess. The fact of it was, ye see,
Ellen had hit pretty near the truth, for Deacon
Ross is about the biggest hippycrit that ever
seed, and that is saying considerable for him.
He's the meanest man in town. He don't mind
taking the best eend of the bargain away from
everybody, and then he'll lie to git out OF it.
He makes the longest -winded prayers of all the
meeting. gOers and I've no doubt but he needs
'em bad enuff though they don't seem to do him
much good, for he's alters asking to be made
perfect, and it appears to me as ii he is further
from it than ever. Don't say word about It
don't want to have the name of talking about
folks, specially church members.


"Wall, to come back to the point. Ellen said
must dress up in my go-to meetingabes, and
wear my best cap with blue ribblns; felt con
siderable worked up about going-l couldn't see
nv way exactly clear to go, but [ d promised,
and that settled the matter. What l promise
I'll perform. If a persons word amt good FOR
anything, what trust can you put 10 him


% Vest afore sunset we got ready. Ellen was
dressed in white, with her hair curling all over
her neck az usual; wore green and red plaid
silk aound, a black velvet belt ribbin, pinned
with gold bosom pin, white muslin collar,
and black bead brasle Ellen said l must
keen my gloves ONT warn't genteel to go 70 a
ball bare -handed-and minded her, but was in
a continual fever all the time, for the right hand
one had an awful great big hole rite In the palm
of it, and was obleeged to keep that hand out
of sight for fear somebody would see the hole.
If there's anything | hate, it's a hole in glove
or stocking-it don't look respectable.


"Mr. Smith he come after us with handsome
boss and ebay, and was as perlite as basket OF
chips and that nose of his looked lovelier than
ever. When we arrived the hall was full OF
people, and all lighted up with chandeliers and
kreosote lamps 1t looked mighty grand tell
YOU. | thought of the palaces that I'D read
about, and the Queen of Sheba's granduer, and
| almost thought I'd got among 1t.


"Smith showed us a place to take off our bon
nits and shawls, and when we'd hung 'em up and
slicked up our heads little, he come and squart-
ed us into the ballroom. was kinder frustrated,
for this was my depot into fashionable society,
and was distressing afraid should make some
blunder. Ellen was as composed as though she
was setting in rocking chair at home, and Ed