Page:Peterson Magazine 1869B.pdf/137

 EBENEZER’S COURTSHIP.

BY MES. G. J. BEEBE.

‘‘Filindy Ann! dew come here to the winder and see if ye know whose shirred sun-buanit and gingham umbrell that is a comin’ up the lane. No ye needn’t, nuther. I see now—it’s Miss Greenland. Seems to me she’s gittin’ proud in her old age; that bunnit’s a new one, and she’s kivered her sunshade over.

‘‘She’s comin’ to spend the afternoon, and she’ll have to go in the spare bed-room to take off her things. Run, Filindy Ann, quick! and put on the pine-apple bed-quilt, and the piller- cases with the weepin’-willer worked onto ’em in yaller silk. Come, now, don’t git staggernated!

‘Law suz, I never! I hain’t the least idee but what the dust’s an inch thick in t’other room, and there ain’t a speck o’ sugar-cake in the house, nuther. And Miss Greenland’s sich an oncommon pecooler pusson, she'd go rite hum agin, ef she thought she was makin’ any- body trouble.

“I guess Filindy Ann kin make the cake. I'll slip oit a minit and see she don’t put in salt-petre instid o’ pearlash, and sweeten the apple- sass with that yarb-tea instid o’ merlasses.

“My sakes! I thought ye was goin’ to stay all day. Air ye sure ye didn’t put the bed-quilt on crossways, nor, the piller-cases,t’other end up? Well, run out now, and wash up,the kittles, and put over some bilin’ water.

‘‘Good-afternoon, Miss Greenland! Walk rite in t’other room and pull off yer things. I hain’t seen ye look so well in all my recollection.

“Thank you, Mrs. Stubbs, my health has always been‘of the most excellent quality. I think the afternoon is extremely sultry. , Oh! do not inconvenience yourself with regard to my apparel; allow it to remain on this chair, it will then be in extreme proximity when I am preparing to take up my departure.”

“Law, Miss Greenland, come into the bedroom, and put ’em here on the bed.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Stubbs. If it will not cause trouble, I think I will do so, and also arrange my ringlets before the mirror.”

‘Now don’t be afeard o’ makin’ trouble, Miss Greenland, fur when I hev company, I allers like to make ’em-comfortable. So set down in this arm-theer.””

“Oh! — me, Mrs. Stubbs, I wouldn’t for a moment entertain the idea of depriving you of your accustomed seat.”

“Now you jest take this cheer, Miss Greenland, and I’ll bring in mine from the settin’- room, and see what Filindy Ann’s up to. I'll be rite back.”

“These servants, Mrs. Stubbs, are enough to discourage a person of the most gigantic nerves from attempting to regulate her household affairs properly.”

“Filindy Ann! where be ye? Sure, now, ye didn’t wash them kittles in cold water, and wipe pour bilin’ water on that dish-cloth, it looks as ef you’d been takin’ up ashes with it, instid 0’ usin’ the shovel.
 * em on the cup-towel? Now, here, you jest

«Law suz! jest you come here, and see ef that ain’t uncle Ebenezer’s nose a stalkin’ up through the medder.. It is! I thought I couldn’t be mistaken in that nose o’ his’n, though ef I'ds seen it anywhere else, I should sartinly hev took it fur a seed-cucumber.

“I declare ef that ain’t enuff to discourage a pusson. He's the most confirmedest old bachelor I know of, and she’s the most confirmedest old maid. I’ll tell ye what I’ll do, I'll git ’em in the spare room together, and then I'll slip out and see about gittin’ tea.

“There he is now, comin’ up the back stoop. Run, Filindy Ann, and let him in through the wood-house, and don’t tell him there’s anybody here.

‘‘How de do, Ebenezer! No, Enos has gone down to, the village, but I’m expectin’ him hum every minat, Let’s go in t’other room, it’ cooler there, and the flies ain’t so thick, nuther.”

“Well, I don’t keer ef I do, fur the sun's powerful to-day.”

“I hope you didn’t git tired o’ wa‘tin’, Miss Greenland; husband's brother Ebenezer’s come, and husband ain’t got hum yet. I guess we'll hev to entertain him awhile.”

“Why, Sophier Stubbs, is that you? What do ye s’pose I’ve done? I’ve sent yer uncle Ebenezer hum with Miss Greenland!”

“Oh, aunt Lizy!” ’

“It’s a fact, and I'll tell ye how it onm. Ye see I was a settin’ by the winder, this afternoon, and I seen sombody a comin’ up the lane, and first I didn’t know who it was, but purty

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