The Miller Of Old Church

syrup for Reuben, who had a cold. Over the counter Mrs. Bottom, as she was still called from an hereditary respect for the house rather than for the husband, delivered a coarse

at last," she remarked in her cheerful voice, which sounded

hout them very well," repli

ever heard anything particular to thar credit as a sex-but po' things as we allow 'em to be, thar don't seem but one way to git along without 'em, an' that is to have 'em. It's sartain sure, however, that they fill a good deal mo' of yo' thought when they ain't around than when they are. Why, l

nough of marriage, Mrs. Bottom, t

on without hurtin' it-but a single wom

y, while I hav

ain't got many ye

o to Applegate and tr

th the po' miller splitt

They're like tha

n't he different no

d besides he'd always think

' call, it's a downright shame to die an old maid just from pure contrarine

h the crack in the door. Observing Molly, he spat a wad of tobacco over the hitching rail by the steps,

ow jest as we were spea

ith a nudge at M

re, as he entered. "I was gettin' my horse shod over thar at Tim Mallory's, an

led Betsey, who was possessed of the belief that it was her Christ

n't hurry your visit,"

bed for a week and I'm

you ain't any serious objection," remar

" she replied demurely, "yo

, I hope?" he inquired

caught cold staying in th

for you-I don't like

store into the sunken road which led in

k," he confessed after a minute, as if he

my cap or jacket-o

e worked rapidly up and down between the high points of his collar. "I mean," he stammered presently, "that I wouldn't have gone in if I hadn't seen tha

't interfere wi

you ever think of me, I wonder, at th

I don't know just what

eat cakes an' I've eaten a hearty meal an' feel kind of cosy an' comfo

at cakes, and I've always somethi

attend to just at that time. I don't like a woman that sets around idle after supper-an' I'm glad you're one to be brisk an' busy about the

have so many-bread

ma has always said that there wasn't any better bond for matr

der. She's had e

rd durin' the thirty years of their marriage, an' she always said she ruled him not with the tongue, bu

e isn't. She has giv

d of preachin' about." For a moment he considered the fact as though impressed anew by its importance. "I'm

was nice of h

ain't her way to say pleasant things when she can help it. Y

aking trouble for you, I know that

e same way, I am sure. I've watched you

ve I am-with

as you,'-I mean, of course, if the right man got you to marry him,-but 'tis all the same in the end." Again he paused, c

Hallo

ew I felt so from the

help the way

about askin' you for more than a year-ever since you smiled

e quite for

But that put the idea in my head anyway an' I've

person, at all. I'm not

ble hard just the same. You see I can always keep an eye on the exp

is grasp, and he stood eyeing it rue

never, never to m

t way about the other's but I thought

't like," she responded, shaking her head. "It

t, an' goes against God an' nature," he ans

I don't really mind it very much. Please gi

yin' over your state of mind, an' that I

the glove, she glanced roguishly from his fac

ered, composing her expression to demure

, to the crumbling porch of Solomon's house. At the door a bright new gig, with red wheels, caught her eye, an

nt; for he had come into the world endowed with an infallible instinct for the commonplace. In any profession he would have won success as a shining light of mediocrity, since the ruling motive of his conduct was less the ambition to excel than the moral inability to be peculiar. His mind was small and solemn, and he had worn three straight and unyielding wrinkles across his forehead in his earnest endeavou

hought was sufficient time to recover her composure. "If you are returning shortly, perhaps I

"I came to speak to Judy, and then I am to stop at the mill to borrow

urry, I beg of you. It is gratifying to me to find that you have so soon taken my

him for a moment, and something in her eyes rendered unnec

h good advice

face, breaking through the prof

dy this morning," she add

now, as I have said before, there is no hurry, but i

ance, over the red wheel to the shining black seat of the gig, which smelt of leather and varnish. After he had taken his place beside her he tucked in the laprobe c

an air that was at once amorous and ministerial, a manner of implyi

d when they had rolled between the s

are always so thou

ughtfulness-or consideration, I sh

one to Applegate as you intended to, I said to myself

d grey eyes grew sof

t of kindness,'" he returned, "since you your

't mean it? Wh

riage, you entreated me to allow you a little time in which to accustom yourself to my proposa

nk I really love

rds-and your eyes have told me, all un

love your se

is nothing in my life, I tru

ut honestly and truly, I do

ce, with the manner of a gentleman and the infallibility of an apostle. Doubt of his perfect fitness for either vocation had never entered his head. Had it done so he would proba

solemn intelligence, she wondered seriously if he would, in spite of al

ou think me, Mr. Mullen-I don

t is that you love me. As our greatest poet has express

you really-really car

his free hand on hers while h

th," he replied gently, "but after you have become

e's the mill and Abel looking out of the window. Please, please don't sit

e as circumspect as she in hi

my hoping that you will accept my proposal," he remarked

t me get down now, you m

st her, she hurried, under Abel's eyes, to the porch, where Blossom