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 probasolemn 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