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Page 22
"Well, now, Mr. Reynolds," rejoined Mrs. Younker, "I'm a considerable
older woman nor you ar--that is, I mean to say, I'm a much older
individule--and I 'spect I've had in my time some lettle experience
in matters that you don't know nothing about; and so you musn't go to
thinking hard o' me, ef I give you a lettle advice, and tell you to
stay right whar you ar, and not stir a single step away for three
weeks;--'cause ef you do, your wound may get rupturous agin, and in
some lone place jest carry you right straight off into the shader o'
the valley of death--as our good old Rev. Mr. Allprayer used to say,
when he wanted to comfort the sick. O, dear good man he war, Preacher
Allprayer,"--continued the voluble old lady, with a sigh, her mind now
wholly occupied with his virtues--"dear good man he war! I jest
remember--Lor bless ye, I'll never forgit it--how he come'd to me when I
war sick--with tears a running out o' his eyes like he'd been eating raw
inyuns, poor man--and told me that I war going to die right straight
away, and never need to hope to be no better; and that I'd most likely
go right straight to that orful place whar all bad folks goes to. O, the
dear man! I never could help always liking him arter that--it made me
feel so orful narvous and religious like. Why, what on yarth be you
grinning at agin, Isaac?--jest for all the world like a monkey for?"
"Nothing, mother," answered Isaac, nearly choking with smothered
laughter; "only I war jest kind o' thinking what a kind comforter Mr.
Allprayer war, to tell you you couldn't live any longer; and that when
you died you'd jest go right straight to--to--"
"Silence! you irrelevant boy, you!" (irreverent was doubtless meant)
interrupted the dame, angrily: "How dare you to go making fun o' the
pious Rev. Mr. Allprayer?--him as used to preach all Sunday long, and
pray all Sunday night, and never did nothing wrong--though he did git
turned out o' the meeting house arterward for getting drunk and
swearing; but then the poor man cried and said it were nothing but a
accident, which hadn't happened more nor ten times to him sence he'd bin
a preacher of the everlasting gospel. Thar, thar, the crazy head's a
giggling agin! I do wish, Ben, you'd see to Isaac, and make him behave
himself--for he's got so tittery like, sence he's axed Peggy, thar's no
use o' trying to do nothing with him."
"Isaac! Isaac!" said his father with a reproving glance; and, as though
that voice and look possessed a spell, the features of the young man
instantly became grave, almost solemn. Then turning to Algernon, the old
man continued: "As to leaving us, Mr. Reynolds, you of course know your
own business best, and it arn't my desire to interfere; but ef you could
put up with our humble fare, say a week or ten days longer, I think as
how it would be much better for you, and would give us a deal of
pleasure besides."
"Why, I'll jest tell you what tis," put in Isaac: "I've fixed on you for
groomsman, and I arn't a going to gin in no how; so unless you want to
quarrel; you'll have to stay; and more'n that, it's spected you'll see
to takin Ella thar; for I know she don't like to go with any o' the
fellers round here; and I shall gin out she's going with you; which may
be won't hurt your feelings none--at any rate, I know it won't hers."
At the mention of Ella, Algernon crimsoned to the eyes, and became so
exceedingly confused, that he could with difficulty stammer forth, by
way of reply, the query as to the time when the important event was
expected to take place.
"Let me see," answered Isaac, telling off the days on his fingers:
"to-morrow's Friday; then Saturday's one, Sunday's two, Monday's three,
and Tuesday's four--only four days from to-morrow morning, Mr. Reynolds."
"Then, as you so urgently insist upon it," rejoined Reynolds, "I will
postpone my departure till after the wedding."
Isaac thanked him cordially, and the father and mother looked gratified
at the result; Ella he could not see--she having withdrawn from the
table, as previously noted. Some further conversation ensued relative to
the manner in which weddings were conducted in that country, and the
design of proceeding with the one in question; but as we intend the
reader to be present at the wedding itself, we shall not detail it.
We will remark here, by the way, that the stranger seemed to take a
singular interest in all that was said concerning the residence of the
intended bride, the road the party were expected to take to reach there,
their probable number, manner of travel, and the time when they would be
likely to set forth and return. In all this it was observed by Algernon,
that whenever he asked a question direct, it was put in such a careless
manner as would lead one not otherwise suspicious to suppose him
perfectly indifferent as to whether it were answered or not; but he
somehow fancied, he scarce knew why, that there was a strong under
current to this outward seeming. And furthermore he observed, that the
stranger in general avoided putting a question at all--rather seeking
his information by conjecturing or supposing what would immediately be
contradicted or confirmed. This mode of interrogation, so closely
followed up to every particular, yet apparently with such indifference,
together with the stranger's treacherous look and several minor things
all bearing a suspicious cast, more than half convinced Algernon that
the other was a spy, and that some foul play was assuredly meditated;
though what, and to whom, or for what purpose, he was at a loss to
determine.
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