nth in lieu of wages; and that
in ease of his death occurring first she was to have a third of his
estate, and the whole of it if at the time of his decease he was still
pleased with his bargain. The only points in this contract that the
Deacon really understood were that he was paying only five dollars a
month for a housekeeper to whom a judge had offered twelve; that, as he
had expected to pay at least eight, he could get a boy for the remaining
three, and so be none the worse in pocket; also, that if he could keep
his daughters from getting his money, he didn't care a hang who had
it, as he hated the whole human race with entire impartiality. If Jane
Tillman didn't behave herself, he had pleasing visions of converting
most of his fortune into cash and having it dropped off the bridge
some dark night, when the doctor had given him up and proved to his
satisfaction that death would occur in the near future.

All this being harmoniously settled, the Deacon drove away, and caused
the announcement of his immediate marriage to be posted directly below
that of Waitstill and Ivory Boynton.

"Might as well have all the fat in the fire to once," he chuckled.
"There won't be any house-work done in this part of the county for a
week to come. If we should have more snow, nobody'll have to do any
shovellin', for the women-folks'll keep all the paths in the village
trod down from door to door, travellin' round with the news."

A "spite match," the community in general called the Deacon's marriage;
and many a man, and many a woman, too, regarding the amazing publishing
notice in the frame up at the meeting-house, felt that in Jane Tillman
Deacon Baxter had met his Waterloo.

"She's plenty good enough for him," said Aunt Abby Cole, "though I know
that's a terrible poor compliment. If she thinks she'll ever break into
s'ciety here at the Falls, she'll find herself mistaken! It's a mystery
to me why the poor deluded man ever done it; but ain't it wonderful the
ingenuity the Lord shows in punishin' sinners? I couldn't 'a' thought
out such a good comeuppance myself for Deacon Baxter, as marryin' Jane
Tillman! The thing that troubles me most, is thinkin' how tickled the
Baptists'll be to git her out o' their meetin' an' into ourn!"

XXXV. TWO HEAVENS

AT the very moment that Deacon Baxter was I starting out on his quest
for a housekeeper, Patty and Mark drove into the Mason dooryard and the
sisters flew into each other's arms.