Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-05-06
VAR | E 7 Y.
The Young Man who had to ak the
] Whole Family.

Whole Family.
Upin Montgomery county, State Of y.
York, there lived, some dozen years since,
an old fellow, named Menard, who, by the
way belonged to that extensive class Of
characters who are extremely fond of the
hardware" and who spend most of their
time in "cussing''. Old jake, as he was
called, was also a member of the neyer-to-
be-sufl;ciently- order of hem
peckad husbands, being yoked TO deter
mined shrew who had acquired complete
control over him, so that black and white
could not afford stronger contrast than
Old Jake at home and Old Jake abroad
In his own Mansion he was nobody, do
mestic cypher, a nonentity; and at the bar
room, that " platform of equal rights" he
was one of the pillars of State, OF, as he
was wont to express it, one of the ''ground
sills of fsie constitution" Mrs. Menard,
though she exacted implicit obedience from
her liege lord, was propoftionately submis-I
sve TO an over-grown boy whom she called
her "darlng Johnny" whose very agreeable
manners beneath the paternal roof clearly
"defined his position," to wit, that of mon
arch ofaII he surveyed his word was law
and gospel with the old lady, las she had more
t,an once felt the force of his passionate
outbreaks.
= One more figure will complete this inter
csiing group. Amelia Ann, the daughter,
+ was rather pretty girl--ycry lively, and in
every respect the reverse OF her ylllanous
looking brother. So much by way of pre-
limnaries.
1t happened that was spending one Of.
the long vacations in the place have men,
toned, intending to recruit after term of
pretty hard study. had promised myself.
some rare sport-game was abundant, and
! was deyotedly fond Of hunting; nor had
any reason TO be ashamed Of my skill as a
marksman. BY accident became acquain-
ted with Miss Menard, and very naturally
fell desperately in love. say very natur
ally, for was more susceptible then, and
less fastidious in the choice Of n wife, than
] have become since. This unexpected
passion quite won me from my anticipated
sports, and instead Of rising with the dawn
and traversng the conntry-gun IN hand
or plunging fearlessIy into swamps for the
satisfaction of few glorious nibbles," !
infinitely preferred visiting the fascinating
Amelia Ann, and frequently devoted Il
large portion Of the night in giving birth TO
such poetic thoughts and fancies as usually
burden n lovers brain. My wooing sped
prosperously. Having no rival, was spar
ed the torrents of the greeu-eyed monster,
and seeing but little of the charming family
20 which was anxious to unite myself by
the tender tie of son aud brother, consid-
cred myself, Eartb's happiest sou, and she
her fairest daughter
The vacation was near It's close, and ! let
concealment like moth in blanket, prey
on me no longer. ! declared myself
The bewithchng creature cast down her
eyes, and intmated that if the parental con-
sent could he obtained, hers would not be
withheld. Accordingly, sough, favora-
bic opportunity, and asked the old gentle
man whether he had aught against my he
coming his son-in-law. lie very gruilly re-
plied He didn't care d---n any way,n
hut suggested the propriety Of asking the I
"old woman rs she was the head OF the /
house.
Following his advice, waited upon Mrs.
Menard and propoundcd the enquiry. She
looked up with "A complacent smile, and al-
ter thrusting her knitting needle in amongst
few furry hairs, she opened n cnycu0us
mouth, and remarked, that, "as fur as she
was consarned, she was every Bit aud grain
ns well pleased as if Mealyar had got the
governor, hut she didn't know what Johnny
would say TO it--p'r'aps it would 90 for to
AK him perli,cly, he mcughtut object,
This humiliation was more than flesh
could stand. Not even the dash of naltery
with which IL was spiced could make the /
proposition ego down." Pride, ever a
stronger feeling than even passionate love,
was aroused from its utmost depths. Rls I
ing maIcstically 10 my feet, and i,tvnring
the surprised matron with several dahollcal
glauccs, declared In stones deep, not loud
(there was no knowing how near the /" daI-
ling might .be,) that it Johnny was
necessary 10 the attainment of my happi-
ness, should at once decline the honor of
uniting myself To her family, aud after con-
signing the aforesaid johnny To n certain
particularly warm portion of the universe,
] left the house.
And just IN time, too, for the old Indy "let
slip the dogs of war" and certainty should
have been the worse for wear aud tear had
not distance thrown considerable cnchant-
meni around my retreatiug figure.
The murrow's sun found me mary miles
distant from the scene at my disappoint-
ment, and six months after, learned, but
without pang of regret, that Mealyar Ana +
had bestowed her hand upon one who was
less scrupuloiis about arm the trhols fIni-
iy.-Spirit of the Times.
90 The Model Artist exhibitions in New
York have been entirely abolished 1t APP
pears tina, there was no positive law agains,
these exhibitions, rs they could not I've allso- /
lutely called indecent. The performers,
who represented naked stOtUary aud hea-
then enls and ssnlillsscs in the flllr ,,r,rr- !