Litchfield enquirer., 1849-08-02
nj I SGB l. L a. N Y
Singular COurtshiD

We copy the following strange relation
from Headley's Adirondack or Life in the
Woods:
"1'te other day 1 took a heavy boot
to shoemaker, or neender, to be repair
ed before set forth on new expedition,
of whom was told capital anecdote.
An English emigrant had settled down
in a remote part Of the forest, where he
had cleared little space about him and
builta log hut. He had been there but
a year or two. when one day as he was
absent in the woods with his eldest daugh-
ter, his hut took fire and burnt down.
His wife was sick. but she managed to
crawl out. and taking the straw bed on
which she lay with her. At evening the
husband returned to find his house in ru-
ms. 1t was a winter night, and the snow
deep on the ground. Calling aloud, he
heard faint voice reply, and going in
the direction from which it came, found
his wife stretched on the bed in the snow
Getting together few boards left from
the conflagration, he made shelter over
her. In the night she was safely d .liv-
cred of child, which survived and i, now
living. But under the continued ex-
posture and excitement together, the hus-
band took violent cold, which having
fastened on his lungs, and being resisted
by no medical treatment whatever, ter
minated in the consumption. He, how
ever, reared another hut. and during the
summer young settler came in and pur-
chased tract near him. His being the
only family within long distance, this
backwoodsman often passed the evenings
in their society. II was not long before
he discovered that his neighbor could not
long survive, for the most ignorant in
this region knew all the symptoms Of
pulmonary disease which carries off three
fourths of those who die. Accompany
ing this conclusion came naturally the
reflection. what would become Of the wife !;
and she was good-looking end industri-
Gus, he thought he could not do better
than to marry her himself. Acting un
der this consideration, he mentioned the
matter to her, remarking that her hus-
band could not live long, and asking if
she would marry him after he was dead ?
She replied that she had no objections
at all if "her husband acos avilling "-
He said he had no doubt on that point,
and he would speak to him about it,
He did so, and the husband unhesitate-
ingly gave his consent, adding that he
was glad she would be so we'll provided
for after his death. So when winter APP
preached, the young settler would come
and "court'' the prospective widow.
while the dying husband lay and couched
on the bed in the corner.
Now there was not much sentiment in
! this. I granted, but there was a vast
deal of philosophy. 1t was rather cool
on her part, to be sure, but vastly sensi
bic on his. What could his wife and
children do all alone there in the woods,
without protector The toughest part
of the proceeding, and that which no
doubt tested the backwoodsman's phi
losophy the severest, was the eourtship.
To lie gasping for breath in one part of
the room, and see the young. athletic
backwoodsman and his wife sitting to-
gether by the Gre, and know that after
a few more painful weeks. he would oc-
cupy that place permanently, and yet
bear it all patiently, required a good deal
of stamina. Especially must the reflec-
ton that they we're both probably very
very anxious to have him take his de-
parture, have been rather of hard pill to
swallow. l 60 into all these little par
ticulars you know to show the character
of my hero to the best advantage--the
heroine speaks for herself These two
interesting personAges were my shoema-
ker and his wife