Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-02-08
nally got well. And that gallant mare,
that had done him such good service, he
kept and cherished till she died Of old age
A Local. Romance.

Tradition has preserved singular anec-
dote of John Thatcher, son of one the
earliest settlers of this town. He was
married in 1861, to Miss Rebecca Wins
low, of Duxbury, in Plymouth county, il
we mistake not. On his way home
with his new bride, he stopped for the
night at the house of friend, Col.
Gorham, of Barnstable, one of the most
prominent citizens of that town. Merri-
ment and gaiety prevailed, and during the
evening female infant. about three
weeks old, was introduced, and the night
oil her birth being mentioned, Mr.. That
cher observed, '.This is the very night on
which we were married." he presented
it to his bride, and iokingly said, "here
my dear, is little lady that was born
on the same night we were married,
wish you would kiss her, fo- intend to
have her for my second wife," 81 will
my dear, with great pleasure" replied
she. "but | hope il will be very long be-
fore your intention is fulfilled in that re-
spec,."
Mr.. Thatcher and his wife lived hap
PLY together for about twenty wears,
and faithfully fulfilled the scriptural in
Junction 10 "mul,iply and replenish the
earth" Mrs. Thatcher left large fam
lily of children, among whom was son
named Peter.
After Mr.. Thatcher had mourned a
sufficient length of time. he began TO
think of getting another partner. None
OF the maidens, young or old, seemed
to please him like Lydia Gorham, the
little lady of the preceding part of the
story, now grown up, if we may believe
tradition. to a fair comely girl, "full of
gushing life,' as poets say. But there
was one impediment in the way. His
Oldest son, Peter, had shown prediec-
ton for the girl, and the old man was at
loss to decide whether she favored the
suit OF the sire or the son. The one
rode black horse in his visits, and the
other white. There was a kind of
taclt agreement between the two, that
one should not interfere with the visits
OF the other, so when the father found a
white horse tied in front of Col. Cor
hams unlike the good Samaritan, he
crossed over on the other side; and the
son, when the black horse was there, re-
turned the favor Thus things went on
I'LL the patience of the old man was we'll
nigh exhausted, and he resolved upon a
desperate step to decide the matter. Ia
king his son one side, he said to him.
'.Peter, are you, or are you not going TO
marry Lydia Goiham!" Peter replied
that he had not made up his mind
"Well," said the old gen lleman, Il will
make you an offer; if YOU will give her
up and court her no more, | will give
you thirteen pounds in money, and the
pair of black steers. What do you say
TO that" The young man hesi,a,ed but
a moment. "'Tis done," said he; and
1t Is due the parties to cay that it was
observed by them all with perfect good
faith. Whether Lydia knew the bar
gaining her charms had occasioned, ira
ditlon sayeth not; but she subsequently
became Mr.. Thatcher's wife, and bore
him ten children, from whom many mem
bers of the numerous family have sprung.
Our venerable townsman, Mr.. Peter
Thatcher. is the great grandson of Peter
! noticed above - Yarmouth Register.