The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1853-03-16
UNDER raE STUMP
OR, sAasoS KEEPERS coURTsHIr

OR. sAMs0A KEEPERS c0URTsHIP.
I. Any shrewd observer N men asd
would have immortalized has
name in Grassbsrough, By explaining
clearly and satisfactorily, the reason
why Mr.. Samson Keeper remained
bachelor at two scores.
The facts Of the case are as follows:
samson K>pper, Esq, At 1--WE and twen.
", was looked uponIas a prise BY all
tie marriageble yount ladies in Grass
borough. possessedbf good looks, an
excellent farm agreeable manners, and
! large, comfortabl house. pair Of
whskers and two pir Of oxen. Samson
could have taken Is pick amung the
mai,ens Of GrassbFOugh, any one Of
whom would have ben delegated with
his preference. II was kind-heart-
ed fellow too, wa Samson Kepper;
and | have often hard him described
as having distinguished fondness for
goosebery pies, nee children, fine
horses, and ladies iigeneral.
At thatvery delightful age-five and
twenty Samson dl actually betray
an inclination for cohubial happiness.
He commenced paypg his addresses
to the amiable Miss lucretia Lane, a
worthy and pretty LAZY, who. il was
said by every body-Sith the excep-
ton of multitude of iyal beauties
would make him an excellent wife.
Now Samson waited on Lucretia-
"courted her, a. Grassboropgh gossips
termed it, for I've years; Ind it was
well known to SAmson's fiiends thai
more than fifty tapes he was on the
point of offering her his hand. Bu'
Samson did moi naRe such an offer fol
reasons which Gr&sborough voult
have been glad to knew.
The Lanes lost patience with th'
heir Of the house Of Keeper. L,lcre
tia, they said, was vt his disposal bu
they could see no sense in requisinI
years to make up his mind to marriage
They threw out certain hints, who
offended Samson and ld;stressed hi
faithful mistress; hints designed t
hasten the approach Of lazy-paced Fly
men, but which had the effect Of chi
ling shower bath on the ardof of Nj
Keeper. lie avoided Lucretia's soc
ety for month. At the endof tn,
time, convinced of the impossibili1
of living without her, he called on h
/, one Sunday night, as in former day
To his astonishment he found her o
, cupying the small parlor in cdmpar
with Mr.. Brooks, wealthy widow
of thirty-fve. Mr.. Brooks and Lucr
: tia sat together in the chimney ccrne
and Samson, with his surtout on san
! into seat opposite.
"Fine evening"" said Samson in
= unsteady voice. M
= .Nay," said Lucretia, changing c
e lor rapidly, and looking at the Nac
$ log.
e 1t was showing and blowing outsi
y at frightful rate.
d The widower settled his chin in
= neck-cloth, with pompous air, q
e tried to look unconcerned. Lucl
J tia coughed and blushed, and moy
about in her chair, as if she had cal
10 something which distressed her, wl
p Mr.. Kepper.glanced uneasily from
$, hat to the door, and played with
OF thumbs, like any timid young m
a who, intending to go to champais
y supper. should penetrate the sanctll
a. nioas silence Ola Quaker meeting,
an mistake. "a
Ill ellen! thought Iueall in, and
how you were,"" observed Samson,
ne ter long pause, turning in his CHI
n and crossing. his legs, with an after
to appear at ease.
lie. "fhank you-hope you will-yo
on. come again." faltered Lucretia.
in And not another word was spo
re FIR hall an hour.