The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1857-04-16

into Squire Longbow's face. Whether
Aunt Graves had any design in this, is more
than / can say; but noticed some twinees
about the Squires lips, and sleepy wink of
the eye, that looked little like magnetism.
1t was ridiculous, too, that such an old cas-
tie should be stormed by music. .,., ......
But the Squire exhibited other symptoms
OF matrimony. lie grew more pompous in
his decisions, disposed of cases more summa-
rily, and quoted law.latin more frequently.
1t was about this time that he talked about
the nux vomica "instead of"Vor Populi."
lie used to squash !" proceedings before
the case was half presented and, in the
language of Turtle, "he tore around at a
great rate" Tlrt.a said al the old Squire
was getting to be an old fool, and he was
goin' to have him married, or dismissed from
oflice-there warn't no livin with him."
There were great many anxious mothers
about Puddleford, who were very desirous OF
forming an alliance with the Longbow tam
lily. Even Mrs. Swipes, as much as she
openly opposed the Squire's marriage in
general, secretly hoped spark might be
struck up between him and her daughter,
Mary Jane Arabella Swipes; and Mrs.
Swipes was in the habit of sending her
daughter over TO the Squire's house, to in
quire of him to know if she couldn't do
sumthin' for him in his melancholy condi-
tion," and Sister Abigail went several times
to " put things to rights" and was as kind
and obliging, and attentive to all the Sources
wants, as ever Mrs. Longbow was in her
palmiest days. On these occasions. Sister
Abigail used frequently to remind the Squire
OF his great bereavement, and what an an
gel of wife he had lost and things didn't
look as they used to do, when she was
around, and she didn't wonder he took on
so, when the poor thing died" ....
But, reader, Ike Turtle had ordered things
otherwise. He was determined 70 strife
up match between the Squire and Aun,
Graves So Ike made special visit to
Aurt Graves one evening, for the purpose of
surveying and sounding along the coast, to
see how the waters laid, and how the old
soul would take it" to use his language.
have already given an outline of Aunt
Graves but | will now say farther that she
never had an offer Of matrimony in bcr
whole life. Sht} was what IL termed n
"touchyp old maid. SSaa1 protessed to hate
men, and affected great distress of mind
Wien thrown into their society. Aunt
Graves was just ironing down the sealhs of
a coat that she had finished, when Ike called.
Ike opened the conversation by remind.
ing Aunt Graves that she was liyin' along
kinder lonely like" .. .... .. ..-'. .
4" Lonely 'nough, s'pose," she replied,
snappishly. '.-... >
=" Don't you never have the blues, and get
sOrter obstrep rouS {"
. Aunt Graves g didn't know as she did"
Why, in the name Of old Babylon, don't
you marryl" N,,.,,.-.-..-,,e,
MARY! Me marry-marry mana
great, awful man !" and the IRON flew
through the seams like lightning. -
"Yes," continued Ike, marry-marry a
man-why, woman, you are getting as old
ana yellow as autumn leaves. What have
you been livin for!-you've broken all the
laws of Scripter inter pieces-and keep on
breakin' on 'em-adding sin unto sin, and
transgresSion unto transgression, and the
things got-ter lie stopped. Now, Aunt
Graves, what do you think-there's Squire
Longbow, rs desolate as Sodom, and he's
got-ter have woman, OF the old man'll run
as crazy as q loon a,thinkin' bout his house
hold affairs and you know how to cook,
and to wash, and to iron, to make pickles
and soap and then, you're a proper age
what say Z"
Aunt Graves ran to the fire, plunged her
goose into the ashes, anu gave the Goals a
smart stir. She then dropped down in her
large rocking chair, leaned her cheek upon
her elbow, fixed her eyes upon the floor, and
came near going off into Mysteries. J..
Ike dashed a little water into Aunt
Graves face, and she revived After having
gained strength, she replied in substance to
lke's query in very languishing. die.away
air: She couldn't say--she didn't know
if it was duty--if she could really believe
it was duty--if she was called on to fill
poor old dead.and. gone Mrs. Longbow's
placa-folks were born inter the world to do
good, and she had so far been one of the
most nnProetah!ss. ef servants; but she
Goud never marry on her own account"
SIN other words" exclaimed Ike, cutting
her short, "you'll 60 it."
Aunt Graves agreed to "relect ont"
1t was not long after this consultation that
Mrs. Swipes began to "smell rat" as she
said. She commanded Mary Jane Arabella
never to darken the doors of that old hog,
Longbow, agin and as for that female crit
ter, Graves, she'd got husband living down
at the Bastard, and they'd all get into pris-