Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-07-07
miscellaneous.
Joe ehickweed's cOurtship-And How
he was cut out.
BY LOUIS y. D

| amt afraid to say so! continued he, /,
snatchiug up his hat irsathc money ne '
pretends to have that's lost me a wife but
when you want to touch it just as like as
not you won't be able
He rushed from the house as he uttered
these words, aad hurried homeward. He
found his mother still up, and was eagerly
Intercepted by her as to the luck he had
met with. He told her all, and little con-
dolence was she enabled to offer him in re-
turn.
For two or three days following, Joe
Chickweed said very little, but thought
much. One morning he met his mother
with a smiling face aud a sort of triumph
in his look. The old lady was somewhat
surprised at her sons manners
why, what on arth's the matter now,
Joe? said she, hope you amt goin' to 60
crazy
tNot by a long shot, replied Joe, Il amt
quite so big a fool as that
Then what ais your
'Oh, I've got itall arranged at last--Pve
cot EN- now
who? WHAT
Why, Melindy, and that vagabond
iReub. Sparks-ha! ha P%nsupprise Them
well how you goin' to do it?
ooh, it's all right !! said Joe, laughing
.slyly-Pn do it, darn'd if l don't. I'll
git the sneakin crittcr {!
but how-how, Joe? Cant you speak
out? What's got into the boy p asked
the old lady, dying with curiosity to know
what was his plan.
well, now I'll tell you all about it, be.
gan Joe, assuming u more sober tone.
Well, | just wish you would
.tYou know the wilder has always ia
yored my keeping company with Melinda.
sWellP
and l do believe she's desp'rate dow
on that Teller, Sparks, coming into he
family s
yes
In that case she wouldn't very willing
ly let property go into his hands,
But, 'cording to the will of old MI
Martin, the property amt to go out of he
hands till she's dead
Just so--but Sparks would have all tn
benefit. And now I'm going to floor Reut
Spark!
We'll, let us hear!
The wilder Martin herself amt a ba
docking woman Joe remarked, in a Sol
Ola mysterious tone, g%lancing up suddenl
into his mothers face.
'No-but what's that got to do with th
matter ? replied the old lady, immediate
ly.
and she amt very old, neither cor
tinued he, with the same air.
Why, she can't be morn forty
so | should think and has a goC
chance of living forty more
well, and what oft?
just this said Joe, leaning over
reach his mothers ear-'IH marry /
qriddcr!
Mrs. Chiekweed, expecting, as she ws
this. She uttered an exclamation Of u
bounded surprise, started upward from /
seat, and then sank back and fixed /
eyes with a yacantstare upon her sons fa
WELL said Joe, Il hope yoa don't
anything that's agin it,
Mono = stammered his mother,
covering somewhat from the shock
had received. but are you really in ca
est, Joe--will you marry the widder p
TO be sure l will, and that's the wh
Of il. I'm going up to see her this v
day. I'll marry her if she'll have me,
be revcnged on Melinda for cutting m,
she has for that blasted Sparks. I'll te
EN- what's what!
Joe was as good as his word. lie sou
the wilder aud made his proposal.
was moro astonished than she knew !
to express, but she was not more graft
than she was astonished. Fresh and
rs she was, considering her years, she
never given over the idea of winning
other husband but it had never entt
her head that she could possibly secur,
young aud estimable a prize as Joe Oh
weed.
Joe made it a special proviso in his
posal that they should be married priva
tho day before the marriage of Sparks
the widows daughter, aud that it sh
be kept q secret until that wedding
taken place. To this the widow rea
agreed, although it was a hard task 81
time for her to restrain the enjoyment
experienced, and prevent the secret b
discovered.
The evening before the ~nuptial.
Sparks and Melinda at length arrived
all the preparations for the ceremon
the ensuing day were completed. Y
darkness sat IN, while Melinda was 8
cupied with the company and convers
ofhersoon-t;- be husband as to be com,
ly obliVious to all else, Mrs. Martin
tjously left the house, and meeting
near at hand, she fastened with hi
the residence Of the Chickweeds.
minister who had been duly admon
to secrecy, was in attendance; and
than half an hour thereafter Joe
married man, and the nO.longer wide