The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-10-28


man. The young fellow is not exactly what
could wish for Grace's sake but it is likely
he'll improve after marriage, and have passed
may word. you know"
Charley demonstrated, but the father wa.
nexorable and, in appearance, our hero sub
mitted to the decree Of fate. But he vowe,
a mighty vow, and registered it privately
that Grace Hopper should never be Grace
Skeels, and then commenced cudgeling his
brains for means Of preventing this so-much'
dreaded catastrophe. Three days he travelled
and many were the abortive ideas he brought
forth. On the fourth, came the remedy, like
Minerva, springing from his head, armed FOL
war, In the shape Of an epistle that he indted
and mailed with chuckle, and then went
about his ordinary occupation with compla-
cency refreshing to behold, though somewhat
astonishing to every one except Grace, who
was in the secret.
That young lady informed her father that
she had received letter, announcing the
speedy arrival of an old schoolmate of hers.
one Miss Julia Elliot, who made her appear.
ance a day or two after, and proved to be
what Charley called ''srUNNER'-a tall
magnifcently- developed woman, with glorious
flashing eye, and large, handsome features,
and such ringing laugh, and smile that was
even sweeter than her laugh, because it re-
vealei such fauliless teeth.
In hale day, she was at hume in the farm
house, and on the best of terms with every.
thing and everybody beloging to it, down te
the very dogs and chickens.
Joshua, on the first evening Of their acquain-
tance, was rather shy Of the city belle, whom
he fancied must be, to use his own elegant
phraseology, ''stuck up; :" but the.way in which
she call,d him "Mr. Skeels," and looked a
him from under her dark eyelashes, and askel
his advice, and appealed to him for assistance
and said witty things, and pretended to think n
said them, with such good faith, that he ac'
tually thought 80, too; and, above all, thu
marked preference that she awarded him ovel
Charley lwho was quite as distracted abon
her as he had ever been about Grace, ) thrilled
the ungainly lout with delight. G,ace alwayi
sulked in the cerner, and answered in mono
sylables, and never raised her eyes from hel
knitting when he honored hey with visit
And here was lady from the city, with twice
as much money and ten times as much beauty
who preferred him to all her city baux--fo
had she not told him so?-and cared nothing
for that puppy Of a Charley, whom Grace wa
quite welcome to marry now, if she liked.
| But here arose new difficulty; GIa woult
not reliHquish her claims on him; Charley wa
| infatuated about this new beauty, whom She
heartily wished had never entered the house
| aud she did not intended to lose Joshua. too
lie had tormented her every evening for tn
last two years, and now he should marry her
| Old Farmer Hopper stormed. aud hnall,
called in Mr.. Skeels, who informed his so'
that, if he married the city lady, he needn'
look to him for a cent. But, as the elegan
Miss Julia observed, ''that was nothing, for sh
had fortune enough for BOTH"
s:By Jovep said Charley, ''you are to-
bad. Here you come to me and forbid me t
fall in love with Grace, and say you are goc
to marry her and the first splendid woma
that comes along you lay yourself out to fas
cinate her, and get her in that state of iniasa-
atlon that she won't even look in my direction
don't know what you call such conduct i
! the country, but, in the city, we should consid
er it rather unprincipled !"
/ Whereupon, Joshua Informed him that b
was welcome to Grace, who never cared TO
| him, nohow. But, az Tor Miss Julia, he mus
give up all thoughts of her, as nothing bu
death should part them.
Here the farmer interferred, declaring tina
he threw his daughter at no mans head. That
since Joshua cared 30 little about her, hs
shouldn't have her now ON any terms ant
Charley, who, in despair Of winning Miss
julia, had renewed his attentions to Grace, WI.
shortly afterwards united to her, in 18th,
presence Of numerous Witness" as the mar
riags certificates have it.
Mr.. Skeels and Miss Elliot officiated al
groomsman end bridesmaid. The ceremony
oncluded, Charley stepped up to Miss Julia
and begged to rectify slight mistake made
in the introduction of that lady, by presenting
her to the company under her zeal name oi
Mrs. Julia Morris-ths mother of three chill
dren, and his brothers. wife.
The CONSERVATION Of Joshua aud the wrath
of farmer Hopper may be imagined but, al
mony, and her husband was secretly far more