The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-05-12

y
out? What's got in the boy ~ cried the old
lady dying with curiosity to know what was
his plan.
Well, now, I'll tell you all about tj' began
Joe, assuming more sober tone,
Well, I wish you would
You know the wilder has always favored my
keeping company with Melinda 4"
well"
And do believe she is desperate down on
that Teller Sparks coming into her family"
.sYesn
In that case she wouldn't very willingly let
her property go into his hands. .
But 'cording to the viii of old Mr.. Martin,
the property amt to go out of her hands till she
is dead !"
Just so-but Sparks would have all the bene-
fit. And now I am coming to the points
just there am going to floor Reuben Sparks.
Well, do let me hear!"
"The widder Martin herself ANITA bad look
ing woman remarked Joe in sort of mys-
ferrous tone of voice, glancing up suddenly into
his mothers face.
No-but what's that got to do with the
matter?" replied the old lady, impatiently.
And she amt very old, neither" continued
he with the same air.
Why she can't be more'n fortY.'
so should think; and she has a good chane
of living forty more"
"Well, and what of it 20
Just this, said Joe, leaning over to reach
his mothers ear-I'll marry The aoidderin
Mrs. Chickweed, expecting she was to hear
something startling, wasn't prepared for this. -
She uttered an exclamation of unbounded sur
prise started upward from her seat, and then
sank back and fixed her eyes with vacant stare
upon her sons face.
Well, y said Joe, +" | hope you don'tsee any
thing agin it,"
No-nol" stammered his mother recover
ing somewhat from the shock she had received
but are you really in earnest, Joe-will you
marry the wilder ~
TO be sure will, and that's the whole of it.
I'm going up to see her this very day. I'll mar
ry her, if she'll have me, and berevenged on Me-
linda for cutting me as she has for that blasted
Sparks. I'll teach 'em what's what"
Joe was as good as his word He sought the
widow and made his proposal She was more
astonished than she knew how to express, but
she was more gratifed than astonished. Fresh
and fair as she was, considering her years, she
had never given over the idea of winning another
husband; but it had never entered her head
that she could possibly procure so young and
estimable a prize as Joe Chickweed.
Joe made special proviso in his proposal
that they should be married privately the day
before the marriage of Sparks with the widows
daughter, and it should be kept secret till that
wedding had taken place. To this the widow
readily agreed, althoughit was a hard task for
her to restrainthe enjoyment she experienced,
and prevent the secret being discovered
The evening before the nuptials of Sparks and
Melinda at length arrived, and all the prepara-
tions for the ceremony on the ensuing day were
completed When darkness had fairly set in,
while Melinda was so occupied with the company
and conversation of her soon-to-be husband as
to be completely oblivious to all else Mrs. Mar
tin cautiously left the house, and meeting Joe
near at hand, she FASTENED with him to the resi-
dence of the Chickweeds. The minister, who
had been duly admonished to secrecy, was in at
tendance and in less than half an hour there
after, Joe was married man, and the no longer
widow was on her way back to her home-part.
ing from Joe with single, but enormous kiss
with which he was content to- satisfy himself
considering what was to follow from so doing on
the morrow.
The wedding passed off the next day to the
entire satisfaction Of all parties The affair
took place in the morning, at the residence of
the bride, and at the hour of noon all the guests
with the exception of Joe Chickweed, departed
Why he remained SO long it puzzled the newly
married pair to surmise, as they had not sup
posed he would be present at ALL Joe took it
very easily, however, and seemed quite unem-
barrassed by the occasional bantering Of the hap
py Sparks
II spose, said Joe, addressing himself to the
newly made husband, as they were assembled IN
| the parlor together. II s'pose you'll take up
e