The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1860-04-12

like mashed pertaters. Arter helping
her dismount, and takin' care of her
hoss, we walked into the store and be-
gan to talk about trade. This subject
didn't concern me any more than it did
the man in the moon, for / was all the
time thinkin' of somethin' else. She
kept chattin' away like young squirrel
but didn't say word about what /
was eternally thinkin' on-not at all.
She wanted some ribbon to fix off a
new bonnet, cause as she said she
'spected Zeke Miller tu take her out
ridin' in few days, and she wanted
tu rig up prim and nice. That nettled
me little, / tell you.
Jerusha," says 1, 81 don't believe
you'd wipe your old shoes on Zeke Mil
Ter, l don't" "Oh, sugar! now JOSH
ua," says she, 81 think he's the finest
chap in the neighborhood."
81 knew that was all moonshine, and
that she said it jest to plague me. By
and-by, 1 began to hint at the impor-
tant subject-not very pinted at first,
of course, but jest began to chip off
little afore / commenced a regular sYs-
tenn of hewin'. She took what was
arter, the mink did, and when I'd try
tu drive ahead, she'd jest lay back in
the harness like balky hoss. soon
seed that the gal never would gin in in
this way, so made up my mind to
take new track, and fetch her right
and tight up to the scratch with jerk
make her say yes and done with it.
So / went into back room, pretended
tn fix somethin' when my only object
was to consider the matter and think
up the best way tn come down on her.
Wal, 1 thought over good many ways
of goin' to work, but nothin' satisf;,c-
tory. Sometimes my courage would
all fiat out, and then again I'd be per-
fectly rantankerous. Finally says l tn
myself, says /, "Joshua, by guy, this'll
never du; Miss Jerusha must consent
or somethin' III take place. Then /
goes back intu the store, and there Ru-
sha was behind the counter lookin' ut
the fancy fixins. ] couldn't help laf-
fin tn see intu what nice trap she'd
got herself You see between the
counter and the shelves where we kept
the kalikers, and ribbies and buttons,
and sich like, it was only jest wide
enough for one person tn work in and
the gal couldn't git by me any way til
was disposed tn let her, and deter
mined that shouldn't be till she'd set
tied the matter.
At the same time I felt little squeam
ish about tacklin' on her, 'cause
know'd how trickish she was; bu
thinks / do or die" walks up Il
) her very seIous, and says I, Jerusha,
s'pose you know what my intentions
are? At that she colored little, fun
bled her apron strings, looked full o
deviltry, and says she
"Joshua, hope you don't mean t.
du me any harm, du ye?'
"That struck me all of heap--tl
think she'd ask such question, wheI
/ know'd she didn't mistrust any sucl
thing. 1t vexed me a little tn see tn
/, advantages she'd took, and says / O
course not, and you know don't Jeru
sha; but what / meant was, you know
I've been up tn your house considers
=, ble lately, and I've took you out ridir
: and your folks and my folks is willin
. and / want tn know straight up an
down what a-a-what your a-goin' t
du about it. And what du you 'spos
she did du about it? Why, she jes
= gin me slap aside the ears that mad
'em ring as if hard apple had hit 'er
one hand on the counter, an
was outside quicker than you can sa
p. scat and fore could open my eye
= and see straight she'd got to the doc
u and jest as she was goin' out she turne
. around laffin', and says She
! "Joshua, I'll be at home next Satul
) day night"
1t "You wouldn't think" said Unc'
y Josh, "that the old woman could CT
:; that figure, but l tell you, when 81
L was gal she was smart, and nimble
m kitten"
ct The same approving smile from Il
s. old lady as before.
i, 81 felt joe-fred vexed," continue
DR. he, stu see how she'd did me agin-
and about give it up as a bad jo
~ Howsomeyer, l thought I'd see her o
Ill so I goes out around the corner of Il
at store, and she'd united her hoss, al
It. had sprung up top of hogsit OF m
IN lasses that we had ended up under Il
or tackles that morning to lit down intu Il
ed cellar. She stood there lookin' at n
ell and kinder smilin' as much as to sa
as syou can't come it no way can ye? !