The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1860-07-14
A DILEMMA
OR. HOW l FIRST MET MY-wIFE.
BIT ). W. WATSON.

| his wife-my own cousin-May Stevens
that had been-a way that troubled my Gu
riosity much, until the one eventful evening
that it was satisfied by hearing the reason
why.
All that long sentence without telling
what that way was. or how he was Joined
in it by May.
Il was simply this that every time a
word was spoken that led to the period when
Charley Morgan first met my cousin May,
they would both laugh very heartily; but
would always refuse to tell at what they
laughed. This was certainly very provo
king, and I had little hesitation in telling
them so-not once, but many times-at
which they laughed more heartily than ever,
and always ended by kissing each other and
looking very affectionate.
/ determined to have a solution of the
matter, if for no other reason than that 1t
worried me. am but woman, and hav-
| ing pleaded to the possession of curiosity,
see no reason why that foible of my sex
should elicit no charity, and no reason why
sometimes it should not be divulged. With
this resolution, set forth one evening.
when we three, Morgan, May and myself,
were drawn up before the fire and fairly
settled for talk. There was no use minc-
ing matters, was my first idea, and with this
thought dashed boldly in with:
.Mr. MORGAN II usually call him
Charley, but I was DESTROYS of showing
that was really in earnest--"Mr. Nor
gan, why do you always laugh and look at
May when the subject of your first meeting
with her is spoken of ?"
This, was sure, was simple question ;
and vet, instead of answering it in a simple
way, they went back, both of them. on the
old plan, and laughed as though the words
had just spoken were the very best joke
in the world. could do nothing, of course,
but look grave and solemn, which, in few
moments, brought them both TO, looking
the same way. and then May spoke to me
seriously. and said:
g Cousin Jane, you take our laughing
much more earnestly than l thought you
would. II is only little memory between
Charley and l that brings the laugh; to
US it is droll remembrance, but, perhaps,
in telling it, there would be nothing to
amuse any one"
This explanation brought back my good
humor in an instant, and, with smile,
| said
Now, Nay, this is really unkind of you
for SO long have you excited my curiosity
that, even were the story not worth telling.
you should tell it.''
well, cousin Jane shall have that story,
May, will tell it myself to her."
At this declaration, was surprised to
see May flush up to a bright red, and break
out rather vehemently with
/ ''No, Charley-that is really too bad
You shall not do it, sir. If cousin Jane is
to have the story, will tell her myself"
And then, after pause, she said, "When
we are aone.''
you shall do no such thing, Madame
May was Charley's laughing response,
as he got up and kissed May directly in the
mouth, just in time to stop torrent OF
words that in another minute would have
poured out. you shall do no such thing
This time shall have my way, and cousin
Jane shall not have her curiosity excited any
more without being satisfied
| saw there was to be discussion on
that point, but / knew that, in some way,
Charley was to come off victor so I, mere
j ly saying that Iwould be back in few min
utes, stepped out of the room, and walked
about the garden until felt sure the point
was settled, when went back, and found
Charley and May looking as happy as birds,
and laughing the old laugh as usual. AS
entered, Charley drew up the rocking chair,
and, after seeing me safely deposited in its
depths, said:
"Now, cousin Jane, shall tell you the
story about how I first met my wife:
1T is just five years ago this summer
that l was granted exemption for month
from my desk, and went down with my
chum, Horace Hyatt. to his fathers in old
Monmouth, the garden of that unjustly
abused State, New Jersey. I should never
have forgotten that visit, even though bad
not there met with an adventure that had
its influence on the whole future of my life.
should remember it for the real, true hos
pitalty of the Hyatts for the solid, old
time comfort of the farm, aud the quiet way
in which. within couple of days after M
arrival. was put into possession of it, and
made TO feel that it all belonged to me, to do
just what pleased with. There were
plenty of horses, and we rode /; plenty OF
fish, and we 6shed plenty of woodcock.
and we shot. All this shall be spoken with
proviso. say we-by which, let it be
understood, ] do not mean Horace's two
sisters, Carrie and Nettie, as having partic-
ipated in all these sports. They rode, to be
sure-and charmingly they did it; they
6shed. and am obliged to confess were
much luckier than their guest. But they
did not shoot. though shall not exult over
their lack of this COMPLIMENTARY
were charming enough without it. l am
sure 1 shall excite no jealousy by declaring
that, with one exception, which I shall not
mention here, Carrie and Nettie Hyatt were
the two most charming girls that had ever
seen, and was just hesita.ing as to which
of them should fall desperately in love
with, when my calculations were all dis
turbed by an accident-for so suppose i
must call Though really seeming like a
special providence. What this was, shall
tell in the best way know how.
"For some days after my arrival at the
farm, my curiosity had been much excited
by the occasional panegyric layished by the
young ladies upon once school-fellow of
their own. May Stevens by name. who was.
according to their highly -colored account,
the most perfect thing in the shape of a
woman then living. / tried to persuade
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