M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-12-20
HOW | FIRST Met MY Wife
l Short Love story.

/ ing aDnus q certain way lnal morgan
had, and in which he was always join
ed honestly by his wiie-my own
cousin May Stevens that had been
way that troubled my curiosity very
much, until the one eventful evening
that was satisfied by hearing the rea-
son why.
1t was simply this: that every time
a word was spoken that led TO the pc
Rod when Charley Morgan first met
my cousin May, they would botl
laugh very heartily, but would always
refuse to tell at what they laughed, -
This was certainly very provoking,and
had little hesitation in telling them
so-not once, but many times-ai
which they always ended by kissing
each other aud looking very affection.
ate.
determined to have a solution OI
the matter, if Tor no other reason than
that it worried me. | am but wo,
man, and having pleaded to the pos.
session OF curiosity, see no reason
why sometimes 1t should not be in
dulged. With this resolution, | sci
forth one evening, when VIC three,
Morgan, May and myself, were drawn
up before the fire and early settled fol
q talk. There WAS no time, mincing
matters was my first idea, and with
this thought, | dashed boldly Out
with:
"Mr Morgan, ,"-I usually call him
Charley, but | was deSirous Of show.
ing that | was really in oamest-"Mr
Morgan, why do you always laugh
and look at May when the subject Of
your first meeting with her is spoken
! olW
This, ! WAS sure, was a simple
question; and yet, instead Of answer
ing it in a simple way, thev went
back, both OF them, on the old plan
and laughed as though the words
had just spoken were the very bes
Joke in the world. could do moth
ing, OF course, but look grave and sol
emn, which in q few moments brougb
them both looking the same way, aat
thea May spoke 10 me seriously ah'
said:
Cousin Jane, you take our laugh
ing much more earnestly than | tho
you would. 1t is only little memor,
between Charley and that brings til,
laugh; to US it is a droll remembrance
but perhaps in telling it there woul,
he nothing to amuso any one"
The explanation brought back m
good humor in an instant, and, with
smile, | said;
! "Now, May, this is really unkiu
J Of you, for so long have you excite
my curiosity. that evM were the stOr
not worth tOlllng, you should tell it.
, "Well, cousin Jane shall have ths
, story, May; | will tell itmysefto her.
, At this declaration was surprise
, to see May flush up 70 bright reC
i and break out rather vehemontly witt
"No, Charley, that is really to
! bad! You shall not do it, sir.
cousin Jane is to havethe story, wi
tell herself" and then after pau'
she said-"when we ave alone"
"You shall do no such thing, Mal
am May" was CharIey's laughing +,
!, sposc, you shall do no such thing
J., This time | shall have my own wa,
}. and cousin Jane shall not have ht
/ curiosity excited any more witbol
v being satisfied"
J. eaw there was to be discussic
II on that point, but knew in some wa
e Charley was to come of victor; so
>, merely saying that | would be baC
IS in a few minutes, stepped out Of Il
1t room and walked about the garden u
IT til | felt sure the point was settle
le when went back and found Charl,
N and May looking as happy as bird
a and laughing the old laugh as usus
Sc AS | entered, Charley drew up t.
IN rocking chair, aud after seeing I
OF safely deposited in its depths, said:
S. "Now, cousin Jane, | shall tell y
0. the story about how | first met I
H. wife:
Il 1t is just five years ago this SUNNI
7. that | was granted exemption for
y month from my desk, and went do,
d, with my old chum, Horace Hyatt,
d his fathers, in old Monmouth, t
er n garden of that unjustly abused Sta
VI New Jersey. Ishould never have f(
u !. gotten that visit, even though ! l.
II not there met with an adventure tn
'e had its influence on the whole futu
ID of my life. | should remember It
the real, true hospitality, the soil
at old time comfort of the farm and t
II. quiet way in which within a few da
ny after my arrival, was put in poss
as sion of it and made to feel that it
belonged to me t. do just what ! plei
ed with. There were plenty OF fish, "a
's- we tished; plenty of woodcock, a
ng we shot. All this shall be spoken
d. Il