Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-02-11

TRAINING FOR A WIFE.

his boyhood days he had been a very hard
worker; having been left at an early age an
orphan, his own hands had kept him out Of the
poor-house. He claimed to be the smartest
boy in town, and every holiday he held himself
in readiness to prove his claim, if any choose
to dispute it; and year after year he stepped
into the ring, wrestled with and threw every
sturdy young fellow that dared to show him
twenty-One he married, much against her
fathers wish, pretty Ida Lee, the mille-'s
daughter. A few days subsequent, he received
intelligence that he had fallen heir to an i'm
mense fortune from distant connection in
England, of whom he had never heard before.
The fortune did not change William, al
though it did every one else in the village, and
people began to call him Mr. Newell, or Squire
Newell, until he threatened to whip any one
within an inch Of their lives who should call
him anything but plain Bill Newell. He
bought the large farm formerly owned by
Squire Flanders, where he gathered the finest
stock of blOOd-hOrses and dogs in the country,
and the farm of Bill Newell was celebrated for
miles around as the best place in the world for
sport on a holiday. There was a constant
routine Of foot races and horse races, cricket
and base ball matches, pitching uuoits and
throwing weights, sparring and fencing, leap
ing and jumping, boat racing and wrestling,
and, in fact, all manner Of rugged, manly
sports.
One daughter blessed the marriage of Will
liam Newell and Ida Lea charming girl,
with all her mothers beauty and all her IA
theirs robust health. As young Ida grew, she
was Iade an honorary member Of all the boat
ing, cricket, and base ball clubs about the
country, and at the age Of fifteen she could sit
a horse, handle an oar, or FIRE "A pistol, with
many an older and more experienced head,
and half the young fellows in the country
round about had fancied themselves in love
with the young and pretty Ida; but their ardor
was generally cooled by the bold assertion of
Newell, that the man who would marry his
daughter must first Out-ride him and cut run
him, whip him with the gloves and with the
foIs. and beat him with ouoits and cricket
bad- In vain Mrs. Newell called her husb bands
decision absurd and foolish, and tried to laugh
him out of it; he was firm in the theory which
he had advanced, and the hand Of his daughter
remained uuSought.
During the summer succeeding Ida's eigh-
teenth birthday, her mother decided that she
should go into society some; that she should
see something OF the world beyond the Newell
farm; and to this end trip was arranged to
Niagara and Saratoga. Mr.. Newell raised no
objections, and the projected tour was carried
into effect. At the Falls, Mrs. and Miss New
ell made the acquaintance of a young gentle
man from New York, Albert Whipple, a young
man of good family, fortune and education
Whipple followed the NewelIs to the Springs,
and his acquaintance ripened into intimacy,
and in due time he proposed for the hand of
Ida. Mrs. Newell told him csndidly of her
husband's 8 peculiarities; she favored his suit
thought him a capital match, would be pleased
to welcome him to the farm, but she warned
him of what he might expect from Mr. New
ell. Nothing daunted, young Whipple re-
turned to the farm with the ladies, and was in
troduced to Mr.. Newell, who looked at him
attentively from head to foot, and muttered
"Pooh.- milk sop-a candy boy! He
couldn't run twenty rods to save his life ~
:. But he is of excellent family" suggested
Mrs. N, in an under tone.
Good pedigree, hey Fine blood you say
Well, I hope he won't disgrace it." ITO the
young man)-"DO you ever put on the gioves?"
Gloves? o, yes, sir, wear gloves 0sixes,"
replied Whipple.
.sPshaw, boy, 1 don't mean that; do Won
ever put on boxing gloves? Do you ever spar?
practice in the manly art of self-defense ?'
DO you play at crickets"
"No, sir"
'Do you wrestler
No, SIR"
Row?'
Not much, sir''
'sRide 9''
"Some."
Hunt %
But very little, sir"
GA mere triAe.'
"Well, my boy, look ye here; you're good
ucdItSu cEOuRu, L guess, out your DOQY
isn't worth farthing; your limbs are no lar
ger than bat stick, and you couldn't stand
on your pins against strong breeze any way.
Now my lad if you have any idea of my daugh-
ter Ida, wish you to understand that the man
who marries her must first be able to throw
any man IN the township; he must be the best
man with the gloves, rifle and bat in the coun-
try; in fact he must beat me with all of these;
then I'll talk with him about tho girl If you
like the idea OF course of training, you are
welcome to my house as long as you choose to
stay; but mind you, don't let me catch you ma
king love until you are the best man."
But" interposed young Whipple-
There are no butts in the matter, my young
man; either you must train or travel WHY
Ida would make pretty wife for a young city
dandy like you. She can ride, and row, and
shoot. and I'il bet dollar that she can bowl
an under hand ball square on to the wickets
every time"
As young Whipple did not know what bowl.
ing an under-hand ball square on the wickets
meant, he did not accept The wager; but after
giving DIR NewelPs proposition considerable
thought, he decided to remain upon the farm,
for the ostensibie purpose Of training, it could
do no harm, and something might turn up IA
yorable to his suit. So he Informed Mr. New
ell OF his decision to remain at the farm and
try little training
swell, I'm glad of it" said the ssbest man
in the country" "and as you may as well COM
AA-ouSS ALss 90 last, you SNAIL IfQe WIN US To-
night. Ida gees with us, and you shall ride
Black Dick; he is the fastest runner in the sta
Bile, and your horse must be very tired
Away they went, four miles out and return
and Whipple in the saddle Of the hardest horse
he had ever mounted. He was net very fond
Of hsre-back riding at best, and when he threw
himself from the back of Black Dick, who had
neither csntersd or trotted single step since
he left the door, the young man was almost
inclined TO give up training where he was; but
as he assisted Ida from her saddle, and waited
on her into the house, he concluded to remain
few days longer, and he retired to his room,
decided not to ride Black Dick again in a
hurry.
The next morning Whipple was awakened
by a terrible pounding on his chamber door,
accompanied with implicit commands to get up
and dress, for there was fox. As Albert did
not understand word that was said, but only
had q confused idea that he was wanted for
something, he dressed himself hurriedly and
went below, where, in the yard, he saw the
farmer and his servants leading out and sad
ding horses
'Come, lad" said Mr.. Newell, I" hurry up;
L. - -. Al l.