Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-04-11
Mistellaneous.
PrOcrastinatiOu. LOsta wife
Dy it,

New Years Day | returned home from
a Southern tour, and was sitting in my
room in the evening, writing to some Of
my friends, when female cousin of mine
came in and laid a small bundle on my
table. 1t was slice of wedding cake,
done up very neatly in gold-edgcd paper.
"Ah," said |, "what have we here?"
wedding cake" said coz.
wedding cake" said I; "a generous
slice, truly! Who of my friends have
been so foolish as to commit matrimony?
And when did this melancholy affair hap
pen?
"Christmas Eve" returned coz. "The
card that came with the cake will answer
your first question:" and, giving me an
arch smile as she pointed to the card, she
left the room.
'Indeed, my old chum married?" said
| to myself, as l took up the card and
read "Mr. and Mrs. George Adams.'-
"Ha, ba, ha! who'd have thought George
would have committed such an act! Mr.,
and Mrs. George adams! Ha, hal real
y should like to see the fellow, Just to
bore him bit. But who is this lady?-
1t can't be Miss ---,-or Miss -; they
were no favorites of his. Let me think, :"
continued |, taking out my pencil and
putting on bit of paper the names of
our female acquaintance. l went on
with: "There's Ellen Rice-can't be her.
Jane Green-nor her; Mory Willis-nor
her." until | had written down the names
of about twenty girls, without satisfying
myself as to the right one. $50, then,
Adams is really married." said to my
self / felt truly rejoced that it was so,
and could not help thinking how comfort
able it would be to drop in of an evening
with "my lady," for l had serious notions
then of getting married-as you shall
hear by-and- -by-and having social times.
| planned out how we would spend our
evenings together in pleasant intercourse.
| determined that his lady and my lady
should be the best of friends, and Mrs.
Adams as a sister to me, and my wife as
a sister to him. In fact, such a picture
Of domestic happiness did draw up--so
bright and glowing with all that is de-
lightful did the future seem in married
state-that | threw my paper one way,
my pen another, jumped up, and prepar-
ed for visit to Maria Bailey, to whom |
meant to offer myself that very night, aud
get married as soon as the law and the
minister would let us. Having put on a
clean dickey--it was cold night, and l
was in hurry sailed forth to visit
my intended. Maria lived at the north
end of the town, with her mother, wild
ow lady. While on the way TO the house
| will make the reader little acquainted
with Maria, and the relation in which |
stood to her. will not praise her beau
ty-although as beautiful creature as
eye ever rested on--neither will l speak
of her amiablc disposition, her accom-
plishments, &C., DC.
Maria and myself from childhood had
known each other, and were pretty init
mate in our friendship. When / was
twenty-five years of age, | concluded to
take a trip through the States and as
had been indisposed for some time back,
with loss of appetite, no sleep, etc., !
made this my eXcuse---"traveled foi my
health" When | made this declaration,
there was nothing like travelling fo,
health-everybody recommended it. So
| started, with the intention of being alb,
sent year or more. Travelling, must
say, agreed with me completely, for at
the first stopping place made as hearty
a meal as any Of my fellow passengers
and when | stopped for the night, slept
as sound as roach. To tell the truth,
feigncd sickness only for an excuse to get
away from home. The real motive ofmy
departure was, my feelings toward Maria
began to change; | always had foolish
longing to be near her, and singular
feeling of regret when she was away from
home when | called to spend social eve
uing; and then there was peculiar SEN
sation about my heart when | saw her
engaged closely in conversation with any
of my companions, or when she bestowed
upon them smile. In fact l Logan to
feel something more than friendship to-
ward her. / did not let her know the
state of my mind, but laughed and frol'
licked with her the same as ever. My al
fection for her increased daily. Not
knowing, however, but that my love
might prove only momentary, and wish
ing to know if absence would wear i
off-for it had always been my determin
alton that when welded, it should no
only be union of hands, but union o.
hearts. l determined. without limiting
the object of my journey to Mara, o