The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-05-06
steve Ccnand's Victory.

| once called on my friend, Steve Co.
nant, aad while there the conversation
turned on courtship; and at my request,
the old gentleman told me an incident in
his own love affairs, which | give in his
own words:
"Wall, seeing it's 700, | don't mind
telling about scrape that happened to
me when | was courtlng Nancy here
That are is something that | never tell
anybody But ye shall hear it !"
"No, dou't Steve" broke in the old
woman 81 should think yor would be
ashamed Of yourself, telling your love
scrapcs to everybody"
"If you can't bear to hear it, you may
SO out doors-so hear goes When
was nigh about twenty one [ came up
here, all alone, and built NE cabin |
hadn't a naber nearer than five miles, so
ye see, | didn't quarrel much but as it
grew to he near winter, got kinder lone
some, aud begun to think that | ought to
have woman to keep me company so
one morning | started down to Lenway,
to take look at the girls, to see if
could see one to suit me. When | cot
down to the settlement | asked ycuug
chap if he knew of girl that wanted to
get married, and he told me that he guess
ed that Nancy Knox did, and if | wanted
wife, | had better try and hitch on with
her; and he said that if it was agreeable,
he would go to Deacon Knox' and make
me acquainted with Nancy, and he was
as good as his word, and 'twasn't an hour
afors Nancy and | was on the best of
terms. Afore night I hired out with the
deacon for ten dollars a month, half of
the pay to be. taken in produce, and the
rest in clear cash, and | was to work all
winter. Wall, for about two months |
felt as neat as mouse in a new cheese.
l courted Nancy every Sunday night,
and'I was determined before another
month to pep the question, and hadn't
bit of doubt but what Nancy would be
oveJoyed at becoming my bosom com
panion. Well, about this time there
came fsllow from one of the lower towns
to keep school, and he hadn't been there
more'n a week afore [ found he had a
natural hankeriug arter Nancy and worst
of all, the old deacon, who had seemed
nightly pleased at the thoughts of my
courtiug his girl, begun to kinder cool off,
as if he would like the schoolmaster bet
ter for son-in law, and it made me feel
kinder down in the lip, | can tell you.
Wall, one Sunday night, Bill Smith, for
that was the pesky critters name, came
in just at dusk, and when the clock struck
nine he didn't seem ready to 60 Old
Mrs. Knox and the young uns all went off
to bed, and there were none left but the
old deacon, Bill Nancy aud |, and there
we all sat around the FIRE without say
ing word. Always afore the deacon
had gone off to bed, and left the coast
clear for Nancy and |. and | kept 'spect
ing every minite that he would show Bill
to bed, but he did no such thing; but
Jest as the clock struck ten he lis up, and
ses he:
"'Steve, let's 90 to bed, for we must
be up bright and airly to have them ere
logs to the river AS
Wasn't that hint, eh looked at
Nancy, but she turned away her he'd, and
at this | up and marched out into the en-
try, aud up the ladder to bed. was
boiling over mad with all creation-Bill,
Nancy, and the deacon in particular. |
got into bed and kvered myself up, but
| felt SO bad that couldn't 60 to sleep
Like as not the schoolmaster was hugging
and kissing Nancy down in the kitchen,
and | couldn't shet NY eyes for the life
of me. Wall, all at once it occurred to
me that there were some pretty big
cracks in the floor over the kitchen. and
| could 4afnh and see all that was going