Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1864-12-21
steve Conan,'s Courtship.

L once called on my friend, Steve Co
nant, and while there the conversation
turned on courtship; and at my request
the old gentleman told me an incident in
his love affairs, which 1 give in his own
words:
Wall, seeing it's you, l don't mind
telling abont a scrape that happened to
me when L was courting Nancy here.
That is something that never tell any
body. But ye shall hear it :"
. No don't Steve" broke in the old
woman.
:" If you can't bear to hear it, you may
90 out dooro-so hear goes When |
was nigh about twenty one / came UP
/ here all alone, and built me cabin. |
hadn't a naber nearer than five miles, so
| ye see, | didn't quarrel much but as it
grew TO be near winter, got kinder lone
some, and begun 10 think that l ought to
! have q woman 10 keep me company SO
one morning started down to Lcnway,
to take a look at the girls, to see if /
couldn't find one to suit me. When !
got down TO the settlement / asked a
young chap if he knew of girl that
wanted 10 get married, and he told me
he guessed that Nancy Knox did, and if
l wanted wife, l had better try and
hitch on with her; and he said that if it
was agreeable, he would 60 to Deacon
knOxs and make me acquainted with
Nancy, and he was az good as his word,
and twasn't an hour before Nancy and |
WAS Oh the bes! Of terms. Atore night
/ hired out with HE Deacon for ten dollars
a month, half OF the pay to be taken in
produce, and the rest IN clear cash, and l
was TO work all winter.
Wall, for about two months felt as
mouse in new cheese. l cOurted Nancy
every Sunday might, and ! was determ-
Incd before another week to pop the ques-
ton, and hadn't bit OF doubt but
what Nancy would be oveUoyed at be-
coming my bosam companion. Wall,
about this time there come a teller from
one Of the lower towns 10 keep school,
and he hadn't been there moren il week
atore l found he had natural laundering
arter Nancy and worst Of all the old
Deacon, who seemed mighty pleased at
the thoughts OF my counting his gal, be-
gun to kinder cool oil, as IL he would like
The scEooimaster better for a son-ln-i.lsy,
and it made me feel kinder down in the
lip, / can tell you.
Wall, on 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 togo. Old Mrs.
Knox and the young uns all went to bed,
and there were none left but the old Dea-
con, Bill, Nancy and !, and / kept 'spcct-
ing every minute that he would show Bill
to bed, but he did no such thing; but
just as The clock struck ten he rs up, and
ses he:
"0teve lets 90 to bed, for we must be
up bright and ;ifly to have them ere logs
to the river"
" Wasn't that hint, ELI | looked
at Nancy, but she turned away her he'd.
and at this got up tie ladder TO bed. l
was boiling over mad with all creation
Bill, Nancy, auG the Deacon in particular
| got INTO bed and Eivered myself up,
but | felt 50 bad | cou!dnt 90 to sleep.
Like as not, the schoolmaster was hug
ging and kissing Nancy down in the
kitchen, and | couldn't shet my eyes for
the life Of NE. Wall, all at once it oc-
Cured to me that there were some big
cracks in the floor over the kitchen, and
could watch an see all that was going on
below so out OF bed | GOT, and crawled
along close to the chimney on all fours,
and finding big crack, [ looked down
through. Bill and Nancy were setting
about two feet apart though every now
aud then Bill would hitch his chair a lit
tie nearer to her. How | could have
choked that man! l watched them for
about quarter of an hour and by that
time | was near about troze, as it was an
awful cold night, and | hadn't rag on
except my two shirts. BY and by Bill
hitched his chair little closer, and
could see that he had made up his mind
and was just going TO kiss her How it
riled me ! But was bound TO see it
through, so l moved little nearer to get
better view, and at that moment the
plank tipped up, and down l went ker-
chunk and landing between Bill and
Nancy. Bill thought for once that old
Nick had come, and streaked it out of
doors; and as for Nancy, she gave one
look, and then covered up her face with
her apron. l started out of the kitchen
as quick as you could say scoot, and as 1
was going up the ladder, l heard old Mrs.
Knox holler:
Nancy, scoot the cat down. or she'll
break every dish on the dresser,'
"The next morning when she went out
Ia milk. popped the question TO NancsS