The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-08-18
THE RUNAWAY MATCH.
Or, How the Schoolmaster Mar
ried a Fortune.

THE RUNAWAY MATCH;
Or, How the SchOolmaster MAJ
ried q. a.F0rtUrne.
BY MAJOR JOS. JONES, or pisEv1LLs.
It's about ten years ago sense the Incl
dent what I'm gwine to tell tuck place. I
caused great sensation in Pineyille at th
time, and had the effect to make feller
monstrous careful how they runaway will
peoples daughters without their oonsen
ever sense.
Ehcnezer Dooli.tle was the bominables
man AFTER rich gals that ever was. He
hadn't been keepin school In pineville
morn'n six months, before he had found
out every gal in the settlement whose faith.
or had twenty niggers, and had courted ~
Of 'em within . days ride. He was rathe,
old to be popular with the gals. and some
how they didn't like his ways. AMI the way
they did bluff him of was enough to dig
courage anybody butts Yankee schoolmas.
ter what wanted to git married, and hadn {
many years of grace left. But It didn't
seem to make no sort of difference to him,
He undertook 'em by the job. He was
bound to have rich wife out Of some of
'em, and If he failed in one case, it only
made HIM more perseverin in the next -
His motto was-"Never say die?"
Betty Darling, as they used to csll her
old Mr.. Darling's daughter. what used 10
live out on the Runs-was about the torn
downset mischief Of . gall in all Georgia.
Betty was rich and handsome and smart,
and had more admirers than she could
shake stick at, but she was sich tor.
ment!n little coquet that the boys was all
afraid to court her in down earnest. When
Mr.. Doolittle found her out he went rite at
her like house.fire. She was Jest the gal
for him, and he was determined to have her
at the risk of his life.
Well, he laid siege to old Mr.. Darling's
house day and night. and when he couldn't
leave his school to go and see her, he rit
letters to her that was enufP to throw any
other gall but Betty Darling into a. Of the
highstericks to read 'em. Jest as every
body expected, after encouraging him Jest
enuff to make the TELLER believe he had the
thing ded, she kicked him fat But shaw!
he was perfectly used to that, and he was
too much ofs Rlosofer to be discouraged by
sich a rebuff, when the game was worth
pursuin. - !.
He dida't lose a minit's time, but jest
brushed up and went rite at her again -
Everybody was perfectly surprised to see
him gwine back to old Mr.. Darling's afte.
the way be had been treated by Betty. but
they was good deal more surprised, and
the boys was terribly alarmed In about =
month, at the headway he seemed to be
maxim in his suit. All at once, Miss Ret
ty's conduct seemed to change towards him,
and though her father and mother was
terribly opposed to the match, anybody
could see that she was beginnin to like the
schoolmaste, very well.
Things went on in this way for while,
til biemby old Mr.. Darling begun to git 80
uneasy about it, that he told Mr.. Doolirtle
one day that he mustn't come to his house
no more; and that if he ketched him send
in any more love-letters and kiss verses to
his daughter by his niggsr gals, he'd make
one ofh boys give him alfred cowhidin
But Mr. Doolttle didn't care for that
neither. He could see Miss Betty when
she come shopin in stores in town, and
there was more'n one way to git letter to
her. What did ne care for that old Darl-
ing? His daughter was he'd and hart in
love with him, and vas jest the gall to run
away with him TOO, If she was opposed by
her parents. And as Sor the property, he
was certain to that when once he married
the gall. T8Ea q -
On Saturday, when ther was no school,
Mr. Doolittle went to old Squire Rogers,
and told him he must be ready to marry .
couple that night, at exactly ten o'clock.
"Mum," ses he, ..you mustn't say word
to nobody, Squire. The license is all ready
and the party wants to be very private
Squire Rogers was one of the most ac
comodatin old fellers in the world on such
occasions. Mrs. Rogers was monstrous
cranky cross old lady, and nothing done thu
old Squire so much good As to marry Other
people, It didn't make no odds who they
was. Besides, Mr.. Doohttle was injured
man and q great scholar. in his opinion, and
belonged to his church. a So
Mr.. Doolittle bad arranged the whole
business in frst rate order. Miss Betty
was to meet her at the end Of her fathar't
lane, disguised in ridin dress borrowed
for the occasion, when he was to take he,
10 eloee ono horse barouche and "ay
with her on the wings Of love" ~ he -sed
he would, to the Squirs's o6lce, whar they
was to be united in bands Of wedIock before
anybody in the village know'd anything
about It. lie had made arrangements at
the Hotel for room, which he seed fxed
up himselffor the auspicious occasion, and
he had writ letter to friend of his dowr
n Augusty to be thar the next week, t;
take charge Of his school, as he thought, IL
mought be ReoessaFy for him to keep crt O
the way Of old Darling for afew weeks, ii
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