Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-12-01
HOW 1 WON MY WIFE.
An English STORY.

Jessie Hale was the mericst, pIettieSt,
most provoking daughter OF Eve that ever
exsted-at least, l thought so-tlough per-
haps was not an impartial judge, as | must
must confess | was deeply in lUve,-and, in
fact, don't believe | could remember of j
time when | was not in love with her, 1t
certainly was not when YOuugSter OF twelve
took her under my especial care, feeling
prOuder of my curly-hGaded charge than
could now of Il mine OF gold nor when a tall,
awkward boy OF sixteen, | first ventured to
ask for her company home from church; or
still later, when, after four years absence,
returned to my native town and set up as a
surgeon in the house where Dr. Moore's name
had been since my earliest recollection.
Oakdale was remarkably healthy place,
or else the good people felt a little afraid of
trusting their lives III the hands of such a
young Scapegrace us they had known me to
be, for somehow my horse and gig found
more employment in carrying Jessie Hale to
ride than any more profitable business and
it is certain more of my time was spent in
Mr. Hales pleasant parlor, than III either
study or practice of medicine. Some of the
neighbors silly remarked that must have a
very sick patient there to occasion such fire.
quent visits and | was certain that if | had
no patient there, all the patience | ever had
was required there at times for of all the
tantalizing little wretches that ever fascnat-
ed and provoked poor iellow-until he
could not have told whether he was in the
body or out of it-Jessie Hale was the worst.
And there was William Tremaine-stand-
ing six feet two in my stockings, big enough
to have known better, that is sure, led about
by that little elf, coming and going at her
every beck and call, as if l were a great
Il, |
after playing yours most devotedly" for six
months, was no nearer winning than at first
Open-hearted and candid she was on every
other subject; but just let me speak of love
or marriage, and | might as well talk to a
stone wall for all the sense | could get from
her No matter how cautiously | might APP
approach the subject, she was always ready
with some oh-hand answer as far from what
wanted as the equator from the poles, until
was almost in despair, but more eager after
any failure. " An is fair in love and war: :"
or at least thought so, and resolved to try
the result of strategy on my wilful little la
dy-love.
One fine morning, as we were about start
ing for a ride on horseback, and 1 was assist
ing Miss Jessie into the saddle, her horse
commenced rearing and kicking at an alarm
ing rate; of course the jagged bits of iron
had cautiously inserted beneath the saddle
had nothing to do with it. BY the time she
was fairly seated he had become perfectly
unmanageable, throwing her violently from
the saddle: of course | caught her before she
touched the ground. No sooner was she in
safety, than, with deep groan, l staggered
back against the fence, my right arm hanging
helpless by my side 1t took nicely, for Jes-
sic was beside me in a moment.
40 VIII - Sba sold
horse has broken your arm; ano what will
you do? Poor Will poor Wilr
How like a rascal felt at sight her dis
tress; but | was not going to give ID then:
so | answered, with another terribl, oroan
1t Is nothing, dear Jessie l would suffer
thousand times more to feel that I had saved
your precious life"
but Oh, | am so sorry! What can be
done for you?" she said, in such touchinq 90.
cents that half repented.
'The end justifes the means" I thouoht
The end accomplished certainly did. Nv an
swer was in a voice low and faint, as if / was
just dying.
s'Only tell me that you love me, Jessie
darling; it viii soothe my pain more than
ANYTHING else in the world" And then, like
the great simpleton that l was, l put that
right arm around ner, and never discovered
my uiseahe oh'ii oio NPS 9"eniy away
from me.
"Wouldn't little brandy and water do as
we'll, Mr. Tremaine she said archly.-
'sThere don't seem to be any bones broken :;
the injury was internal, | should think"
Wouldn't have sold myself for sixpence
But there was no help for it ; so had to own
the trick, and went home wishing had brok-
en- my arm, or neck, | didn't care much which.
fter that for awhile | was rather shy of the
love subject, for did not fancy hearing of
my last attempt; but " out of the abundance
of the heart the mouth speaketh," and my