The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1864-12-08
Steve Allard's Courtship,

Steve Allard's Courtship.
'They don't do up their courtipg bust.
ness A. they did when was hankering
'srter Nancy there observed Uncle Steve
Allard one evening when had called 10
upon him, and a. he made this observa-
ton, he motioued toward where bis help.
mate was busy knitting socks in the
corner ofthe fireplace. Courtiog now
s,days amt what it used 70 be. Do you
think it 10, Nancy!' -,
Il don't know, Steve, I hain't done
any SO long that I cant tell how it would
fesm,' aud with this observation the old
lady's fingers Aew faster than ever.
Nor I, as for that, Nancy. You know
that I haven't run srter other women
s:uce you and l got hitched together nigh
about forty years ago. Don't ycu remem.
Der that night, old lady, when you sat up
with Bill SMITH So
Nov Steve, keep still, will ye. l hope
you amt sgoin' to tell about that scrape!'
'What'll be the hurt, Nancyy Per-
baps it will learn these young chaps =
lesson not to put of popping the ques-
tion too long It's kinder dangerous
doing so, you know, Nancy.
Come, Uncle Steve, 60 ahead and let
US know how you did your courting and
brought tho old lady rouud,' said young
fellow that had happened in the same
time that / had, attracted there by tho
stories the old gentleman was SO noted for
telling, aud perhaps the contents Of a
certain brown pitcher, alwsys filed to the
brim with the juice Of tho apple, had
something to do with it.
wall, boys, don't mind if l do tell
you the story; but pass the mug this way.
Somehsw | am master dry to uight.'
l did as he requested, and after the old
ian had taken long swig he began.
'Wall, you see, boys, when l come up
here to settle, people wern't quite SO thick
IS they are now, and arter had built
my cabin and gone to work, found that
it was master lonesome, being alone,
without . wife to kinder keep me compa.
ny, and SO Sunday mornings l used to
rig up in my best and 60 down to Con.
way to meeting, so that | could get
chance to see the gals, The meetings
we're 10 an old log school house, and l
kin remember how l used to sit up in
one corner looking at Nancy there, not
hearing one word that old Daddy Elkins
said, though he was master powerful
preacher arter he got aeoing. l rally
believe that he would have preached all
day if he hadn't got hungry at last and
begun TO long for Deacon Kuox's wife's
baked beans. He was powerful hand
to shovel in the beans, l kin tell ye.
Wall, arter while I got acquainted
with Nancy. and ono day arter meeting
she axed me home to get some dinner;
and re better believe that was pesky
glad, for besides liking Nancy I was
mighty hungry, and knowed that I
should be more 80 before I got home.
wall, things went smooth between me
and Nancy all that summer, and l felt -
happy ~ cat with two tails. l hadn't
asked Nancy, but then l knew she liked
me, aud I could see that the old deacon
was willing, and his wife warn't q bit
agin the match that che seed We we're
about to make.
That fall, arter l had got what l had
raised snug under cover, I hired out with
the deacon for the winter. didn't get
great wages, and had to take what l did
get in produce; but then didn't care,
so long ss | could be close to Nancy.
Somehow couldn't bear to have her out
Of my sight, snd l guess that she felt
glad too, for she was mighty sort Of Low.
ing" @rrs
You amt sure of that, Steve;' said
the old lady, and her fingers few faster
with her knitting. The old gentleman
shook his head, took another pull at the
cider, and went on.
wall, long lato in the fall, feller by
the name Of Bill Smith, came from one
Of tho down country towns to keep
school, Deacon Kuox was one of the
that hired him and brought
him home, and he hadn't been in the
house more than an hour before I seed
that he was 10 love with Nancy, aud was
bound to court her if he could. You
had better believe this made me kinder
mad, and it was a. much as could do to
speak civil word to him.
Fora while Nancy was true to me, in
lpite Of oil the 6no things Bill said to
her; but could see that the old man End
woman kinder favored the schoo olmaster,
md gin me the cold shoulder whenever
they could; and it wasn't long before l
could see that they had been talking to
her, for she wasn't nigh as loving as she
used to be.
'Ooe Sunday night l determined to
'et her up, come what would. hadn't
lone il since the echoolmaster had como;
but now l made up my mind to do it,
1nless the5 told me to 60 to bed. So I
lidn's take of my 60 to meeting clothes
Rhen 60. home, but kept them on pur.
pose for evening.
I managed to get a seat round the
ire, close beside Nancy, while Bill had
wo of the young ones between him and
Ter; and SO we sot until tho children's
'edtime, ! giving Nancy hint now scd
hen that was bound to set her up, and