Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-02-10
STEVE coSANT,s couRTs,uuP.

once called on my friend Steve Conant,
and while there the conversation turned on
courishp: and. at my request, the old gem
ueman told me an incident in his own love
affairs, which give IN his own words:
Wall seeing its you, don't mind tell
ing about scrape that happened to ms when
was cour,Gg Nancy here. That is SOME
thing mover tell anybody. But you shall
hear it,"
mo, don't, Steve" broke in the old wo.
man. should think you would DO
ashamed OF yourself, telling love scrapss to
every body"
If you can't bear to hear II. you may 60
cut docra-so here goes When WAS nigh
about twenty .one came up here all alone.
and built me n cabin. | hadn't neighbor
nearer than five miles, SO yo see, didn't
quarrel much but as il grew to be winter,
got kinder lonesome, and began to think
that ought to have a woman to keep mo
company so one morning started down to
Lenway, TO take look at the girls, to see il
| could find one to suit mc. When got down
TO the settlement asked a youn,, chap if ho
knew of u girl that wanted to get married,
aud he told me he guessed that Nancy Knox
did, and il wanted wife, | had better try
aud hitch on with her; and he said that if
il was agreeable, he would 60 to Deacon
knoX's and make me acquainted with Nancy,
and he was as good as his word, and 'twasn't
an hour before Nancy and was on the best
of terms. Arorc night hired out with the
| Deacon for ten dollars a month, half Of the
pay 10 be taken in produce, and the rest in
clear cash, and was to work all winter.
Wall, for about two months felt like .
mouse in new cheese. | courted Nancy
every Sunday night and was determined
before another week to pop the question, and
| | hadn't bit Of doubt but what Nancy
would he overjoyed at becoming my bosom
companion. Wall, about this time there
come fellow (rom one OF the lower towns
| to keep school, aud he hadn't been there
more'n week aforc found he had a natu-
raj hankering after Nancy and worst Of all,
the old Deacon, who seemed pleased at tho
thoughts of my conrting his gal, begun to
kinder cool off, as il he would like the school
master better for son in law, and It made
me feel kinder down in tho lip, can tell
you.
Wall, on orc Sunday night, Bill Smith,
| for that was the pcsky critters name, came
in Just at dusk, and when the clock struck
nine he didn't seem to go. Old Mrs. Knox
and the young 'uns all went to bed and
! there were none left but the old Deacon, Bill,
Nancy and |, and | kept 'spcctiag every
minute that he would show Bill to bed, but
he did no such thing; but just as the clock
struck ten he ris up, and says he:
Steve, let's 90 to bed, for we must be up
bright and aily to have them ere legs to the
| river
Wasn't that a hint, eh? I looked at
! Nancy, but she turned away her head. anf
at this up tho ladder to bed. ! was boiling
over mad with all creation--Bill, Nancy, and
the old Deacon in particular. got into bed
and kivcrcd myself up, but | felt SO bad
couldn't 20 to sleep. Like as not the school
master was Lugging and kissing Nancy do sn
| in the kitchen, aud couldn't shut my eyes
for the life of me. Wall. all at once it oc-
Cured TO mc that there were some big cracks
! in The floor over the kitchen, aud | could
watch and see all that was going ON below !,
SO out of bed got, and crawled along on all
fours, and finding big crack, looked down
through. Bill and Nancy were sitting about
two feet apart, though every now and then
Rill would hitch his chair little nearer to
her How | could have choked that man
| watched them for about quarter OF an
hour, and by that time | was near about
froze, as it was an awful cold night. and /
hadn't a rag on except my two shirts. Fy
and by Bill hitched his chair little closer.
and could bee he had made up his mind
and was just going to kiss her. How IL riled
me! But was bound to see it through, so
moved little nsaieI to get n better view,
and at that moment the plank tipped up,
and down went, kerchunk, and landed be.
tween Bill and Nancy. Bill thought for once
that OLD Nick had come, and streakcd it ont
Of doors and MS for Nancy, she gave ono
look and then cover, up her face with Der
apron. | started outor the kitchen as quick
aS yol could say scoot, and as | was going
up the ladder, heard old Mrs Knox holer ::
Nancy, scoot the cat down, or Sht'l
break every dish on the dresser!
The next morning, when she went out
to milk, popped the question to Nancy,
and she said she would have me, for sho
didn't care cent for Bill Smith, and NJ
haze been married forty years come nsxt
June"