Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1866-07-05

promised to keep DARK, put sne Colu Cne
doctor, and what does the doctor do but
comes right over and tells me. "Gone all
stark alone, says he; "but its none of my
business"
This is the day that I have marked with
piece of chalk. Hardly was daylight
down before / was snug in my skulking nest
in Aunt Molly's barn. 1t was on the hay
NOW, where there was knot hole handy,
to look through and see all that went in or
out of the house. | had scheme in my
head that Hannah little dreamt Of, and lay
and thought it over till she came out; and
when got her under my arm, and walking
down the lane, thinks I, I'll set the stone
a-rolling anyhow, letit stop where it will
So set in to- talking about this and that
and t'other thing, and happened (by mere
chance, ye know to mention our hatter's
shop, that stands. at the corner, my father
used toxwork in, when he was, alive.oaAnd
says l, "Speaking Of. the old shop, it always
puts me in mind Of you, Hannah"
ID "Of me, John" says she. "Well?"aoi
".Oh, its just the thing for store"
says I. '''
"Well-" . '@i
"Sweep out the dirt, and the old hat par
ings, and the truck"
!. "Well-" a4 p ~
"Take the sign and rub out halter, and
put in its place merchant and you see that
spells John Beedle, merchant"
swell, john
"Then get rum, and molasses, and salt
fish, and ribbons, and calicoes-"
"Oh," says she, "it's my new calico gown
you was thinking of-isn't it pretty?"
"Oh." says l, "'tis a sweet, pretty
gownd," says I, "but-the upshot of the
matter is, Hannah have finally concluded
to set up store and get married, and settle
myself down as a merchant for life"
AT this Hannah hung down her head, and
gave smoker. 5tIaA 4l
:" And how does that put you in mind of
me, John?" says she.
"Guess."
What said and what she said next, is all
lost, for Pll treat if l can remember. 1t is
all buz, bug in my head, like a dream. The
first thing | knew, we were right against
Captain Peabody's barn, walking, and our
arms round each others waists. Hannah's
tongue had got thawed out, and was run
ming like brook in freshet, and all one
steady stream of honey. vow, was ready
to jump out of my skin.
1t was mile and half good, from Aunt
Molly's to Captain Peabody's, and thought
we had been about minute on the road.
SO says |,
"Hannah, let's go set down under the
great apple tree, and have little chat, just
to taper off the evening"" ar
We now sat down and began to talk SEN
sible. We settled all the predicaments of
the nuptial ceremony, and then talked over
the store, till we thought we saw ourselves
behind the counter; weighing and meas
uring, and dickering and dealing out, and
she at the desk, pen in hand, figuring up
the accounts. IN
But just as we were beginning to get So
ciable, as thought, Hannah looks up, and
says She
"What can that air great red streak be-
in the sky, away down there beyond Sac
carap ?"
g rather guess" says I, "it is fire in the
woods"
"Fire in the woods I'll be skinned if it
isn't daylight a-comin. Quick, John, help
me into the window, before father is stir
ring, or here'll be a pretty how dye do"
The next job was to tell the news to Cap
tain Peabody. Hannah had settled it that
she would speak to her mother, and said
she could manage her well enough, and it
was my business to ask her father. This
was thing easier said than done. I tried
to persuade Hannah to marry first, and ask
afterward. Says |, 'You are twenty one,
and free, according to law" But she
wouldn't hear of it. She had no notion of
doing anything clandestinely. Then asked
DIR. Dingley to go and break the ice for me.
But no; he would not NEEDLE with other
folks business-he made it a pint.
Well, says I, if have got to come to the
scratch, the less / consider on it the better.
So, one stormy day, put my head down
against a northeastern, and set my feet
a-going, and the next thing i was standing
right afore Captain Peabody. He was in
his grain house Smelling corn-sitting ON q
tub, with a '7Hying- pan stuck, through the
handles. Andshe rrade the. cobs fly every
which way, hit or nibs, he didn't care. But
it tickled: aim SO to- she dodge 'em, that
he got into 'uncominen geoa humor.
.seWeil, Johnny Beedle, who has brought
you up here, right in the winds eye, this
morning."
+, "Why, Cap'n, I've. get an idea in my
head J"
'oNo.E how you talk -
aye see, the upshotof the matter is, I've
notion of settin up store, and gittin a
wife, and settlin' myself down as mer-
chant
"Whoorah, John-this is two ideas IA
store and wife"
"But want little of your help" says L.
swell, John" says he, "rll do the hand
some thing by We. Ifyou keep better goods
than anybody else, and sell cheaper, you
shall have my custom, and welcome-pro-
vided you'll take pay in sauce and things.
Isn't that fair 2"
"Oh yes, Cap'n-"
"And l wish you success on the other
track No fear of that, FL warrant
There's lot of silly gals ahoat, and such a
fine taut rugged gentleman as you are can run
one down in no time"
sob yes, Csp'n; I've run down Hannah
already"
.My Hannah ~
"Oh yes, Cap'n; we've agreed, and only
want your consent
With this the old Cap'n riz right up on
end, upset the tub and frying pan, and
pointed, with great red ear Of corn in
his hand, towards the door without say
ing a word But his eyes rolled like all
creation.
This raised my blood, and | felt so stuffy
that marched right straight off, and never