The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1866-10-18
small clap Of thunder, " Seth Stokes, I'll

DS QdTDcu-
Holloww sez I, what's broke!"
Why" scz he. &c I cum down to hev
satisfaction about Patience Dodge. Here
I've been courtin' her ever since last year,
and she was just as good as mine, till you
cum to goin' arter her, and now I can't
touch her with a forty foot pole"
Why" sez l, "what are you talkin'
aboutl [ aint got nothin' to do with your
gal; but s'pose [ had there's nothin' for
you to get wolfy about. If the gal has
taken likin to me, faint my fault; if
L have takin' likin' to her, faint her
fault; and if We have takin' to each other,
'tain't your fault; but l amt so almighty
taken with her, and you may get her for
al me; so you hadn't ought to set saw
age about notin'."
+" WE'LL" sez he, rather cooled down,
" I'm the unluckiest thing in creation.-
| went 'tother day to place where was
an old woman died of some disease, and
they were sellin' out her things. Well,
there was a thunderin' big chist of drawers,
full of all truck; SO [ bought it, and
thought had made a speck, but when I
cum to look at 'em there wasn't nothin'
in it worth cent, except an old silver
thimblc, and that was all rusted up; SO |
sold it for less than l gave for it. Well,
when the chap that bought it took it hum,
he heard somethin' rattle-broke the old
chist, and found lots of gold in it in a
false bottom | hadn't seen. Now, eff |
had tux that chist hum, they'd all been
counterfeit, and III been tux up ior pas
sim on 'em. Well, I-jcst told Patience
about it, and she called me darned fool.
Well,' says [, Ephe, that's hard !;
but never mind that = jest 20 on = you
can file the rough edges off jest as you
please"
That tickled him, it did; and away he
went little better pleased.
Now, thinks l, it's time to look after
Nancy. Next day, down | went; Nancy
was all alone; L azed her if the Squire
was in. She said he warnt.
"'Cause," sez I (makin' bIeeve I wan
ted him. "our colt spawned his foot,
and | cum to see if the Squire won't lend
me his mare to 90 to town"
She sed she guessed he would-better
sit down till he cum in - she looked
queer all around the edges ef her mouth.
After awhile, sez I:
Are you goin down to Betsey Mar
tins quiltin'?'
Said she, "I don't know for sartin !;
are you goin'?"
Scd l, "reckon I will"
Sed she, " s,pose you'll take Miss Pa
tience Dodge"
Sed I, "mout, and again mout not"
Scd she, " I heard you and her are 60
in to git married"
Sed I, "should't wunder bit - Pa
tience is a mighty nice gal" l looked at
Nancy. | seed the tears comm
Sez |, may be she'll ak you to be the
bridesmaid"
She riz up, she did, her face as red as
billed beat. "Seth Stokes ~ sez she,
and she couldn't say nothin' more-she
was so mad.
"Won't you be the bridesmaid ?" said /
"No!' sez she, and she bursted rite out
cryin'.
"Well, then" scz I "if you won't be
bridesmaid, will you be the bridc?"
She looked up at mc-I swan to man
never seed anythin so awful pootyl 1
took rite holt of her hand.
eyes or no" sez !, fright off,
EYES," sez she.
That your sort" sez l, and give her
buss and hug.
/ soon fixed matters with the Squire.
We soon hitched traces to trot in double
harness for life, and l never had cause to
repent my bargain.