Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-08-03
COLUMBUS O., SATURDAY MORNING, :

cafi on me in no very amiable mood the
next morning. left town to avoid him,
When0I returned / learned that he had
been to my office, and badoyowed venge-
ance against me. l continued to keep out
| of his way, however, until his wrath sub
fsided, for it was not to my interest to meet
him. ri .ss5& Il 4I4,7-iH E9 -I .rE8g
After this did,no see Jenny for long
| time. At last. ! could stand the separation
no longer, so wrote to Jenny to stay at
home the next Sunday morning, and
would see her while her father was at
church.
tnOn the appointed day was at tie house.
| fully intending to go away before the ma
| ijory should return. Unfortunately, how
ever, overstayed my time, as usual, and
tire major came in so suddenly that he cut
tof my retreat. 1t was useless to attempt
to hide in the parlor, for he knew my
tricks too well by this time, so / hurried
out of the door leading to the back part of
t le house, and seeing the door to the cellar
door open bolted into 1t. was too late,
however The major saw me as went into
the, cellar. I had hardly got down the
stairs when he came to the door.
swell, Mr.. Sturgis," said he, $50 you are
here again ?" IL! sT.ei1uE Il ~irlr
'It-seems so. sir" / replied, not knowing
what else to say. =; .,.. .-.,,s... g. .
.'How long do you expect to stay p he
asked. '99l-e 10 tz5 -i'- - e
II was about to GO as YOU came in,'q 1
said. Il may as well do so now." r al
''Not yet" he said, sharply. You seem
SO fond of my, house that I'll give you more
| of it than you bargained for. warrant
you, however, you'll find my cellar as
pleasant as my parlor." "a2lf 1'.I!q l71s /
| With this he turned off and locked the
door on me. l looked around the cellar for
some other mode of egress, but could find
none. 1t was a close, well-built cellar,
1 lighted only by one grated window. 1t
was clean and well arranged, but quite
cold. Finding that L had no means of es-
| cape, seated myself on box and tried to
make the best of my condition. In short
time discovered that the majors stock of
! wine was stored in the cellar. Selecting a
bottle of prime old Port, 1 tooked out the
| stopper with my knife, and paid my re-
lspeets to it. / had no idea how long l was
to beskept there. J tEt roaD assJfrJ (
About four o'clock in the afternoon the
door at the head of the steps opened, and
Major Shorter made his appearances:
"Well, Mr. Sturgis," said he, mockingly,
,'how:do you like your quarters ?" IJl
Very much, sir" replied, with an air
of unconcern. Il say, major, this is capi-
tai old Port YOU have here.'
"Thunderl' shouted the major, '"you
have not been to my wine. have you ?"
Il have taken that liberty, to enliven the
mon9tony Of my positions" 1 answered,
You have the advantage of me there,''
lsaid the major, after pause. You are
I not worth bottle of good Port. Come p,
and I'll let you 60 home" haH'.'
81 assure you am very well satisfied
Sir" replied. '...-l'
"Come up, and be off from here, say,''
exclaimed the old man, angriIy.
| l went up stairs. carrying with me the
bottle from which had been drinking. AS
reached the head of the stairs the old
man broke into laugh.
you've been too much for me to-day,
Sturgis," he said. 'Go home now, and
don't repeat your visit"
Iwent from the house and returned home.
| A few days alter this received note from
Jenny, telling me that her father was
about to take her to Europe, with the hope
of getting rid of me. This brought mat
ters to a crisis and we determined to set
aside her fathers unjust opposition, and
take the responsibility of marrying.
Everything was in readiness. The car
riage was at the cross street near Jenny IS
home, and was waiting near the door for
her. She came out soon, and we hurried
towards the carriage. 1t was quite dark
when we got there, and helping Jenny in
to it, ordered the driver to take us to the
Rev. Mrs house. 1 had hardly gotten
into the carriage when some one on the
front seat, whom had not noticed before,
said, quietly: -f
"Upon my life, this is cool"
Jenny gave scream of alarm, and re-
cognized the voice of Major Shorter. He
had discovered our plans, and had taken
his seat in the carriage for the purpose of
thwarting them. -.
| ''And so you two fools are going to be
married, and without my consents"
/ "You have unjustly withheld it, Major
Shorter, " said, land we have determined
to act for ourselves. You have no right to
act towards us from such grouAdless pre-
judices."
r Iexpeeted an angry retort, but the old
man spoke very mildly when he replied:
81 have been thinking during the last
half hour, Mr.. Sturgis," he said. shat |
have nOt'acted right about this matter. /
will be just towards you. Get out now.
and let the carriage take US home, and
come to see me in the morning. promise
you you shall have no cause to complain of
met .,7a-y ,t..-- r,.-
He held out his hand to me. took it
most gladly, and bidding both parties good
night, left the carriage.
! The next day called on the major, and
before 1left we arranged matters to our en-
tire satisfaction. He agreed to put me on
probation for six months more, and prom
! ised that if at the end of that time / was
steady and deserving, Jenny should be my
wife. passed the ordeal, married Jenny,
| and never had better friend than her IA
ther proved. This, dears, is how l won
my wife. No doubt you think it a very
queer courtship; and so it was, so it was
but it brought me dear good wife.
| Uncle Richard fell to poking the fire
again, and we all listened to the storm once
more. '+' tj-''. li -.ti .-a1t