Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1868-11-03
A MARRIAGE UNDER DIFFICULT
TIES

a
months among the wilds of the West,
and found much to amuse and interest
me in the peculiarities of the people
with whom / came III contact 1t is a
section as rich III adventure as in natur
al scenery and among the curious in
cidents that came under my notice,
was the following
had been for some weeks enjoying
the hospitality of Mr.. Sti les farmer,
physician, justice of the peace, and
follower Of many other occupations ::
and to succeed in new country one
must be enough Of Yankee to be able
to turn his hand to almost any thing.
My host was born and reared i'll New
England he had one of those temper
aments that enabled him readily to as
simulate to the western character and
habits. He had every appearance of a
western man ; but his education was
better than the average native to that
section of the country.
His house stood in the midst of the
rolling prairie, and though builtof logs,
was larger and more comfor table than
the majority of similar domicils. 1t
contained one good sized room and
another, smaller, opening out of it. Its
upper portion was simply a loft rarely
used, except as store room.
But small as were the premises, they
were as neat and clean us the industri-
Gus hands of the New England. wife
4 plump black-eyed little woman
could make them.
1t was one day after dinner, and
Mrs. Stiles had stidied the room,
smoothed her hair, and put on clean
apron, preparatory to sitting down to
to her sewing. I was seated by the
window, looking out on the huge bill
lowy sea of grass, which stirred by the
rising wind, waved in incessant motion
so far as the eye could reach. Suddenly
my attention was arrested by some
thing resembling a head bobbing up
and down amid the long grass.
It evidently belonged to the human
species but it puzzled me for some time
to determine its gender. At last, how
ever, it emerged from the prairie upon
ploughed ground, and the problem was
solved. 1t belonged tie woman.
She strobe over the ground with a
free movement, entirely unimpeded by
Il short scant petticoat, and apparently
quite unconscious that legs were any
thing to conceal or be ashamed of. In
deed, few men could boast of such sub
stantial understandings. They were
encased in thick boots and leather leg
gins. Her petticoat was red. The
''short gown" worn over it was of some
bright gapdy cotton stuff, a blue ground
work besprinkled with great punches
of red roses and was further orna-
mented by huge frill around the bot
tom. She had red silk bandana tied
about her head, and carried a small
package in her hand, which appeared
to be the object of her especial solici.
tude Ny exclamation called Mrs.
Stiles to the window.
"Thats the widow Hepsey Martin, -
she said "She lives three or four
miles back on the prairie. If Pete was
with her.. I should say she had come to
get married"
There was no further time for expla-
nation, for our visitor was at the door.
She entered without the preliminary
of knocking and seating herself in the
chair that Mrs. Stiles placed for her,
laid her parcel carefully upon her
knees. She then cast sharp and anx
ious glance around.
"Aint the squar' tew hum %
mo-" replied Mrs. Stiles, she went
to Morris early this morning, with a
load lumber, and wont be back till
night"
"Woll if that amt unfortunit when
I've come clean across the peraray ON
purpuss few see him"
Perhaps it's something can attend
to y suggested Mrs. S., as she observed
the disappointed tone and look of her
visitor.
"Woll, ] should ruther think not -
You're right smart woman, I'll allow
but | reckon it'll take the Squar' few
dew the job this time"