Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1868-04-02
Earning a Wife.
ACANADIAN SKETCH.

j s.E sus -. "a.
"And so you want to marry my
daughter, young man?' said Faith
er Burton, removing the pipe from
his mouth, and looking at the
young fellow sharply from head
to toe.
Despite his rather indolent,
iefeminate air, which was mainly
the result of his education, Luke
Jordan was a fne-looking fellow,
and not easily moved from his self.
possession; but he colored and
grew confused beneath that sharp,
scrutinizing look.
eyes, sir. / spoke to Miss Ma
ry last evening, and she-she re-
ferred me to you"
The old mans face softened.
"Mollie is a good girl, a very
good girl" he said, stroking his
chin with a thoughtful air, "and
she deserves a good husband
What can you do?"
The young man looked rather
blank at this abrupt inquiry.
eff you refer to nay ability to
support wife, can assure you"
II know that you are well off,
Luke Jordan, but | take it for
granted that you ask my girl to
marry you, not your property
What guarantee can you give me
in case it should be swept away
as it is in thousands of instan-
ces-that you could provide her
comfortable home? You have
hands and brains; do you know
how to use them? Again l ask
what can you do?"
This was a style of catechism
for which Luke was quite unpre-
pared, and he stared blankly at
the question without speaking.
81 believe you managed to get
through college-have you any
profession?"
"No, sir; I thought"
"Have you any trade?"
"No,s sir; my father thought that
with the wealth / should inherit,
l should not need any?'
"Your father thought like a
fool, then. He'd much better
have cut you off with shilling
1t might have been the making
of you. AS it is, what are you fit
for? Here you are a strong, able
bodied young man, twenty-four
years old, and never earned PEN
ny in your life! You ought to
be ashamed of yourself. And
you Want to marry my daugh-
ter" resumed the old man, af-
ter a few vigorous puffs at his pipe.
'.Now I've given Molly as good
advantages for learning as any
girl could have, and she hasn't
thrown EN- away; but if she didn't
know how to work, she'd be no
daughter of mine. If l choose,
| could keep more servants; but |
don't choose that my daughter
should be pale, .spiritless, full of
dyspepsia and all manner of fine
lady ailments, instead Of the
smiling, bright eyed, rosy.cheeked
lass she is. / did say that she
should marry no lad that had
been cursed with a rich father;
but she's taken a foolish liking to
you, and I'll tell you what I'll do.
Go to work and prove yourself to
be a man; perfect yourself in some
occupation-I don't care what, so
it be honest; then come to me,
and, if the girl is willing, she is
yours"
AS the old man said this, he
deliberately knocked the ashes
out of his pipe against one of the
pillars of the porch where he
was sitting, tucked it into his pock-
ct, and went into the house.
Pretty Mary Burton was wait
ing to see her lover down at the
garden gate, their usual trysting
place. The smiling light faded
from her eyes as she noticed his
sober discomftted look.
.Father means well" she said,
as Luke told her the result of his
application. "And I'm not sure
| but what he's about right" she re-
sumed, after a thoughtful. pause; I;
"for it seems to me that every
man, be he rich'or poor, ought to