The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-09-03

cent but sccin' It's you, we'll say twelve
cents r.
II think eleven is all they're worth :
said Miss Price.
Couldn't think Of it,n said "Scn !"
that Is less than We paid for them. you
know besides that, gold has been slowly
rising In the New York market the las'
two or three days, and of course comfort
able prints must 60 up too."
This last statement being unanswerablc,
Miss Price asked for samples Of two va-
rieties to try at home In son soap, and just
then Forethought came up with the mo-
lasscs. He walked strait by Miss Price,
giving her sly wink to come out to the
door. Miss Price followed Forethought
out and took the jug.
"How much Is II ?" said she producing
her purse. 60 =
mo matter about that it's of conse.
quence at all" said Forcthought. "You'll
let me know about that little matter you
and l were speaking Of In o day or two P'
"Just as soon as I can, said Miss Price.
THAT molasses Is pretty heavy" said
Forethought. I'd 60 and carry 1t up for
You, but / shall bo more than half nm hour
late ut the shop now"
Miss Price protested that II wasn't heavy
in the least, and turned up the street. In
an excess Of gallantry Forethought tipped
his hat to her back, and having knocked
1t off and recovered II again, walked down
the street as soberly rs q man may who
feels that his entire temporal fate Is pend
ing.
Miss Prices ginger snaps were particu-
larly nice that afternoon, and when sho
sat down to her lonely tea, 1t did occur to
her for the first time In her life, that II
might be pleasant to have some one to say,
while crunching them down, .'Betsey
dear, what good snaps you do make 7"
Afler Miss Price had washed the teacup
and saucer, plate and knife, that consti-
tuted ''the dishes" mt her house, she light
ed her lamp and sat down by the stove to
think "the matter over" ~
When she meditated, she usually put
her feet on tho low hearth Of her stove,
drew her dress and balmor,l away from
the stove, and tight around her anclcs,
rested her elbows on her knees, and her
head rested In her hands. Arranged
in this contemplative position. she thought
over the natter
She hadn't given consideration to the
personal question of natrimony for years.
She had made her way In the world very
satisfactorily alone yet, rs Forcthought
had said. she wasn't rs young rs she once
was and she had begun to feel tho rhcu-
matism in her joints painfully every morn
ing. and was liable to an inflammatory
attack mt any time who would take care
of her under such circumstances, Miss
Price felt to be more than she knew. Per-
haps, too, 1t wasn't quite safe for her 10
live alone; she remembered several maid
ladies who in advancing years had been
obliged to "take boy" In order to DO
under u sense of security and taking u
boy was something to which, Miss Pr;ce
could never bring her mind yet she ac-
knowledged to herself TINT II WIS some-
times lonesome living alone, and That 1t
might be agreeable to have somo ono to
whom TO speak whenever she happened to
have anything to say. Then another adj
vantage of having a husband would be
that she could have some one 10 make tho
garden, and saw the wood; some one to
help cudgel the boys out of the cherry
trees, and some one to empty tho tubs
when she washed She could also set all
her pitchers with their handles fronting to
the southwest, and wash her kitchen floor
three times day II she chose without
being dcrisivcly pronounced an old
maid.
With the above consideration In view.it
is not remarkable thai Miss Price decided
favorably In regard to matrimony In the
abstract. She next turned her attention
to Forethought. There was nothing OBJ
iectionable about him; he was a clever,
honest man, and one of the kind handy to
have about the house In case of sickness
He had inherited % good disposition
through long line of Tinkers his repu-
tation for sobriety of walk and CONVERSE
tion was unimpeachable. He had work
ed in the boot and shoe factory for more
than twenty years, and had laid up u very
pretty sum in the savings bank. For In
dustry and Elithfulness in the service he
had been gradually promoted from the
pcgging to the finishing work, and now
stood next in rank To the foreman.
Miss Price dropped her feet of the stove
hearth and pushed her chair away from
the fire-a signal that her meditations
were concluded. She took little black
Japanned pen-holdcr from the stand
drawer. diluted her ink with teaspoon
ful of vinegar, and on half sheet of pa
per wrote rs follows
"Mr. Tinker Deer Sir-I have ben
thinking over what you scd this morning.
and ! don't no but what II Is the best
we can do to have each other. j suppose
you don't care about no wedding, and l
don't feal much lik gettin ono up, people
would make no end of talk. We will 60
over to the ministers to be married. 1
shan't get around to It before Thursday,
and guess we had better go prittc erly
in the day, becaus the conference meets
there In the afternoon. and they will be
likely to be pritty busy. Very affection
ately yours, BErsEr PRICE.
P.'S. Don't come before o'clock.
Thursday morning, bccaus 1t is my bak-
ing day, and / shnl hav to wett up bred
for two"
Miss Prices orthography wasn't fault
less, but she Is an excellent cook. Fore
thought was trihc bashfiil, but he al
ways spends his evenings Mt home; so,
when say that their state since their
marriage has been very happy one. any
one who goes through the world with both
eyes open will sec some very good reasons
why II should be so.-SpringfeH Repn6ti-
cda.
My life ID like stroll upon the beach.
As near the oceans cigc as ! can 20,