The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-09-29
HOW HE WON HER.
B Y D A NJ ON

sMary Ann Miggs has another beau" was
the remark of lady who looked over the
fence, one morning, where Mrs. Dillotry was
engaged in washing, preparatory to spending
the day abroad.
From this text the two ladies preached
long sermon, with commentaries, the main
gist of which was that Mary Ann Miggs was
firt and that if she didn't look out she
wouldn't get married at all.
II tell you what it is, Mrs. Dilotry, this
marrying is plaguy risky piece of business
Girls don't marry the one they think they
do, but somebody entirely different What
with the books they read, and the stories they
hear, and the dreams they cogitate, girl gets
herself all ready to love some hero, and tax
ing some snipe for that hero, believes her
destiny calls for minister and rousseau
Immediately"
"Prohably it is better So Those that
wait don't, as a general thing, do better. But
girls best gift is youth, and young man,
even # he is not usually the hero that is ex-
pected, is better than nobody-that is, if
girl is going to get married Taking my ex
pericnce for what it is worth, and adding
what [ have seen and been told of others,
girls pretty nearly are cut out for what they
get in the beginning Modest girls don't
make brazen women, and hirts don't reform,
so far as I've noticed"
II guess you are right, Dillotry. IF Ma
ry Ann Miggs docs stick to this beau, shall
have my guess"
The ladies parted and this story being
fairly started, may be permitted to add
few remarks of my own, and then introduce
the principal characters.
My remarks will be brief First, will
state that l have noticed that people read, not
to gain instruction so--much as to find their
own ideas experienced which is to say, that
when man praises some book, be sure it ex-
presses some heterodox opinion Of his own.
Wherefore, to make this sorry certainly pop
ular, / mean to express at least one sentiment
upon both sides of the usual topics of human
thought. Thus:
Virtue is its own reward
IF you can't get anything better, take
whiskey straight.
Be honest if not industrious, and your
friends will support you.
1t is a poor rule that WON'T work both
ways. Few rules will s
1t is easier to borrow than to own.
Never lend your best boots to a stranger.
| will now continue my narrative
Miss Mary Miggs and her new beau walk
ed forth to view the river rolling its green
waves, and to hear the tree toads sing their
evening song.
What delicious emotion it is to walk forth
with a strange young lady You are to
learn her tastes, her feelings, her intelligence.
What pity that to the sordid mind it is
not as beautiful the fftieth time as at first.
Some little boys in skif by the bank
we're swearing at each other. This made a
disagreeable interruption. After this was
passed, the singing of cat-bird, the glow of
the sunset clouds, the swaying of the bending
| boughs, inspired them both with such sublime
| feelings, that they had to sit down upon log
and tell each other how beautiful it was, and
how full of love God was to make such a
lovely world and put them in it. Then lit
tie girl in swing, singing "Shoo Fly" to
vulgar words, drew them from their lofty
fight, and sent them farther along the banks
of the winding stream.
Considering the amount of attention, and
money, and affectionate words, girl
of considerable intelligence requires before
she gives her hand to gentleman 1 am sur
prised she ever gets married at all. It must
be tremendously powerful instinct that
overcomes all these obstacles
Here was Mary Ann Miggs, pleasant,
sociable girl-almost too much SO, one might
say, for talking people are usually lazy about
work-and after a lad goes to college he feels
that manual labor is beneath him, hands be-
ing cheap and brains dear, as Beecher says,
although, as for that, common place brain
work is common enough, and cheap enough,
and the best not ever we'll rewarded But
virtue is its own reward
Now, Mary did rot mean to be Airt She
wished, if she married at all, to marry good
man-one she could love-one who would be
considerate, gentle, kind, afectiouate- She
did not expect perfection only one of fair
| abilities and presence, industrious, of good
family, Of taste, religion, and a pleasant con
versationalst She wished particularly for
one who could converse we'll. She could not
bear silent man, OR man absorbed in his
business and unwilling to talk Of anything