The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-05-12

Brother Wheeler is at home,' and then
/ left"
Again the widow groaned and accused
her son of being more trying" than
ever before. Solomon kept quiet, from
fear of being excluded from the con.
fidence of the family. Mother" said
Ephraim, don't find fault with me, for
! never worked so hard to please you
in my life as | have done to-day-and
have gone according to the light
hadn
Il know, my son, but you'll never
marry now. Oh, dear, am so tired y
Eyes, | shall | did not lose courage
a bit, but went from there to Eben
Howe's."
"Dont you tell me Betsy Howe is
coming here to live on
No, she wasn't ut home, and when
asked her mother as to Betsy's views,
she owned that Betsy hadn't any, so
that was settled, of course, and / left
word with her about some town bust.
ness for Eben, and come away.
"At John Reads found quite COM
pany. You know by the time | got
there twas in the afternoon. Well,
felt so thankful, for there was Ann
Simpson, Abby Cole and Nancy Simp-
son, besides the Read girls. Somehow
| didn't feel quite as clear in my mind
as to the question when they were all
laughing around me-"
"Oh," interrupted solomon, g if I'd
only been there
% | was bound to be serious with them,
so asked them at once if they didn't
think a woman ought to be willing to
do the milking if her husband was a
farmer and was called away to town on
business.
"'Of course said two or three of
them. DO you want to hire hand,
Eph ? Take me, oh, take me; and
they all huddled up around me until
was almost crazy. don't know how
should ever have got away from them.
but | was tipped back in my chair and
somehow it went over, and | went my
full length on the floor. They all COM
menced screaming, and / suppose they
thought was hurt, for they called to
their father, and he came running in
Says he, Brother Hawkins, what is the
matter, what have you done to frighten
these girls So?
Essays |, They can't be more fright
ened than am, and if you will get the
chair mended, will settle the bill. |
wanted to talk with you about the
school in our district. but | guess | will
see you down TO the corner some day :
and was coming away, but my hat had
been mislaid somehow, and after long
search, Brother Read lent me his best
one, and though it was pretty large,
managed, by wrapping my handkerchief
around my head. Becky Read was in
the yard, and she said, { if she found
my hat, she'd bring it over, and if !
weren't at home she'd stay and do the
milking | was going to have little
more talk with her, but | heard the
other girls snickering and it upset me
completely"
ooh, Ephraim, the whole town will
be laughing about you, know"
ooh, no, mother, there's no occasion
for in all these places | never said a
word to any one about marrying, and
then you know passed 1t off as though
! really did have business with the men
folks
" But what possessed you to ask such
strange questions Why did you not
leave all those things to time p
No time like the present to settle
points which might make trouble for us
if left to the future. At my age | wasn't
going to ask any girl to marry me with
out knowing her views. When ! got
out Of sight of Reads house, | sat down
on the wall and tried to settle whether
| would give it up and 90 home, or
what had better do. ! thought of all
the hard work had done on this place,
and of what you said last night, that
you'd settle everything upon Solomon
if didn't marry in a month, and he's
nothing but a child and not fit to be
trusted with clearing up the land, so,
late as it was, and hungry and tired as
| felt, | walked over to the widow Sla.
ter's. The children came running out
to meet me; you know they always
peared to like me; they had been cry
ing because their mother had been or
dered to have the house empty in q
fortnight's time. As soon as they told
me, | saw what my duty was, and why
my way had been hedged up all the
day. ! stayed an hour, | guess, and we
agreed upon everything, and so think
your trials are about over, mother, fol
she is going to marry me as soon as eveI
we can be published"
"She! for conscience-sake! who dc
you mean, for the widow has three girls
who have put on long dresses and taken
to doing-up their hair
"Why, mother, it is the widow her
self, though if l had thought of it I'd
asked Miranda some questions, but 'ti'
too late now, the bargain is made, ano
when once | have the widow and he,
seven children here, nobody can com
plain of my not having family.
think | have been led to great useful
ness"
"To great foolishness, you had better
say how am to live with all those chill
dren running wild around here, anc
Solomon will be flirting with those
grown up girls. Dear me if your father
had only lived, and there had beer
some head here, you wouldn't have
} tried me so"
} No, mother, l promise you abou
, flirting I'm going to do better thar
that"
The promise sounded little mysteri
, Gus to Ephraim and his mother, but tn