Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-03-23

SlOutS bO-udE, LDu! dlu was lOlu,
have other work on my hands to-day, less
not to try her any longer by shirking."
Solomon's eyes opened wide, and he did
not hesitate to say, Hannah, thereu be
fun now, I guess" He was instantly
stopped by a reprimand from his mother.
Now Ephraim was one of those down
right, upright kind of men, to whom the
battle is more than half over when once
they have "resolved," so his mother felt
no misgivings about him as she watched
him crossing the meadows in the direction
of Squire Whipple's.
do not think the good woman ever
thought of the possibility OF Martha's
saying "nay" to such an offer, but as the
day wore on and he did not come home,
she smiled to think what ardent lovers
these quiet, backward kind of men made,
when they come to know there own
minds.
Solomon declared "that Eph was max
ing fool of himself, going the rounds of
the whole town." and asked his mother
"what she'd bet Eph wouldn't ask that
ar Shumbley woman to add her forty
years to his n before he was through with
it."
By nine o'clock Ephraim arrived, but
nothing could be gathered from his face,
and he refused to answer single question
until he had his supper. They waited
with what patience they could; Mrs.
Hawkins said, she always was dreadful
trying" and Solomon thought "Eph's
symptoms good, judging from his appe-
tite"
At last he seated himself by the broad,
open fireplace, and placing his feet upon
| the fender, commenced: 81 went over to
the 'Squire's and found Marthy churning,
so took hold and helped her. She said
something about my running away from
her generally, but didn't take any notice
of it. We talked over about work and one
| thing and another She laughed at most
everything, but gave me some kind OF an
answer, until I asked her, Marthy,' says
l, whats your opinion about raising a
large family? Don't you think, if it's the
Lords will, it is better to have good
to have just two or three, like your family
and mine?"
She Jumped so that we almost upset the
churn, and then she snapped out, "Eph.
Hawkins, what do you mean, talking like
that to me? Don't you ever dare to
speak to me again as long as you live"
| L tried to explain, but she wouldn't listen
to a word, so I had to leave, and felt
glad twas ordered just as twas, for wo-
man with such temper would make an
uncomfortable wife.
The widow groaned, but Ephraim told
her mot to be discouraged, for he did not
give it up So" 1 went from there over
to Mr.. Wheelers, and thought l
wouldn't waste time in compliments, so
when Sarah Jane came to the door asked
her at once if she'd be kind enough to an
swer a few questions, and l told her a
good deal depended upon her answers, SO
| hoped she would tell the truth. At that
she got mad and called to her mother,
Ere is Eph. Hawkins, come to take the
cencus and he's afraid I'll tell him lies {;
you had better come and answer him,
and what should she do but leave Sister
Wheeler came, and 1 said l think | will
call when 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, for fear OF
being excluded from the confidence of the
family. Mother" said Ephraim, don't
find fault with me, for never worked so
hard to please you in my life as l have
done to-day, and l have gone according to
the light had"
az know, my son, but you'll never
marry now. Oh dear, am so tried"
eyes I shall; I did not lose courage a
bit, but went from there to Eben Howe's."
Don't you tell me Betsy Howe is
coming here to live on"
"No, she wasn't at home, and when l
| asked her mother as to Betsy s views, she
owned that Betsy hadn't any; SO that
was settled, of course, and l left word
with her about some town business for
| Eben, and came away"
cat John Reads [ found quite COM
pany. You know by the time l got there
twas in the afternoon. Well, l felt so
| thankful, for there was Ann Simpson,
Abbey Cole and Nancy Fisher, besides the
Read girls. Somehow l didn't feel quite
as clear in my mind as to the questions
when they were all laughing around me"
"Oh," interrupted Solomon, 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 on town 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 l was almost crazy.
don't know how l should ever have got
away from them, but was tipping back
in my chair, and somehow it went over
and [ went my full length on the floor.
They all commenced screaming, and sup
posed they thought I 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?"
Says I, "They can't be more frightened
than 1 am, and if you will get the chair
mended will settle the bill. wanted to
| talk with you about the school in our dis
| trict, but guess l will see you down to
the corner some day; !" and was coming
away, but my hat had been mislaid some
how and, after long search, Brother Read
lent me his best one; and, though it was
pretty large, managed by wrapping my
handkerchief aroundmy head. Becky Read
was in the yard, and she said "if she
found my hat she'd bring it over, and if 1
weren't at home she'd stay and do the
more talk with her, but heard the other
girls snickering and it upset me COM
pletely.
ooh, Ephraim, the whole town will be
laughing about you, I know"
"Oh, no, mother, there's no occasion,
for in all these places never said word
to any one about marrying, and then you
know passed it 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 these things to time?'
mo time like the present to settle
points which might make trouble for us if
left to the future. At my age l wasn't go
ing to ask any girl to marry me without
knowing her views. When 1 got out OF
sight of Reads house sat down on the
wall and tried to settle whether 1 would
give it up and go home, or what I had
better do. I 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 I didn't marry in q
month, and ne's nothing but 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
Slater's. The children came running out to
meet me; you know they always 'peared
to like me; they had been crying because