Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-07-20
WANTED--A WIFE.
BY $. ANNIE ERoST.

paper, whose columns naO nelu ner
attention for nearly half an hour,
i wonder if any of these matrimoni-
al advertisements are ever put in
the papers in good faith? Here are
no less than five, commencing
'Wanted-a wife,
;, i should think responded Anna
Green, cousin to Lizzie, that if a
man wanted a wife very badly, his
best plan was to go court one.
There are plenty Of nice girls to be
won.'
Just fancy advertiting for a hus
band, Anna
| Can't. My imagination cannot
compass such an absurdity. But
what makes you so interested today
I'm sure that trash has been in the
papers for years.
why, three of these enterpris-
ing gentlemen are modest enough to
ask for photographs, and | was
thinking it world be fun to send
some of those in the box Bob left
up stairs
What boxF
Have you never seen it? You
know Bob learned to photograph
ljust before he left for California, to
be able to take views of scenery.
He took lessons of the foreman at
Wright & Hills, who were burnt
out just before Bob left. Bob was
at the fire. trying to save all he could
and amongst other things he rescued
a box of pictures that they told him
to keep. There is the greatest mix
Of stuff in it-copies of pictures
and statues, groups, heads, and quite
Il lot of pretty faces
But we might send some picture
of a person who would get into
trouble by it
oh, no. / wouldn't send any
thing but a fancy head; there are
plenty of those. I'll get the box
and let you see them
The box proved to be treasure
for passing time. 1t was quite large
and will filed, and the two girls
found the morning slipping away
rapidly as they examined the con-
tents. Suddenly Anna gave cry
of admiration.
What an exquisite facet
That is one of the. fancy heads,
said Lizzie, taking the picture from
her Cousins hand.
Are You certain, Lizzie? 1t is
very life like
But very fanciful, Anna. Nobody
in these days sits for a photograph
with a wreath of field daisies and
green leaves round their head, and
who ever saw such hair? Why,
there is enough to start chignon
factory in flourishing business
Anna looked again at the picture.
1t certainly was fanciful enough to
justify Lizzie's assertion, although
the face had an animated express
sion rarely attained by the pencil.
There was only the head set in
framework of clouds, the dimpled
shoulders rising from the Aeecy clus-
tiers, and the sweet face encirc1ed by
them. The regular features, exqui-
site mouth, and large, soft eyes were
framed in masses of heavy curls,
just caught from the low brow and
little ears by wreath of field daisies
and grasses and leaves.
1T is lovely, lovely face, Lizzie,
is it notP
Yes. think said Lizzie, musing-
ly, 'that I will send this to Mr.. Ed
gar Holmes; amt that the name?
Yes,' she added, after reference to |
the paper. MIR. Edgar Holmes, Box
No. AZ, Waterford, Illinois. Illinois
is good ways from Hilton, Massa-
chusetts, Anna, so guess he will
not come to look for the original
very soon. There! how does that
lookF and she tossed the picture to
her cousin, having written on the
margin, Ever yours, with love, Ida.
But, Lizzie, suppose, after all,
this should be real portrait?'
Nonsense! We certainly know
everybody in Hilton
4 don't half like it, Lizzie |
'Oh, pshaw! You are always fus-
sy. 1 mean to get some answers
from Mr.. Edgar Holmes & Co. 1t
will be real fun. Here is one from
California and one from New York;
pick ont two more pictures. o An
ma, here is that hateful old maid,
Matilda Truefit. have half q mind
to send her. .....
No, won't let you, Lizzie. Send
only fancy heads
We'll, just as you say. Now for
the letters. See how nicely can
disguise my hand and she wrote a
few lines in stiff, angular hand as
legible and almost as unrecognizable
as print.
Anybody can see that it is dis
guised hand
OF course they can; but that's
of no consequence. l shall only
write few lines at first, protesting
deep interest and desire for further
acquaintance. You are as grave as
a deacon, Anna
Because it seems to me foolish, a
waste of time, to say the best of it,
and it may get you into trouble,
Lizzie
Pm not afraid. 1t is all for fun.
l shall sign them all 1da,' and have
the answers directed to the same
name
An hour passed away, almost in
silence. Lizzie wrote three letters
of the character she had described,
while Anna pondered over the pic
lures, read the newspaper which had
inspired her cousin with the new
piece of mischief, and perused the
letters as they were finished and
tossed over to her for criticism.
There were not two prettier girls
in Hilton than these cousins-one q
resident of the village from her
birth, the other a regular visitor for
the summer months. Lizzie Thorn
dyke was a brown-eyed, dark k-haired
beauty, with short, plump figure,
fair complexion, tongue that was
the terror of every dull-witted youth
in the village, and love of mischief
and excitement that made her the
leader in every picnic, festival, and
frolic for miles around. Anna,
tall, slender blonde, was more quiet