Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-10-10
Smiths and Browns.


by wise shake of the forefinger, things
have got in a very bad way. The farm
is mortgaged to the last cent it is worth,
and ! owe heap of money besides
more by a long shot than | know how to
pay. What is to be done?
I'm sure | don't know, Peter, replied
the bothered wife, but it seems too aw
full bad to be turned out of house and
home at our time of life. Now, if our
son John would only marry Jonas
Browns daughter, Sally, it would help
us amazingly. The Browns, you see,
are well off, and the connection would
be perfect gold mine TO us. OF course
they'd give Sally the hundred acres of
land and things that they have always
said they would.
That's a good idea, wife, and Peter
frightened up amazingly. You always
were a cute woman, and the motion does
you credit But do you think the young
folks would take to it?
| don't know, but it seems to me that
they have always taken a great notion
to each other ever since they We're chill
dren-but more like brother and sister
than anything else.
But suppose the Browns should object,
as most likely they would? You know
we amt on good terms, thick as the
young folks have been.
I'll tell you what, Peter, is just the
thing for us to do-put up John to eiope
with Sally.
Agreed. win leave it all to you to
manage
Thus the matter was settled, and the
scheming couple went to bed to dream
of a speedy release from their financial
embarrassments.
Condolences are sometimes of the
most serious haraCter-almost surpass-
ing belief in some instances. About the
time of the above conversation between
Mr.. and Mrs. Smith, their neighbOrs,
Mr.. and Mrs. Jonas Brown, held an i'm
pOrtant conference,
Do YOU remember that note for SIX
hundred dollars l gave for stock last
spring asked Jonas.
Yes, replied his wife.
Well, it's coming due in about one
month, and how under the sun were go
ing to pay it, don't know.
Mortgage the farm.
We've done that until it can't be mort
gagged any more. I'm clean discouraged,
and there's Sally wanting a piano
Where the money is coming from is
more than | know We're on the verge
of bankruptcy.
wish Sally would marry John Smith
gracious knows they're together
enough to take notion that way.
Yes; but don't see how that would
help us any.
Yon don't eh? Well, do. Amt his
E.11 81 xt,,,,1l,,'t thIvr him,
handsomely? Then we would stand
some chances Of getting help through
Sally
That's good plan, was Jonas con-
clusion, after profound meditation, but
the difficulty is that the Smiths are not
on good terms with us, and would be
likely TO oppose the match.
Then the best plan is to set the young
folks up to an elopement.
SO it CHANGED that the Browns and
Smits planned to dispose of their chill
dren to their own pecuniary advantage.
The next step in each case was to mould
the young ones to the proper shape.
John Smith was a handsome, brawny,
country fellow, with plenty of good
sense and an ocean of love for Sally
Brown When his parents proposed his
marrying her, he informed them that he
would do so, but he feared that her pa
rents would object. Then his father
slyIy suggested an elopement, and offer
ed to aid him in carrying out such an
exploit John said he wOuld think about
it.
Sally Brown was u rustic maiden, with
much redness of cheeks, and rejoicing
in the possession of lasting comeliness
which is derived from a bright smile,
sweet temper, and pair Of clear, earnest
eyes, made none the less expressive by
the near neighborhood of a saucy little
1'etr0usSe nose. Her wavy brown hair
had not a ripple out of place, and her
plump little figure was encased in a well
fitting dress, which was neatness itself.
When her parents spoke to her about
John, she blushed blOomingly, and after
close questioning, admitted tibet she
would be tickled to death to marry him.
She further stated that they were run
ming over with love for each other; that
they had long settled the question of III
innate union, but that they feared pa
rental objection.
Now I'll tell you what, Sally, said Mrs.
Brown, you know pa and | dote ON
you, and would do anything to make you
happy.
We would do anything to make you
hrppy, echoed Mr.. Brown.
And if you were to hint to John the
idea of an elopement, we wouldn't lift
our fingers to prevent it.
In thus instructing their children, the
Smiths and Browns displayed very little
knowledge of human nature. They
should have known that John and Sally
would, upon the first occasion possible
unbosom themselves, for how could true
lovers keep a secret? And they did
At the next meeting each told the other
all he or she had been told by parental
lips but neither could conceive the OBJ
iect of the old folks. However, they
were not overdisposed to question the
matter They were too glad that the
consummation so devoutly wished SEEM
ed so near at hand to question how it
had been brought about. Conscious that
their progenitors were up to some kind
of trickery, they resolved to at once avail
themselves of the opportunity to elopc
before any change in the aspect of affairs
should occur. Having thus concluded,
they proceeded to lead their parents sa-
tray. ..
Nv been talking to John, said Sally,
demurely, to Mr.. and Mrs. Brown, and
we have concluded to elope it's all set
tied, and we're ready lust as soon as it
can be arranged.
| saw Sally last night, said John, to
Mr.. and Mrs. Smith, and she agreed to
elope with me; so | think the thing had
better be hurried right along.
One week from this time all the pre-
liminanes had been arranged Sally had
been supplied with a bran new dress
and all other tixings, and John had been
given enough money to buy suit of
wedding toggery. The respective par
ents were laughing in their respective
sleeves at their own cunning. The
Browns were overioyed at outwitting
the Smiths, the Smiths were happy at
fooling the Browns, and both chuckled
over a speedy relief from financial en-
barrassment.
The eventful night came, and John
La 81, e -, e IL.