The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1873-03-08
HOW He EARNED A WIFE.
RS NARY aUAcE uAtrrNE.

"And so you want to marry my
daughter, young man r said farmer
Blitkins, removing the pipe from hls
mouth and looking at the young
fellow sharply, from head to toe.
Despite his rather indolent, eTemi-
nate air, which was mainly the re,
suit of his education, Luke Jordan
was a fne-looking fellow, aud mol
easily moved from his self-possse.
sion, but he colored and grew con.
fused beneath that sharp, scrutiniz-
ing look.
"Yes, sir. ! spoke to Miss Mary
last evening, and she--she referred
me to YOU
The OLD mans face softencd.
"MolI is q good girl--a very good
girl he said, stroking his chin
with a thoughtful air, aud she de.
serves a good husband. What can
you do?
The young man looked rather
blank at this abrupt inquiry.
"lf you refer to my ability to sup.
port a wife, can sssurc you----'
81 know that you are a rich man,
Luke Jordan, but ] tako it for gram
ted that you ask my glrl to marry
you, not your property. What
guarantee can you give me, III case
It should be swept away--as it ia in
thousands of instances--tbat you
could provide for her comfortable
homer You have hands and brains,
do you know how TO use them
Again / ask, what can you do? p
This was a style OF catechism iol
which Luke was quite unprepared,
and he stared blaukly Mt the ques-
toner without speaking.
81 believed you managed to get
through college--bave you any pro'
fession I"
mo, sir il thought"
"Have you any trade p
"No, sir my father thought that,
with the wealth | should inherit, |
should not need any"
"Your father thought like a fool,
then. He'd much better have given
you some occupation and cut you cfi
with shilling---it might have been
the making Of you. As ii il, what
hre you fit for? Here you are n
strong, able bodied man, twenty
four years old, and revcr earned a
dollar in your litcl You ought to
be ashamed Of yourself.
"And you want TO marry my
daughter" resumed the old man,
after few vigorous pufis at his
pipe.
"Now, I've given Molly as good
advantages for learning as any glr!
in town, and she hasn't thrown 'em
away; but if she didn't know how
to work, she'd be no daughter Of
mine. If ] choose, | could keep
more than one servant; but don
no more than ] choose that my
daughter should be a pale, spirItles,
creature, full of dyspepsia, and al
manner Of fine lady ailments, instead
Of the smiling, bright-eyed, rosy
checked lass che il. ] did say that
she should marry no lad that had
been cursed with rich father; bui
she's taken y foolish liking to ye
AMI, III tel yc what III do; 20 tt
work, AID prove yourself to be Q
man /; perfect yourself in some oc.
cupation--I don't care what, so il be
honest, then come to me, and, if tbt
girl is willing, she is yours"
As tho old man said this, he delib
erately knocked the ashes out Of hi
pipe against one Of tho pillars Of tbs
porch where he was sitting, tucked
it into Lis vest pocket and went into
/ the house.
Pretty Mary Blifkins was waiting
to see her lover, down at the garden
gate, their usual trysting place. Tho
smiling light faded from her eve. al
she noticed his sober, discomGted
look.
"Father means WELL" she said, a.
Luke told her the result Of his ap
plication. "And I'm not sure but
what he is about right" she resum'
| ed, after a thoughtful pause, ''for j,
seems to me that every man, be he
rich or poor, ought to have some
occupation"
Then, as she noted her lovers
grave look, she added, softly:
"Ncycr mind, III wait for you
Luke"
Luke Jordan suddenly disappear.
ed from his accustomed haunts
much to the surprise Of his gay as.
sociates. But, wherever be went