Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-06-07
HUNTING a FEATHER.

When | was fourteen years of age
my father one day remarked to me:
Gas soon as you are old enough to
marry, will select nice little wife
for you"
'I'u select one myself, if wish to
marry" l answered rather curtly.
you'll do nothing of the sort, :"
tartly interposed my mother. Your
father and myself are better able to
Judge what is best for your welfare
in life"
care you:" inquired.
eyes, we are, Mr.. Impertinence,"
she replied ''When L was a girl
my parents selected your father as
my future husband, and never pre-
sumed to question either their au-
thority or their judgment; but chill
dren nowadays set their parents
wishes and commands at defiance.
Oh, these truly are degenerate
timesT
'But l am not a girl" answered.
'That's true" continued my moth
er,swarming up to the theme, "and
it has been the only source of regret
that l have known in my married
life. l hoped for a daug hter, but
Providence ordered it otherwise"
"And Providence knew what was
BEST l replied, quoting a phrase
that was daily on my mother S
tongue, il not III her practice.
Charley" said my father, with
more than his usual gravity, "your
mother and l would Ike to see you
well settled in life, and it is with
this view that we hope to see you
one day united with Grace Brantley,
She is an only child, and her father
and myself have been friends since
bOyhOod. Mr.. Brantley, you know,
is very wealthy man, and Grace
will inherit all he possesses. They
are coming TO pay us a visit in q
couple of weeks, and wish you to
be manly and polite during then
| stay, for l wish them to carry away
n good impression concerning you
Your mother and myself talked the
matter over with them on their last
visit"
''Grace Brantleyu' 1 exclaimed
''that little snub-nosed thing, will
red hair, that was here the summer
! before last, and you all said had the
manners of a full grown lady
| here, father-Pm nothing but a boy
yet, and do not know what l may
think about marrying, but one thing
l do know, / won't marry Grac,
Brantley. I'd sooner run away, az
Flavel Brown did, and 90 to schoo
with the Brothers and become ;
priest, and then think there vii
! be an end of marrying"
| Ny mother uttered a scream anC
appealed to my father.
"Mr. Carter" she said, 'do yOI
hear that? Do you know from
whence these things come? Iv'
begged you long to take that bo!
away from Mr.. Rubric's school; h
may be a very good and devout MAJ
| for all | know, but people say he
tainted with heterodoxy, and Heav
en- forbid that child of mine shOull
imbide such teachings. My ances
| tors were steady going Puritans
and l can't endure the thought o
Charles mind being crammed witt
pernicious doctrines"
| "The Puritaus were a set o
scamps, l exclaimed; II heard DR.
Rand say to Mr.. Rubric the Othe
day, and the Doctor wouldn't tell
| lie"
My father chuckled. He oftcl
had these bouts with my mother
for they widely differed on religi
Gus topics, though l believe the,
were in accord on every other sub
ject.
Mr. Brantley, wife and daughte
arrived in due season. y success
sion of lucky operations, in the iror
business had enabled Titus Brant
ley TO accumulate . heavy fortune
which he was now ENJOYING in a
easy and unObtrusiye Style. Hi
wife was a little dumpy woman
with something eternally wrOu
with her organization. She ha
tried every physician OF reput
within reach of her, and notwitL
standing their unanimous opinio
that her ailments were purely in
aginsry, she still persisted in dl
claring herself i'll, and at last foGu
some good natured physician VIII
humored her whim, and was sut
cessfully treating her with 0rea
pills.
Grace Brantlcy was twelve yeaI
Ol dsGS buI 80 l4GCOIAOus IHdL sl
would certainly have been taken I
be much older. She was neithC
snub-nosed nor red-headed. He
eyes were a blush gray and her hat
a deep chestnut. She was that styI
, of girl that. people involuntaril
call little woman. At school 81
had far outstripped those of he
: own age, and was already in II
, highest branches of her education
| Had she guessed at the remark
| Charley Carter concerning her, 81
was Just the one to have caused hi
to feel the temerity Of his speecl
Charley, for his part, determine
not TO like her, and paid her As lit
= attention as was consistent wit
common civility. lie was of IN.
, age when boys are most cOusCguCl
tigl, and considered Grace toe mut
of a child TO merit attention. ]
. scarcely ever offered 10 share hU
solitary amuSemcnts, and when
did take a stroll with the little Lao
he considered himself bored wi
the intlictiOn. But Grace was lr
without resources, and was IN I