Litchfield enquirer., 1873-04-24

She was as good as she could be to me, and patience with all my little pettish ways, and tried to make me friendly with Russell; but I wouldn't. I took to hard work, and, what with cryin' nights, and hard work all day. got pretty well over done. But 1t all went on for about three months, till one day Russell come up be- hind me, as was layin' out some yarn to bleach down at the end of the orchard, and asked me if I'd go down to Meriden with hlm next day, to q picnic frolic, in the woods.
 ''No!" says I, as short as I could.
 Russell looked as though had slapped him. Amy, " says he, ''what have done ?''
 l turned round to go away, and catch ed my foot in a hank of yarn, and down I come fiat on to the ground. havein sprained my ankle so bad that Russell had to pick me up and carry me into the house like baby.
 There was an end of Meriden for me; and he wouldn't go, either, but come over and sat.by me, and read to me, and some how or other, don't remember just the words, he gave me to understand that well-that he wished I'd marry him.
 It's about as tirin' to be real pleased with anything as it is to be troubled, at first. l couldn't say anything to Russell just cried. Major wasn't there mother was dryin' apples out in the shed; so Russell he didn't know what to do; he kind of hushed me up, and begged of me not to cry, and said he'd come for his an- swer next day. So he come, and I didn't say, 'No," again. I don't believe I Istopped to think whether Major liked him. She would have thought of me, first thing;- believe she wouldn't have had him, if she'd thought wanted him. But ain't like Major; it come more natural to me to think about myself; and besides, she was pious, and I wasn't. Russell was.
 However, it turned out all right, for Major was most as pleased as I was; and she told me, finally, that she'd known a long spell that Russell liked me, and the reason he'd bee hangin' round her so long was, he'd been tellin' her his plans, and they'd worked out considerable ill their heads before she could feel as though he had good enough lookout to ask me to marry him.
 This wasn't so pleasant to me, when I come to think of It; thought I'd ought to have been counselled with. But it was just like Major; everybody come to her for word of help or comfort, whether they took her idee or not,-she had such feelin' for other folks's trouble.
 I got over that little nub after a while; and then was so pleased, everything went smooth ag'in. was goin' to be married in the spring; and we were goin' straight out to Indiana, on to some wild land Squire Potter owned out there, to clear it and settle it, and what Russell cleared he A. l.1 T. out of the bank to fit me out, and Major and I went down to Hartford to buy my things. -.
 said before, we wasn't either of us any great to look at; but it come about that one day I heerd somebody tell how we did look, and T. thought considerable about 1t then and afterwards. We was buyin' some cotton. to store in the city, and I was lookin' about at all the pretty things, wonderin' why I was picked out to be poor when so many folks was rich and had all they wanted, when presently I heerd q lady in 8 silk gown say to another one; so low she thought I didn't hear her. There are two nice-looking girls, Mrs@
 ''Hem,-yes, said the other one; 'sthey look healthy and strong: the oldest one has lovely expression, both steady and sweet; the other don't look happy"
 I declare, that was fact. was sorry, too, for I'd got everything in creation to make anybody happy, and now I was fret tin to be rich. thought I'd try to be like Major; but I expect it was mostly because of the looks of it, for forgot to try before long.
 We'll, in the spring we was married; and when come to go away, Major put Q red Bible into my trunk for weddin' present; but was cryin' too hard to thank her. She swallowed down what ever choked her, and begged of me not to cry so, lest Russell should take it hard that mourned to go with him. But just then was thinkin' more of Major and mother than I was of Russell; they'd kept me bright and cheery always, and kept up my heart with their own good ways when I hadn't no strength to do it for myself; and now was goin' off alone with Rus sell, and he wasn't very cheerful-disposi- tioned, and somehow my courage give way all to once.
 But had to go; railroads don't wait for nobody; and what with the long jour ney, and the new ways and things and people, hadn't no time to get real down once before we got to Indiana. After we left the boat there was spell of railroad, and then long stage-ride to Cumberton; and then we had to hire big wagon and team, sos to get us out to our claim, thir- ty miles west'ard of Cumberton. I hadn't no time to feel real lonesome now, for all our things he'd got to be onpacked, and packed over again in the wagon; some on 'em had to be stored up, sos to come an- other time. We was two days gettin' to the claim, the roads was so bad mostly what the call corduroy, but good stretch mud holes. By the time we got to the end ont, I was tired out, just fit to cry; and such house as was waitin' for us Ia real log shanty I see Russell looked real beat when he see my face; and I tried to brighten up; but wished to my heart was back with mother forty times that night, if I did once. Then come the worst of all, clutterin' everything right into that shanty; for our frame house wouldn't be done for two months, and there wa'n't scarce room fer what we'd brought, so't we couldn't think of sendin' for what was stored to Cumherton. I didn't sleep none for two nights, because of the whip-poor-wills that set on a tree close by, and called till mornin' light; but after that was too tired to lie awake.
 We'll, it was real lonesome, but it was all new at first, and Russell was to work neer by, so't I could sec him, and often times hear him whistle; and I had the garden to make, round to the new house, for knew more about the plantin' of it than he did, specially my posy-bed, and I had good time gettin' new flowers out of the woods. And the woods was real splendid, great tall tulip-trees, as high as steeple and round as a,quill, without any sort or branches ever so fur up, and the whole top full of the yeller tulips and the queer snippedlookin' shiny leaves, till they looked like great bow-pots on sticks; then there's lots of other great trees, only they're all mostly spindled up in them woods. But the flowers that grow round on the mash edges and in the clearin's do beat all.
 So time passed along pretty glib till the frame-house was done, and then we had to move in, and to get the things from Cumberton, and begin to feel as | xvaro eo4t1oI for nroo1 oDI III |.