Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1874-03-12

lOI TIC hcpb uiS saCc luIutu away
from Charley's as he spoke.
"a housekeeper2" asked Charley
''we'ye got one. What do we wan
of more, ! should like to know"
ayes. I know.'' assented til,
Squire. turning red IN the face, and
beginning to get lutte uneasy; buI
Mrs. Brown isn't such q woman as
we need. She doesn't take any in.
terest 10 the work ass woman
would Sh-whO had more interest 10
IT,"
After which extremely logical ar
gument the Squire got more fidgety
than ever.
Il understand that" answered
Charley. '.If she had a personal in
terest in the place, and in being pru-
dent and keeping things up. she'd do
better than she does now Now she
gets her pay for her work and that's
all she cares for. It's al we can ex-
pect of her.
"Just so" said the Squire, glad to
know that Charley agreed with him
so far. ''I've heen thinking this
morning that the best thing / could
do would be to get some one who
wonld take personal interest in
matters. I don't see as yoa intend
20 get married. and if you won't l
don't know but I'd better"
The Squire hreathed easier. The
worst was over with.
"You get married. exclaimed
Charley. in intense surprise. "Whv
| didn't know that you ever thought
of such a thing
"And ] hsvn't till this morning."
exclaimed the Squire ~ got to
thinking about it this morning, and
the more | thought about it the more
I thought it good plan You
haven't any 0hjactions?"
"Of course not" answered Char
ley.
"You can do as you think best. If
You deem it advisable to get wife
have nothing to say further than the
hope that you will get some one who
will make you happy"
''She will" said the Squire, very
decidedly, "she will, I am sure"
MAY ] ask who it's to be?' in
quired Charley.
Ill haven't asked her yet" ans
wered the Squire. as red as 4 rose.
I'd rather wait until | am sure of
her before Tell who it is She may
say no. you see, and | should feel
verv cheap"
Prudent Squire Dudley. That at.
ternoon he picked painful Of his
finest strawberries, and directly af
ter tea started off across lots in the
direction OF Widow Lees with the !
berries on his arm. 1t was dusk be-
fore he got to the widows for he
walked slowly. He had very busy
thoughts for company. He was won
dering what it was best to do. |
Should he propose at once to Ruth,
or should he see her mother first and
talk with her? He concluded that
the last was the wiser plan. AS he
opened the gate noiselessly he
heard voices in the other corner Of |
the garden, and stopped a moment
to iind out if it was the widow and
her daughter
81 never had any idea OF il he
FORE said voice. which he recog
nized as Chaley's; "nOt the least in
the world. He said he hadn't
thought anything about it until to-
day. | couldn't find ont who he had
in view. / hope it isn't old Miss
Sharp. She'd like to get some
body"
The Squire burst into a profnse
at the idea of having
Miss Sharp for wife.
"He said be didn't see as l ever
intended to get married. went on
Charley. 81 didn't tell him | had a
wife picked out, but l wanted to.
am sure he'd approved my taste in
makl0S SeltCtlOD.
What nonsensem laughed clear,
pleasant voice; Ruth's voice the /
Squire knew the moment he heard it,
"If | am going to be your wife
want you to quit laughing at me in
that sly way, pretending you are fiat
tering me all the time!'
"His wife! Good gracious"
The Squire was so taken by s1r-
prise that he came near dropping his
Strawberries. So it was all settled |
between them And he had come
near proposing to his sons intended
wife. He felt cold all over at the |
thought OF it. How lucky that he
did not take Charley into his conf
dence, and tell him who he had
concluded to marry.
81 declare" exclaimed the Squire, |
"I've made a mistake this time.
sure enough The rascal got the
start of me. I'd like TO know what
I'm going to do2 I've told him that
intended to get married, and if |
don't he'll likely as not mistrust
something. Dear me!'
The Squire was in trouble. An
other bright thought occurred to
him. There was the widow. After
all she would be more suitable for
him than Ruth would have been. She
was somewhere near his own age.
A fine woman. A smart woman
She would make fine mistress for
his empty house. Why not marry
her since he couldn't have her
daughter?
"l'll do it" exclaimed the Squire,
bound to 90 through with the mat
ter since he had got so far; I'll do
it."
He knocked. The door was opened
by the widow, round-cheeked, rosy
and smiling.
"Why, Squire Dudley! Good eyen-
inc" she exclaimed. 81 hardly knew
YOU at first, you haven't been here
in so long. Come in; take this rock