National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1874-02-13
CAPTAIN TILLER,S WOOING.

Captain Seth Tiller, returning from
his weekly fishing voyage in the goot
bark Ticker, was surprised to find hi.
domicile shut up and apparently neg
lected.
Still more surprised was he upor
being informed by sympathizine
neighbor, who delivered to him the
door-key, that his sister Nancy, who
had been since his mothers death his
sole housekeeper, had formed sudden
attachment for travelling tinman of q
neighborlng town, and had on the pre-
vious day walked off, or rather ridden
of, with the same in his wagon. Nancy
had left her love and good piece OF
roast beef ready for her brother, to-
gether with message to the effect
that she chopped he would think better
of it, and come to see her and Joseph,
which nothing would please them
more"
burned if I do" said Captain Seth
Tiller, wrathfully. "Let her be salts
fed with her Joseph, since she was fool
enough to leave q comfortable home for
the sake of gettin' married. Jest like
women the whole world over. A mans
only got to say, will yer 2 and they
jump at it like dog at bone that s
flung to him. Well, let her go, don't
keer. A woman amt worth much, any
how, and guess kin get along with
out 'er."
And then, to show his independence
of women, Captain Seth straightway
set about preparing his evening meal,
but being more of a sailor than steward,
he failed, and then went out and got an
expensive, unsatisfactory and badly
cooked supper, at the only public house
in the little seafaring town wherein he
resided. He came home cold and
miserable; and, unable to find the
matches, groped his way to bed in dark.
ness. The morning brought him no
comfort. There were things to be "set
to rights" "chores'" to do, pots and
pans to be secured, his clothes to be
Inended and washed and Captain Seth
looked around with sort of despair.
For the first time in his life there
dawned upon his mind a perception of
the usefulness of women.
For day or two the Captain led this
miserable mode of existence, and, as
the time approached for embarking on
his next voyage, he looked upon that
and his prospective return with a species
of forlorn horror.
"Sombody'll break into the house
and rob it" thought he, cor the
thingsll get musty and moldy, with
being shut up without any fire and
look at them duds O. mine"
He frowned wrathfully at heap of
sailors clothes lying in the corner of
the room, all of which wanted washing,
and some of which stood in great neeo
of repairing and Nancy had always
kept them so neat and whole.
"Look 'ere," said Captain Tiller,
rising, and with his back to the stove,
his legs astride, and his hands in his
pockets, apostrophising the furniture
in general. "Look ere, this state o
things won't do no longer; I've had
enough of it. A man can't be expected
to live a wild Iniun. I'll get married"
Captain Tiller was man of his word,
and who having made up his mind to a
thing, was sure to act promptly upon it.
He sat down, now, on a three-legged
stool before the fire, and leaning his
elbows upon his knees, meditated. In
three days he wonld sail, wherefore
there was a necessity for prompt action.
"Let's see," said Captain Tiller,
thoughtfully a." It'll be better to take q
widder, I guess; widdeis are more
steady than t'others, and more used to
things, and won't expect any counting,
and that sort O. nonsense. Not young
widder, though. They're apt to be
fighty."
Then he unused again, and mused
within himself that the only one he
knew answering to his requisition, was
the widow Tyron. Yes he'd marry the
widow Tyron. And, with a slap on the
knee, as of one who had arrived at
hnal and satisfactory conclusion, clap
ped his sou'wester upon his head, bat
toned up his pea jacket and betook him.
self to that lady's abode.
"Good mornin', widder II said Cap
tain Seth, as, in answer to his knock at
the door, Mrs. Tyron appeared in tidy
cap and apron, and with her bare arms
busted with -four, while an appetiaing
odor of cookies issued from the com.
Portable kitchen.
At that smell the visitors heart an.
lsr0ed. and his nosxrils sv,,erS.S =.