The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-11-12
CHAPTER I.

/ CHAPTER I.
| because there must be first chapter.)
In 1900 and-never-mind-what, for
reasons partly personal, partly domes-
tic and partly compulsory, it was my
fortune good or bad-to remove to
the West.
The fact of it is, was married. I
married because I wanted to and
came West because my husband want
ed to. l suppose that is just the long
and short of the matter.
Any how, marry I did and come
West did. And you may bewail
your fate that I did either, or both of
these things; for if I never had, these
chapters would never have been writ,
and if they never had been writ, you
never would have been bored by
them. l hold that last proposition to
be beyond dispute.
1t was upon as lovely and sunshiny
a day as ever hailed a bride that I
turned my footsteps from my fathers
door strangers love to try. Many
fearful partings were said to aged
father and mother and other kindred
dear promises to write made; cau-
tions about the journey made, and not
even the old family servant forgotten
in her spotless white apron just from
under the iron, and her broad black
hand extended only after that respect
full wipe on the snowy apron that the
old-timed negro never failed to ad-
minister to palm and digits. before
presenting them to master or mistress
for shake.
| Off rolled the family carriage from
the paternal mansion where I had
spent twenty-four of as happy years as
ordinarily fall to the lot of mortals.
1ndulged to proper extent in all
girlish wishes, with a houseful OF
brothers and sisters, and as many
playmates Of my own degree or were
needful for me among the children Of
our friends, I passed my childhood as
childhood is usually passed-happy
in the present and thoughtless of the
future.
AS I grew up pleasures and light
household duties multiplied around
me, and they and my studies occu
pied my time until I reached thai
point, reached by all girls (nearly>
some time or another woman's love
for man.
How it came; when it began tc
come; how long it was coming what
made it come; why it didn't come
sooner; why it came so soon; why il
came at all do not know.
| What I did all the time it had no
come, I can no more tell than what
would have done had it never come
| Whether it came to me as it doe
to others; or moro radiantly; or les
50; whether I could have coaxed; i
} on; whether I could have wsrded i
of-are questions can not answer
Whether it comes suddenly or b!
slow approaches; what are the symp
toms of the disease; who most likely
to be its earliest victims; who, t,
resist the attack the longest-all are
3 like the foregoing things, too hard 70
| my femi nine understanding.
Why I loved Ware; why War
loved me; why I didn't love on
Charlie Highbrock with his splendi'
moustache !; why didn't love Harr
Browning with his elegant form an
say Eyes" when he asked me-(Cha1
lie never did, but he would have if
had let him); why I didn't love on
George Upton, and why George-ro
licking George, always happy an
ively-would keep on loving me "a
least, he said so) after he knew I wa
y engaged-all this I know not, eithe
All I do know, care to know, or e.
It pect to know, on the subject is, that
n = didn't and one evening when Wa1
leaned over the back Of my chair j
the front parlor, after all the otht
guests had left, and asked me SOM
thing, I said I would.
I didn't drop my head on h
shoulder and I didn't weep, an
OF I didn't go on in the novelette, style
or those three things can aver. For,
to dropping my head on his shoulde
how could Iif Ihad wanted, forwasn
the man fully six feet, and didn't
y, stand, like q coward, in the rear q
the time, hanging on to the back.
ty my chair? OF course he did; I 1
Ut member it as we'll % if it was day b
fore yesterday. And as to weepin
in J I'm not given to it. especiallv vh,