The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-03-17


"Oh," said the suitor, little crest
fallen. "I don't set up to be much in the
courtin' line, like the young sparks here
abouts. You and me amt neither one of
us chickens, you know, Miss Fuller; so
we can arrange sensible-like without any
nonsense of that kind"
"Arrange whatP' inquired the lady,
flashing her black eyes rather omin ously
upon the Captain.
"Why, about our marriage, you know"
GAS if l would have youP" she burst
forth, angrily. "a man that walks in my
garden suddenly in his work-day clothes,
and without even sittin' down or sayin'
word o. cOurtin', for decency's sake, tell
me I'm no chicken, and asks me downright
to arrange for marrying him, jest as he'd
ask to buy green goose or a suckin pig
for his Sundays dinner"
And without another word the Widow
Fuller flounced into the house, while the
disappointed suitor walked rather b ankly
out at the gate.
"They're hard set, them widders," he
medtated. "I'll give 'em up, guess,
and take a single woman. But | won's
hev young, skittish one, to be rampaging
about while I'm out o. the way. There's
Miss Charity Hobson. She's good man.
ager and guess she'll do bout as we'll as
any,"
He had turned in the direction of Miss
Charity's house, when he remembered Mrs.
Fuller's hint about his clothes. So he
went home, put on gorgeous flowered
vest-kept for State occasions-rubbed a
handful of hogs lard into his hair, auoint-
ed his boots with the same, and set forth
with renewed vigor on his wife-hunting ex-
pedition.
Miss Charity looked up grimly as he en-
tered her neat kitchen, and placing chair
for him, herself took another at the oppo-
site side of the room.
You're lookin' uncommon well, Miss
Hobson," said the Captain, planting his
hands on his knees, and gazing at her with
what he meant to be a most amiable smile
mindful, from his late experience, that
it be necessary to do little in the court
ing line before popping the question.
"Im pretty well, thank you," respon-
ded the lady dryly.
"And monstrous snug and comfortable
lookin'," resumed the suitor glancing
round. "But amt you little lonesome
at times ?''
"Not I've got dog and two cats
them as you see there and mean to hev
mockin' bird as soons Jabez Long can git
one for me. So I've got no reason to be
lonesome"
"But cats and dogs amt human critters
Miss Hobson," said Captain Tiler insinua-
tingly.
81 reckon l don't need to be told that
Captain. They amt human creeters, but
somethin' better, if anything"
"Not equal to husband, maybe, Miss
Hobson--or baby"
GA what ?" shrieked Miss Charity
fiercely, glaring over her spectacles.
"Oh, nothin' particular. Only I'd think
it would be a melancholy thing for wo-
man to be all alone with lot o. cats and
dogs as she's gettin' on into the downhill
o. life and''-he remembered Mrs. Tyron's
expression" and the valley o. the shad-
der. Cats and dogs can't lick away the
wrinkles from her face, nor bring down
her gray hairs with-pleasure to the
grave"
"Capt'n Tiller," said Miss Hobson, lay
ing down on her lap the stocking she was
knitting and looking at him, with flush
on her sallow cheek" Captn Tiller, I'd
like to know once for all, what do you
mean?"
He saw at once that she was angry. lie
didn't know why-but he felt it incumbent
on him to soothe and please her. So he
drew his chair across the floor, and sat
down close beside her.
"Come, now, let's you and me have a
friendly understandin' together" said he,
looking coaxingly in her face. "Pm sure
I've got none but the softest kind o. feel
ings to'ard you, and don't see why you
shouldn't reciprocate." And, to add point
to his words, he put his left arm across the
back of her chair, and with his right fore
finger touched her delicately and playfully
in the ribs.
Miss Charity HobsOn bounced from her
seat as if bomb shell had exploded be-
meath it.
Z" Git out o. this house." she shrielIed-
~ T., a. 4
sassing lone woman, and in her own