Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-05-21
JOHNS CHOICE.

centric New England farmer, the owner
in fee simple of many broad and fertile
acres of available land, and the proud
parent of a promising son, now near
grown, who in his infancy had been
designated by the not altogether I'M
heard-of name of John.
Nou1ohn Jansen had been brought
up IN a very careful and p.~Isoi nsaalfer,
and it was therefore not to be wondered
that as he grew more mature, he was
regarded as a very exemplary young
man by those who knew him intimately.
He was sober and industrious in his
habits, cultivated and refined in his
tastes, with disposition to get along and
prosper in the world, as his father had
done before him.
But the time came when he was one
and twenty. This is a remarkable
episode in the lives of most young men,
when fully freed from parental restraint
by the construction of. the law, they
think they know so much, and subse-
auently learn that they know so little.
Now. possibly, Peter, the pere, re-
garded this event in his sons life with
as great concern as did John the junior;
for certain it is, that shortly thereafter
summoned theyoungma into his pres
ence for a little private conversation.
s.We1, john" he said, chow does
it seem to be one and twenty %
Seem why can't see as it seems
any different from any other time"
Cant, Ell? Oh, well, you'll see
quick enough, l guess. l suppose the
next thing you'll be thinking of viii be
getting married"
"Oh, hadn't thought of such g
thing yet In earnest.
Hadn't Ell? Well, you'd better bt
thinking getting married is about a:
important thing ash ever happen te
you."
Yes, suppose So"
Suppose so? suppose so? you'll
know so by-and-by. Well, John, yor
are old enough to begin to think seri
ously about this matter. amt goine
to have you running around unsettled
and unsteady in your habits and char
acter. Now, the quicker you pick your
self out wife and settle down the bet
ter. Mind you, my boy, this wasting
three or four of the best years of you
life in sowing your wild oats, is yer,
1OO4ch IA'hOiPAO AOi youht uCu w az
here to. Now, don't propose to hav,
you do anything of the kind, and if yo,
avoid it you won't have harvest O
briars and thistles to gather in after
ward. Now, just as soon as you will
pick yourself ont good, prudent ant
industrious little wife, I've good farm
to give you, and enough to set you ~
in reasonable style. you understand
''Yes, sir.
"But not an acre or penny of min
shall you possess until you have com
piled with my wishes"
But, father
:. mean what / say, exactly, and n
more make this matter your first bus
ness, and when you have performe
your part of the contract, will atten
to mine"
"But is this rather sudden"
"That makes no difference If yo
are not satisfied with my terms, the worl
is vide enough for both of us you an
big enough and bright enough to ear
your own living if you can do bette
by yourself than / can do by you, why
start right out in.the world, for you an
of age. have stated my terms, and
not propose to altar them"
ssBut who shall marry %
"There's Israel Ives five daughters
and I'm certain you can have your pic
out of the lot. They've all been we
brought up, and any one of them
good enough for you, SO go ahead, an