The Portland daily press., 1874-01-24

T"ADout that" replied the captain, staring
steadfastly into the fire.
s.What celeryr' al -1
s'Why, wasn't jest calcnlatin' upon q
salary. thought We might 60 into partner
ship together, II it's agreeable. Fm plain
business man, as you know, wilder; and all
I've got to say is, that # you'll be Mrs. Capt.
Seth Tiller-"
''Stay minute, if you please. cap'in y ex-
claimed the lady, hastily jumpin up. II do
believe them cookies is burning"
He waited patiently while she busted her
self about the oven. Tim she came back,
wiping her heated tace on her clean apron,
and lIacdly resumed her seat and her knit
ting.
''Well, wilder, what's the agreement
inquired the sutton, then.
'Why, you see, Captain Tiller," she an
swered, slowly and thoughtfully, 1--WE been
consideiin' OF il while tendin' them cookies,
and about made up my mind that neeun
be in hurry to marry again. We nau lny
share of wife trouble, and feel me taNiu
a little rest to myself now, as 60 uomnWa ~
into the valley of the shadder, wnere we IL al
find our everlastin' rest"
81 might. perhaps, help you on the way,
YOU know" said the captain, argumenta-
lively. f. -. a.
I'm obliged to you, she responded, with a
sigh, 'but I'm pretty strong yet, thanks be
to goodness! ard can get along well enough
without help-leastwise, for a spell longer"
well, said Captain Tiller, slowly rising,
''if that's your resolution, l needn't waste no
more o your or my valuable time about it, /
calculate. Good mornin', widderr'
''Stay minnit, cap'in! Won't you have
some cookies and cup o. tea afore you go %
'sNo, thank you, marin. Pm obleeged to
Al x:v.5
And the captain walked home, and sat
down on the three-legged stool, and gazed
into the fire, as before. H
The result of this wooing had been to him
altogether unexpected. Here was woman
who had actually received and rejected pro-
posal without giving it more than moments
thought r- PIN. ---l'.a d
81 guess she's too old and worn out. as she
says" he cogitated, 'and must look out
for younger wilder, who'd likely not be in
clined to think so hard of the matter. There's
Miss Fuller-she as was Melissy Brown, if
remember rightly. She's bout thirty. Rath-
err too young a lady for my ideas but s'pose
must put up with it." ---
No sooner thought of than acted upon.
''Miss" Fuller was in her garden planting
hollyhock roots. She wore founced calico
dress and girlish, white apron, deliberately
ruf1ed, and looked, as the captain thought,
like taut-rigged schooner under full sail
For an instant his heart misgave him !;
though he felt treasured by the gracious
smile with which he was received, as the
young widow furtively adjusted her front hair
beneath her sun-bopnet, and gave the latter
Itself coquettish tilt on her head.
well, Miss Fuller, you're preparin' for
spring betimes, I see. Fancy garden truck
eh ?''
''To he sure Captain! like flowers and
other pretty things. Don't you?" answered
she, With sidelong glance of her black eyes.
''Well, scarcely know" replied the cap
tain, doubtfully. ITO my mind, there's
nothin prettier than
ethan what?'' urged Mrs. Fuller, pretend
ing to look unconscious. 4'.- ~
ethan net full O. fine herrin's. You
kicking. and squirming and sparkling like
like the captain was not remarkable for a
lively fan y, so he added-''like nothin' but
fresh herrin's 'an squirm and sparkler'
The widow stopped down and grubbed at a
marigold root. e
II hate herrings," she said.
Yes? Well, now, that's rather unfortu-
nate: The woman that takes me must take
herrin's likewise"
s'Who's goin' to take youa 49,
"Why. hope she amt SO very fur off,"
said the captain, significantly; 'leastwise,
not outside his ere garden
lyon don't mean me?'
swell, p'raps do mean YOU"
"Humph! said the widow, with a toss Of
b r sun-bonnet, and short laugh. "Well, I
must say that this is queer way to come a
couitin'v'
''Oh,'' sad the sutton, little crestfaller,
81 don't set up to lie much in the courtin'
line, like the young sparks hereabouts. You
and me amt ueither one of us chickens, you
know, Miss Fuller; so we can arrange sens
ble-like without any nonsense Of that kind %
Arrange WHAT, inquired the lady, fash
ing her black eyes rather omniously upon the
captain. ,. En-.
'.Why, about our marriage, you know.'
"As if would have you'll she burst forth
angriy. "A man that walks into my gal den
suddenly, in his workday clothes, and, with
out even settin' down, or sayin' word O
courtin', for decency's sake, tells me % no
chicken. anc asks me downright to arrange
srvvu SUoSr. OF a sucKIng-pig Tor his Sun
days's dinnerr' is.-
And without another word, the Widow
Fuller fOunced into the house, while the dis
appointed sutton walked rather blankly out at
the gate;
meditated. ''pll give 'em up guess, and take
q oibSiC WOndus Dill l. WOu nave d HOuDSs
skittish one, to be rampaging about while
I'm out O the way. There's Miss Charity
H"bson. She's a good manager, and I guess
shell, do bout as well 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 Powered vest-kept
for State occasions-rubbed a handful of
hogs lard into his hair, anointed his boots
vpifI n.,I e.,
vigOr on his wife-hun.ing expedition.
Miss Charity looked up grimly as he enter
ed her neat kitchen, and placing chair for
him, herself took another at the opposite side
of the room.
1t wasn't her custom to receive the visits
OF single men alone in the house, as she Of
ten said. -
Perhaps, because they never camer' said
the neighbors.
you're looking uncommon well, Miss
Hobson," said the captain, planting his
what ne meant to be an amiable smile
mindful, from his late experience, that it
might be necessary to do little in the court
ing line before popping the question.
Pm pretty well, thank you," responded
the lady drily.
and mcrstrous snug and comfortable
lookin,'' resumed the sutton glancing round
Dut all you lGLle lonesome at times ~
"Not 1! Pve got dog and two cats
them as you see there; and mean to hev a
mockin' bird as soon's Jabez Long can git one
for me. So I've got no reasons to be lone
some"
''But cats and dogs amt human critters,
Miss Hobson,'' said Captain Tiller, insinuat-
ingy.
81 reckon don't need to be told that. cap-
tain. They amt human creeters, but some
thin better, if anything
mot equal to a husband, may be, Miss
Hobson-or babby-"
"a what!' shrieked Miss Charity, fiercely
glaring over her spectacles.
"Oh, nothin' particular. Only I'd think it
would be melancholy thing for woman to
be all alone with a lot O cats and dogs. as
she's gettin' on into the downhill of life.
and"-he remembered Mrs. Tryon's expires.
sion-"and the valley o. the shadder. Cats
and dogs can't lick away the wrinkles from
her face, nor bring down her grey hairs with
pleasure to the grave"
Capt Tiller," said Miss lHobson, layinp
down on her lap the stocking she was knit.
ting, and looking at him with a flush on her
sallow cheek-"Ca TN Tiler, I'd like to
know, once for all, what you mean ?''
He saw that she was angry. He didn't
know why but he felt it incumbent on hin,
IN SOofha apc p,looso bar G. ~..A