Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-05-12
HE WAS "sHOOK.-
The Lady was Twenty Years Oldc
than He, but He Loved Her.

"What want to know" said q
white.headed young man of twenty,
- he stood before the sergeant in
charge ofthe Detroit Central Station,
"what l came here for was to get some
advice"
Proceed" said the sergeant.
"You know Nancy Thompson, don't
your"
"Never heard of her."
"Well, she's q wilder, over forty
years old, and I've been boarding
there"
eyes"
"And We were engaged to DO mar
ried."
"Whew ~ whistlcd the officer.
~ don't blame you," continued the
young man in broken voice. "I'm
only twenty and she's forty, but man
can't always tell when he's going to
make fool of himself"
"And you fell in love?"
II did that, and as soon % wo get
through talking IN going to hire some
ono to kick me over to Canada and
back. Yes, cir, fell dead In love
loved q woman over forty"
"And what followed z"
"What follered? What alters fol-
lers? Pm human, same's anybody
else, and when love I love like q
locomotive ON q down grade. What
do you think did In just six weeks
by the watch2 Went to the theatre
sixteen times, went out sleigh-riding
twelve times, had three parties, went
to three lectures and took her out Il
eat oysters ten or eleven times. Fact
sir; cost mo durn near $780,"
"But It was all for love" replied the
sergeant.
Il thought 80. And what else did
do? Bought her q $40 watch, q $l(
bracelet, . IS ring, a 81 set of jewelry
new dress, and gave her : s. gold
piece with hole in II. Yes, cir,
drew $500 from the bank, every red
had, and used It all mp on her"
"And then 2"
"She purtended to love back, ant
when squozc her hand she smiled
and looked heaps of love ct me. She'i
lean on my arm, talk about Cupid
and git of poetry by the rod, and 1
was plainly understood that wc wer'
to be married in June. Oh, she knew
her biz, and she slid around me % th,
Bengal tiger does around the lamb
"Did she break the engagement"
"Last night" said the young man
swallowing the lump in his throat
she told mo she'd been triflfng with
me all along. She said she was en-
gagged to another man she could move
be more than . sister to me! tel
you, sergeant, you could have knocked
mo down with q straw. I braced 81
after whilc and called her . hypo
critic, when she called me . white
headed idiot, and the boarders threw
me out of doors.
give hundred dollars gone, AM
I'm . wrecked man."
He blew his nose, wiped his eyel
and continued:
~ don't want to drown myself; til
waters awful cold. and perhaps CO.
get over this. l want them present
back, and I'll 60 to. Muskegon and tr
and forget her. It's wrenched me al
to pieces, and l can never love agair
Were you evcr shook, sergeant ?"
"No, never"
"Then ron don't know the anguish
the gripping around the heart. It cut
like knife, and all I can think of
being laid out in . coffin, my rigf
hand holding . bunch Of roses, 40
my left resting on my heart"
.You are young-you may outgro'
it."
~ may-I may, but it's 90 awfu
sudden, and hits 50 hard, that fes
rs II I'd fallen from . house. Go I
the house, sergeant, and see II 20
can't get them things back. II II
alive I'll be round again tomorrow
and II I don't come you may keep tn
things for your kindness. I'm white
headed, but I'm tender. hearted, An
want to retire behind some barn an
think,
And he retired.