The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-12-03
Ideal Courtship at One. Horse Gu,ch.


In Bret Harte's new serial story in
.Scribner's Monthly for December, the
hero, Gabriel Conroy, gives to his little
sister the following mendacious account
of his visit TO the Widow Markle on bust
ness matrimonial
Oily had drawn a small box, her favor
tie seat, between her brothers legs, and
rested the back of her head comfortably
against his waistcoat. When Gabriel
had lighted his pipe at the solitary can
die, he gave one or two preliminary
puffs, and then, taking his pipe from his
mouth. said gently:
"Olly, can't be done"
"What can't be done, Gabe Z" queried
the artful Oily, with swift preconcep-
ton of the answer, expanding her little
mouth into thoughtful smile.
"Thet thing"
"What thing, Gabe9"
"This yer marryin' o. Mrs. Markle,
said Gabriel, with an assumption of
easy, business-like indifference.
"Why2" asked Oily.
"She wouldn't hev me-"
"What 2" said Oily, facing swiftly
around
Gabriel evaded his sisters eyes, and,
looking in the fire, repeated slowly, but
with great firmness.
"No; not fur-fur-fur giftl"
"Shes a mean stuck-up, horrid old
thing !" said Oily, fercely. "rd jest like
to-why, thar amt a man az kin com
pare with you, Gabe Like her impu
dence !"
Gabriel waved his pipe in the air depre
catingly, yet with such an evident air OF
cheerful resignation, that Oily faced
upon him again suspiciously, and asked
"What did she say 2"
"She said," replied Gabe slowly,
tibet her -was-given-to an
other. think she struck into poetry,
and said
My heart it is anothers,
And it never can be thine
Thet is, j think so. / disremember hel
special remark, Oily but you know
women alters spout poetry at sech times
Ennyhow, that's about the way tn,
thing PANIED out.
"Who was it 2" said Oily. suddenly.
"She didn't let on who" said Gabrie
uneasily. 81 didn't think it the square
thing TO inquire"
wen, Sall Olly.
Gabriel looked down still more embar
raised, and shifted his position. "Well,
he repeated.
"What did yOu say?" said Oily.
"Theng"
"No, afore. How did you do it
Gabe 2" said Oily, comfortably tixinghe
chin in her hands, and looking up in hel
brothers face.
"Oh, the usual way !" said Gabriel
with motion of his pipe, to indicate
vague and glittering generalities o
courtship.
"But how2 Gable, tell me all abou
it.
, "Well, said Gabriel, looking up a
the roof, "wimen is bashful ez a gen
eral thing, and thar's about only on,
way ez man can get at 'em, and tina
ez, by being kinder keerless and bold
Ye see, Oily, when / KEN inter the hous
/ sorter jest chuckled Sal under tn
chin-thet way, you know-and thel
went and put my arm around the wilder
/ waist, and kissed her two or three times
: you know, Jest to be sociable and familia
like"
: "And to think, Gabe, thet after al
that she wouldn't hev We, said Oily.
." Not at any price, said Gabriel, pos
itively.
1.-The disgustin' beast |" said Oily
"Td jest like to ketch that Mant,
hangin' round yer after that !" she con
tinued savagely, with vicious shake o
her little fist. "And just to think, onl.
: to-day we give her her pick o then
pups!"
"Hush, Oily, we mustn't do anythin
o the Sort" said Gabriel hastily. "Y
must never let on to any one anything
It's confidence, Olly-contidence, e
these sort O. things allus is-atween 20,
and me. Besides" he went on reassur
ingly, that's nothin'. Lord, afore
mans married, he haz to go through thi
kind o. thing dozen times. It's ex
pected. There was man ez l one
knowed," continued Gabriel, with shame
less mendacity, seq went through i
fifty times, and he was a better man no
me, and could shake thousand dollar
in the face of any woman. Why, bles
your eyes, Oily, some men Jest likes it