The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-12-29

war, let me subscribe myself a recon-
structed CoSFEDERATE SOLDIER
How Mary Jane Was Won.
There is no foolishness about some of
the fathers Of Dubuque county, Iowa,
who have manageable daughters, and
they know how to precipitate business
when the fruit Is ripe. Matters were
brought to a climax with a rush at a
certain farmers residence in Vermont
township, recently. A young tiller of
the soil had for months been paying
most assidious attentions to one of his
daughters, but he was such bashful,
modest chap. never having been able
70 raise his courage sufficiently high to
pop the all-important question.
He had gone to the house in which
his admired lived, upon at least twenty
different occasions, resolved to know
his fate; but when ushered into the
presence of his fair one, into whose
keeping he had placed his heart, his
courage would invariably Ego back on
him." and he would return TO his lone
ly room in greater suspense than be-
fore. Upon the evening in question
he had determined that, come what
would, he would tell his Mary that he
loved her. He would once for all de-
eide the matter. But, as upon each
former occasion, he could get the pro-
posal no further than his throat. There
it stuck, and he had just determined
to gulp it down and give up the seige
when the door opened and in stalkeI
the girls father, who advanced to
where they were sitting and thus adj
dressed them:
81 come in TO put a stop to this in
fernal foolishness. 1t amt the court
ing expenses that I'm looking at, for
coal oils cheap an wood can be had
for the haulin'; but Pm sick and tired
of this billin' and oOoin' like a pair of
sick doves, keepin' me awake of nights,
and its got to be stopped right here.
Mary Jane, look up here. Do you love
John Henry well enough to marry
him?"
why, father, I-I-you must
"Stop that darn foolishin'," yelled
the old man. ANSWER yes or mo,
an mighty quick, too. Pts got to be
settled now or never"
Answer yes or no. Speak!
reared the old gent. fE
"Well, yes, then. There now and
and Mary again hid her face. y
"That's business that's the way to
talk. Now, John, look here-look up
here, or I'll shake you all to pieces. Do
you want that gal o mine for wife?
Speak out like man, now"
"Why, Mr.--ain't this rather a
i mean, can't YOU
"Speak it out, or out of this house
yo'll go head foremost. l won't wait
a minute longer. There's the gal, and
likelier gal amt in the State, and you
heard her say she wanted you. Now,
John, 1 won't stand a bit O fOolin';
once for all, 'yes'or nor"
"Well, yes. sir; have been pre-
sumptuous enough to hope that r
ooh, confound your soft talk; the
things settled now. You two blasted
fools would have been six month more
at the job that I've done in five min
utes. / never saw such foolin as there
is among young folks now>a-days.
Amt like it was when was young
an now good night. You can talk the
thing over, an you an me, John'll 60
to town an'sget the license tomorrow.
Soon be time to go plowin'-no time
for lovemakin' then. Good night, good
night; hope wasn't too rough, but l
was determined to fix the thing up one
way or 'tother;;" and the old man went
back to bed.
Now that the ice was broken, the
young people laid all their plans for
the future, and John felt a little bad
at the comfort he had lost, when Mary
looked up at him shyly, and said:
This would have been all right four
months ago, John, if you hadn't been
so sherky. know'd all the time that
you wanted to ask me; but it wasn't
my place to say anything, you know.
No cards.