American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-01-23
AN OLD GIRLS ROMANCE.

az would not marry him, - said Victoire,
saucily, laughing and displaying all her
white teeth.
''And l would got marry her," said
Fred. My wife shall be brunette, not
one of those washy-whAte girls, can tell
YOU"
"Oh, indeedr'
The subject of discussion was this ::
Capt. Abraham Croker was to marry
Deborah Scrid on that very day. While
these sharp young critics expressed their
opinions the following conversation &C.
CURED in comfortable white house on
the main street:
Il guess you've missed it for once"
said Uncle Asa.
Yes, and folks can't say that the Cap
tain's lost by the bargain, neither" add
ed mother querulously. "Deborah's a
sight younger than you be, Abby. You're
thirty next July, if you're day"
Abby Fowler, -schOolmistress, stood
before the glass in the sitting-room tying
her yellow bonnetstrings, but she pos
sessed sufficient dignity to make no
reply. The face reflected in the glass
flushed painfully, yet she said nothing.
Mrs. Fowler, inserting work stiffcned
fingers into pair of new gloves, looked
askance at her daughter to see how she
took it. She married respectfully in her
youth-why should not Abby when a
good opportunity had offered, too?
Whims, fancies! Do not talk to a New
England matron about girlish fancies, if
you please.
Grandmother came in from the kitch-
en-a little old woman, with a nut Thrown
false front and black cap of unknown
antiquity, disposed to take a gloomy view
of life since her bit of money, put by in
the bank, had been stolen by robbers,
and apt to consider her old age burden
to others unless she worked her way.
'Abby's got on her best fixin's, if she
amt the bride, said grandmother, in her
thin, piping voice.
Poor Abbyl Even grandmother proved
broken reed on the day of the Captains
wedding
You be, the first old maid in our fam
ily," observed the old lady, pulling down
her spectacles from the false front to the
bridge of the sharp old nose. IF only
had my money back l could leave it to
ye. i dare say you'll need it yet. Deary
me, them thievesw
Passing along the village street the
schoOlmistress ran the gantlet of pub
lie comment "Abby looks mighty sol
sorry" commented Rockybeach, with
one voice.
Yes, Capt. Croker was going to be
married, and the event naturally created
a sensation. He was burly in form,
forty-five years of age, and not altogether
God-fearing man; for in his maturity
he carried out, a boast of early youth not
to go to meeting three times on Sunday,
and to sail chip boats in the cove instead
if he chose. The village confessed all
this with many shakes of the head; but
then the Captain was rich, and returning
from his last voyage had built the large
house ON the hill, with cupola and green
house. Gossip dwelt rapturously on the
velvet carpets, curtains and china there
in contained, wondering who would be
mistress of the new mansion. Lo, the
Captain cast favorable eye on Abby
Fowler, and in his choice evinced excel
lent judgment, as Rockybeach boosted
not of her superior.
6 would rather work my fingers to
the bone, or be a galley slave" she said,
Indignantly. "A woman can always go
out to service if everything else fails, |
suppose"
Then the rich man in his wrath wooed
and won pretty Deborah, the milliner's
daughter Belle of the dry goods clerks
was Deborah, fond of finery, and impa-
tient of the snubs of older girls, who
never lost an opportunity of putting heI
down. Might she not hold her head high
as Mrs. Croker, instead of measuring of
ribbons for other people to wear behind
her mothers counter?
Mrs. Scrid's parlor over the shop was
opened for the grand occasion, and thith