Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-07-04
with a preamble, proposed marriage.

Win preamble, proposed marriage.
And here is where we triumph over
the intelligent reader, who says:
'Iknew how it would be-she accept
ed him, they were married, the fraud
was exposed, and they lived happily ev
ermore"
Wrong, oh intelligene reader!
"Will you marry meY said he.
mo, Twill not" she answered.
"Why?'
I'm cook and you're gentleman"
YOU'RE lady as well as cook, and
fit to be gentleInan's wife"
Il dare say / am, but l don't want to
be cook all my life"
''Then marry me"
And work to support you"
why, my dear, I'm richr'
"You mean your mother is.'
"Well, she would deny me nothing"
Il don't know about that. You don't
know how she'd act if you married her
cook. Besides, I've no fancy for man
who can't support himself and his wife
without help from his mother l un-
derstand you Dick, and l admit that 1
love you"
My darllngr' he cried, embracing
her.
s'There, now, stop. You wouldn't
marry wax doll of girl who couldn't
keep house in order, cook, carve, pre-
serve, darn, mend, sew, dust and sweep.
I've heard you say so.''
THAT is true" gracefully remarked
Dick.
"Well, 1 will lot marry man who
cannot support me by his own labors.
/ don't want clubhouse swell or a
lardy -tardy man of society for hus-
band; 1 want a real man, hard listed
workman who can knock down a giant
if he insults me. A good, honest son
of toll, one whom I'll be proud to point
out as my husband, and on whose shoul-
ders can lean my head and, confident
of his strong love, know no fear in this
world"
"What doyou want me to do, my OAR
lingY
Learn a trade; be a man, an indie
pendent man. When you have earned
enough money to buy a set of furniture
ard can show me that you are able to
support me, I'll say: Dick, my boy,
I'm yours"
'Pll do it, cried Dick.
Next day, without a word of opposi-
tion from his mother, which he thought
rather strange, he left home, went to
the city, and made arrangements with
a friend of his, carpenter and builder,
to learn the trade.
Dick was a natural mechanic. No
workman was ever needed at home; he
mended everything. There was no tool
he couldn't use, and therefore at the
end of six months there was not jour
neyman in the shop that could compare
with him fol- elegant work. Then he
rented little shop and set up for him
self.
Strange to say, his first order came
from the widow Flipper to thoroughly
repair three of her new houses. Of
course little pink-and white had moth
ing to do with this.
Mrs. Flipper recommended him to all
her property owning friends. His bus
mess increased wonderfully. Item:
His work was always well done.
At the end of the year he had really
good business.
Then he went home one Saturday
night with handbook and plain
gold ring in his pocket. He went in
the kitchen way; there was no one there.
On his way up stairs he met his moth
er. Embraces followed, and he asked:
Where's Kate"
We have hitherto neglected to men-
tion that the cooks name was Kate.
''Not in,' answered Mrs. Clemmens;
''but Kitty Fhpper is up stairs; come
up and be presented"
"Hang Kitty Flipper" said he.
"There need be no embarrassment,
Dick; she's engaged"
'Oh, she is, eh? Well, come along"
''Miss Flipper, my son." said Mrs.
Clemmens, presenting him.
Dick looked up.
"What" he yelled, looking at the
lady. "Kate, by Jupiter! What does
this meanP'
'l'm Kitty .Flipper and Kate the
cook, too. l tried you my dear, and
you've stood the test nobly. You've
proved yourself my idea of a man.
Take me if you will, my darling"
And he did take her, while the old
lady discreetly looked out of the win
dow and thought of her youth. -
'And you were all in the plot against
me, eh?" asked he
"Yes," exclaimed the ladies, half
frightened now that they were found
out.
''Well, I'm glad of it. Kate, you've
made man of me. insisted on my
wife being worker, and it's poor rule
that won't work both ways"
Three days after the little village
church-but pshaw! the intelligent