Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1878-03-30

"Oh no, no: certainly not. | only
spoke Of it rs the best means Of securing
permanent help"
81 don't know but I'd oughter mar
ry," unused David, uneasily. But the
idee comes TO ME rather sudden. |
hadn't calculated on any thing like that,
and seems 5 if twas too much to ex-
pect of me-fact."
4 few days later he again appeared
before my mother, twitching at his coat
collar in the vain endeavor to hide his
embarrassment.
elf so be, Miss Farnsworth," he
stammered, with characteristic cork
screw twist of the neck-'sif so be
couldn't get round marrying, what
your notion about Lovisa? According to
the best of your belief, would she be
favorable to changing her sitovation?r
He ended with his head quite on one
side, and tipped backward like chick
ems in drinking, which forced my moth
er 10 address her reply to his occipital
surls. She could hazard no opinion on
the subject, she said. She would adj
wise him TO confer with the lady herself.
81 hate to, masterly," groaned he
with engaging candor; ''but this |
know--if | ask any woman to have me,
it II be Lovisa."
Oddly enough, our minister on the
morrow preached an eloquent sermon
on the duty and the joy of matrimony.
:" 1t is not good for man TO be alone"
ran the text, and David, in the corner
pew cast down his conscious ewes, feel
ing that he himself was the person in
dicated.
II was not good for man to be alone;
he had suspected this for some months,
and now the Bible confirmed his sus-
picion. He wanted to be good; he
wouldn't be alone any longer-fact; not
if he could help it; and he stole an in
quisitive glance across the aisle at the
lady of his heretofore hesitating choice.
He did more. Benediction pronounced,
like the perennial carnation in her bon
net, and asked her opinion of the dis
course. Didn't she think that was
noble text?
Poor Miss Loyisa, taken quite by sur
prise, murmured something about it
being good sound doctrine, but hard to
live up to, and hurried across the way
to open her house to her usual Sunday
guests. These were chiefly farmers
wives from different parts of the parish,
who found in her tiny cottage a conve-
nient retreat during the noon intermis-
sions. Here they ate their lunch, al
ways remembering TO present a liberal
offering to their hostess, who in return |
poured ont for them steaming libation |
from the stumpy earthen teapot which
during the morning service stood
upon the kitchen-stove, putting and |
as if it had a polypus in its ugly |
little pug-nose. These Sabbath dona-
ions were important items toward the
support of Miss Lovisa, who,
save this house and its hum
Die furniture, had no assured patri-
nony. 1t is true, she often helped her
leighbors in their sewing or household
abors, but never for wages. 1t would
lavc pierced her to the heart had these
,een offered her. She wanted it dis
inctly understood that she only went
to accommodate. If her friends felt
disposed to give her presents, why, that
Uttered the case. She accepted them
With an alacrity worthy of Mr.. Dorritt.
As these testimonials usually reached
Ter on Sunday, it followed that, wher-
'ver Miss Lovisa might be during the
week, the Lords Day was sure to find
Ter in her queer little cottage opposite
he church. Hither came David in the
Wright of the Sabbath of which have
poken, ambling up the narrow path
With his own peculiar gait, quite like that
# a small boy riding the paternal cane
-ovisa, at the moment RECALLING herself
With the diluted dregs of the company
ca, spied him above the inclined rim of
he cup, and in her perturbation scalded
Ter throat with the boiling liquid.
"Good-evening, Lovisa," said he,
esting his elbows on the sill, as he look
d in at the open window. 90
(,aod.avapipo Mr. Vo,,x> vo>,~v, |