New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-12-17
GRANDnA's FIRST BEAU.

6randma, old Mrs. LennoX 1ayl
you were real pretty when you were
young" said Lena Lawrence, a. she
sat BY the side OF the still comely old
lady. Ii
Much obleeged to Miss Lennon -
said grandma, with . pleasant laugh,
for she was . happy, genial old lady.
II b'lieve I was considered pretty
good-lookin' some fifty years ago.
beaux: Did YOUR
well, had my share, child.
reckon" and the faint red in her old
cheek grew brighter, - many and a
many before I ever saw your grandpa.
My first beau-O dear me, how we'll l
remember!'' And grandma burst into
. hearty laugh that almost brought
the tears to her eyes.
"Please tell us all about ite'' de-
manded three or four young voices.
"Well, I s'pose I can If / try.
There was pretty, fair boy lived In
the next farmhouse to ours, bout a
mile away. His name was Jedediah
He was bout seventeen when he first
aspired to the honor of my company
- - wasn't much above. sixteen N.Y.
self, jest out of long aprons, and like
girls nowadays, l s'pose, thought lots
more about the beaux than T. d ought to.
"One awfully cold night in Janu-
ary, all the family was settin' in the
great kitchen. pairing apples, when .
knock came to the door: Father got
up and opened it, when in came Jede-
diah, all bundled up, with the ex-
ception Of his nose, which vas a
peaked one. Father invited him in,
an he soon perched himself on high
chair, and began unwindin' his CON.
forter. That comforter must ~ been
yards long. thought he never would
stop. Then he set there ten minutes
without speakin' word. till by-and.
by he burst out with: -,
"'l say, Hammer, Elk Waters Is
goin' to hev little party tonight, and
he wanted me to ax YOU
49, I'd ike ter 60, says !, looking
sideways over to mother, for the little
boys was giiggling-: il mother says so.'
You see, girls and boys in them days
didn't 60 off without asking.
"'Its awful cold,' says mother,
amt it, Jedediahr'
"'Well, not 20 very, goin' through
the woods at Il
Bear seen In them woods, said
father. his blue eye twinklin', sand not
30 long ago, neither
"' Let 'em GOMEZ said Teddy; We
called him teddy for short Il
wasn't born in the backwoods to be
scared of . BEAR
"'Well,' said father, quite sober
like, If you do meet one, don't let il
run of with my Hammer 4sa@
"'And mind you bring her home
fore 'leven,' said mother. Il don't
prove of girls Of sixteen staying out
all night to frolics. Now, Hammer,
wrap up proper warm. It's . desp'rit
cold wind
"Well, I put ON my new caliker,
with . black silk apron, worked In
herrfn'- bone with pink silk, slicked my
hair, and was down stairs in quick
time. I never felt 90 grand in my life
~ I did a-hangin' on Jeddy's arm. Il
makes me laugh to think Of 1t, and
how I asked him If his ma was well In
such . patronizing way. OF course
there was fences to git over, and no
let me fall ct the very 11st ono.
"Dear me! how frightened the fel-
low was! Why, he stood there like
spook. and let me pick myself up, and
then said, over and over, .Oh, ain't
you hurtf Are you hurt badP Take
hold of my arm closer;' and I Struggled
up to his jacket again, trying hard not
to limp, for I did lame my ankle q lit.
tie. But when I got to the old farm
house I forgot Ill about it. All the
girls and boys were there for miles
about, and the first thing heard was
Oh, Tanners got : beau!'' and
felt kinder provoked, and kinder glad.
Well. we played The Weevily Wheat, .
99s ;ssi ;' ssss. : :ss ssHse :sss ss'D'''
an Hunt the Slipper and lots O.
games that youngsters don't think Of
these times. We weren't dressed to
kill, with sashes : yard wide under our
armpits, and We could run, and Jump,
and laugh. Why, I've seen young
teller who had maybe been ordered to
redeem . pawn after . game q but
ton,' chase : girl I'll over an' out, and
round . house hall a-dozen times, aSoro
he'd git . kiss. You'd say now.a-dsys,
lich doin's were undignifed, an III
that, but I know that girls ii my day
weren't half 9 forward IN KNOWN .
hey arc now.
Well, 'bout 'lsven, Ne started fop
home, and we'd got % we'll acquainted 1
that No talked lots moro than when Ne
pame.
Amt Il DARK said I, . 10 en-
Tered the thick woods. Nothin, would
tempt mo % % through here alone.
Do you sfpose fsce's baer any beass