St. Landry democrat., 1880-03-13
How and Why He Loved.
BY EDWARD MINTURN.
JChicagO Ledger.l

[Chicago Ledger.l
A lazier, more worthless biped than
Dave Greylock did not exist in the
neighborhood where he was born and
brought up.
Instead of being an assistant to his
old, hardworking parents, he had always
| been burden to them, and they were
| often heard to wish David would come
of age, so they would not be longer
obliged to support him in his laziness.
And Heaven must have heard their
prayers, for a year before he was 81, he
suddenly told them if they would only
buy hlm new suit of clothes, he would
go off and get married and never trouble
them any more. He had heard of a
first-rate chance-a girl who had lots of
money and he knew he could get her.
The old folks thought, as he was
coed, so they bought the clothes, gave
him the only blessing he had ever
deserved from them, and away he went
Now to follow his adventures.
1t appears that he had heard Of an old
maid who had an interest in farm,
and IA little money laid up, who lived in
IN adjoiring county. She was IA mem
Der of the Methodist Church, strictly
pious, and also leading member in the
town Temperance Society.
Now David at home drank cider, beer
and whiskey, too, whenever he could
get hold of 1.-THE smoked pipe and
swore rouDdly when his temper was up.
But he had never been of enough con-
sequence about home to have himself or
his habits spoken of anywhere else, so
he went into the other county all
unknown.
Dressed neatly, in new clothes, with
his working clothes in a carpet bag, he
applied for work as wood chopper in
the family where the old maid lived
He had heard they wanted one; he gotta
job.
Atsupper he said "grace." He had
been studying out how to do it, and
apples were brought up later, he took
an apple but refused the cider. On
principle, he said, he was temperance
man.
The old maid thought he was the
incest young man she had ever seen.
So piOus and so temperate at an age
when temptations so beset the young.
She thought he was nicer yet when he
asked permission to 60 with her to
prayer meeting on Thursday night.
And he made beautiful prayer, she
said, when she got home. Her brothers
said if he wasn't better at praying than
he was at chopping wood he wasn't
much. He might earn his board by the
cord but he couldn't do more.
David didn't intend to chop wood all
winter. He had something better ahead.
In less than ten days he asked the old
maid, swift thou ~
And she wilted. He went and Dor
rowed $40 on the strength of the mar
riage portion. And they were married.
He hired carriage on trust for his
wedding trip and he took it,
The bill isn't paid yet. Neither has
the borrowed money gone back. When
the marriage portion was not seen to be
the old maid had been
prudent and held on to her own-David's
piety waxed cold; he forgot to say
grace, he even exhibited liking for
cider, or something stronger, and he
smoked pipe that Goliah would have
sickened over.
And the old maid hasn't cut her
finger nails fora long time, as David's
face gave proof, when he went back to
lis parents and said:
"Matrimony is good to talk of, but
hard to endure. thought I'd married |
a fortune, but came to misfortune, and |
here am back on your hands sadder
and wiser boy"
He is still there!