The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-06-24
Brought to Time.

There is no foolishness about some Of
the fathers of Dubuque county, Iowa,
who have marriageable daughters, and
they know how to precipitate business
when the fruit is ripe for plucking and
hangs, wasting its sweetness, when it
should be plucked Matters were brought
to climax with rush at a certain
farmers residence in Vernon township,
recently. A young tiller of the soil had
for months been paying most aAiduous
attentions to one of his daughters, but
he was such bashful, modest chap,
never having been much in the company
of girls, except this one, that he had
never been able to raise his courage suf
ficiently high to pop the question.
He had gone to the house in which
the lady lived at least on twenty diff
ferent occasions. resolved to know his
fate, but when ushered into the presence
Of the fair one, in whose keeping he had
placed his heart, his courage would in
variably ''go back on him, and he would
return to his lonely room in greater sus-
pense than before. Upon the evening
IN question he had determined that,
come what would, he would tell his
Mary that he loved her. He would
once for all decide the matter. but, as
upon former occasion, he could not get
the proposal further than his throat.
There it stuck, and he determined to
oulp it down and give up the siege, when
the door opened and in walked the girls
father, who advanced to where they
were sitting and thus addressed them:
II came out to put stop to this fool
ishin. 1t amt the expenses I'm lookin'
a for coal oil is cheap, and wood can be
had for the haulin', but I'm sick and
tired of this billin' and cooin' like pair
OF sick doves, kee9ing me awake of
nights, and it's got to be stopped right
here. Do you love John Henry we'll
enough 10 marry hint"
"Why, father, I-I-vou must"
"Stop that silly foolishness," yelled
the old man. "Answer yes or no, and
quick too It's got to be settled now or
never"
"Well-but, father, don't you know
If you'll only wait, and
"Dry up; answer yes or no. SpeakT
roared the old gent.
"Well, then, yes! There, now" aud
Mary again hid her face.
That's business; that's the way to
talk. Now, John, look here-look up
here, OF III shake you all to pieces. Do
you want that gal o mine for wifel
Speak out like a man now.
"Why Mr.. -, amt this rather a
| mean can't you"
Speak it out, or out of this house
you'll 80 head foremost. l won't wait
minute longer. There's the gal, and
there amt likelier girl in the State,
an you just heard her say that she
wanted you. Now, John, l won't stand
bit of fooin'. Once for all, yes or moi"
Well, yes, sir. l have been presump-
tuous enough to hope that l.
"Oh, stop your soft talk; thing is set
tied now. You two fools would have
been six months more at the job that l
have done in five minutes. l never saw
such foolin' as there is among young
people nowadays. Amt like when l
was youns-an' now, goodnight. You
can talk the thing over an you an me,
John'll so up town an get the license
tomorrow. Soon be time to get to
blowing; no time for love-making then.
Good night, goodnight; l hope wasn't
too rough, but was determined to fix
the thing one way or t'other," and the
old man went back to bed
Now that the ice was broken the
young people laid all their plans for the
future, and John felt just little bad at
the comfort he had lost, when Mary
looked up at him shyly and said:
This would have been all right
months ago, John, if you hadn't been S"
skeery. / knowed all the time that you
wanted to ask me, but it wasn't my
place to say anything, you know"
SIMON CAMERON as a father-in-iaw