Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-10-21

you. II hdU man, on! Dltt u uIdhe
him rue the day."
"And hearing that you did not turn
away, Nathan?"
"What I heard only satisfied me,
Aunt Charity, that [ should find the
tribulation 1 do greatly need. Mr..
Prentiss came to me, and | spoke my
mind to him without delay. said
that I desired his daughter IN mar
riage"
'.And what did he reply?'
HE answered that Eunice was
well-favored girl, and that he could not
deny her to me, if she chose to take
me. 1 said that not Eunice, but mis-
tress Polly desired, and | confess he
seemed amazed and did stare ut me
with a certain fixed expression that
was painful 70 look upon. Thenhe APP
preached me and said that he never
heard that I was imprudent in my
drink and [ had trouble to persuade
him that his suspicion wronged me.
Then he looked at me again, and even
limited that my reason had left me. At
last pursuaded him to send his daugh
ter Polly to me. As he omitted the
room he seized my hand and said:
Nathan, I pray that she may drive
you from the house. 1t would be bless
ing to you"
''Mistress Polly came into the best
room, my Aunt Charity, and, as the
door closed she stood with her back
against it and smiled, and | confess the
smile had naught of humor but only
scorn in it. [ trembled at that smile,
e, Il, IL j.,
Speak up, Nathan Appleby," she
said, ''for never, since your mother
bore you, did you speak louder than a
cat news"
"IfI now remember right, [ ans
wercd her nothing, for my thoughts
were in confusion.
cart dumb?' she said. 'sMight as
we'll be for aught you can say. Your
face is like a JACKIE lantern, and your
tongue as full of speech. What's now
| sayW
II asked her if her father did not
tell her.
Had he told me-" said she, "you
would not see me here. [ would like
to know what you whose spunk is less
than a worms. could have to say to
me from your own lips, Not to give
advice, I'll venture. Your no such
idiot as to try that Come, I'll have it
out of you. Belize YOU would marry
me-"
"'She said this, my Aunt Charity, as
in sarcasm; yet l am glad she said it,
for my spirit seemed to melt like an
April snow bank, and had / not taken
her words on the echo, | fear [ could
not have made known my errand. Her
glance as ! said this was terrible, so that
[ turned my eyes to the window as for
la chance tie escape violence. [ cannot
recall all she said, but | 90 bear in
mind that she termed me beetle, that
she said my legs were spindle shanks,
which Is untrue; that she remarked
CONTEMPORARY upon the paleness of
my face, and likened me to Sandy Sam,
the idiot. | perceived, however, that
her violence was only of the tongue,
though that is enough for one person.
She called me padora, whatever that
may be, and said that [ should marry
her, and right away, and sad day
would it be for me, too. She warned
me to have no delay, to cause the bans
to be published next Lords day, and as
soon thereafter as the law permits to
come for her, and she warned me to
keep out of her sight till then Other
painful words she said, which [ will not
repeat, my Aunt Charity, and thus has
she promised me-
What think you all, neighbors, OF
such a wooing as that p Mr.. Goodwing
inquired.
:" That your spouse did say rightly
when she called him a stupid fool, y
said Mr.. Pantry
That it passes all comprehension, y
said Squire Whytynge.
"Well, | say" remarked Mr.. Pur-
chase whose domestic experience was
sad, "a that he who knowingly puts his
head in such a moose deserves to wear
it always. Vinegary women are wont
to be smooth-tongued during courtship
and to make amends for it afterward"
well, tell us the rest, neighbor.
said Mr.. Blumfield. "They were mar
ried?"
1" Yes, they were married on the
Lords day three weeks, and those who
saw them as they quilted her fathers
house say that she berated him all the
way to his home"
"And did he soon wish he were
dead?" asked Mr. Purchase in such q
suggestive tone that Mr.. Blumfeld
again slyly nudged Mr.. Goodwing
'He bore shrewishness uncomplain-
ingly for six months or more, though
he did grow pale and lose flesh greatly
and he did confess to me. upon one oc-
casion, that he did not bear in mind
when he married that death only part
ed husband and wife. His silence en-
ragged her; but never did he speak a
word in temper to her Now I will
narrate to you that which is the most
marvellous as we'll as amusing of all of
it. My spouse happened to fall in with
Nathan's wife about a year ago, and |
will say, neighbors. that my spouse,
though usually, smooth spoken, can say
thing sharply if she so desires. She
did tell Polly Appleby that it was a
grievous shame for her to belabor that
patient man, Nathan"
man. Nathan's wife replied mani
Being of your blood, it's no wonder he's
no man. He means like a calf and
purs like cat, and hath less spunk
than either. A calf will bunt and kit
ten will scratch?
"'Well, as to that, Madame Appleby,
sharp speech never made a calf to bunt
nor a cat to scratch. Your speech is
Of no more account to him than it would
be to them, said my spouse.
with that Mrs. Appleby became
II 4 .