Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-03-04
fFrotn the Quincy Modern Argo.l
JAKE MUGGINS' COURTShlP.

turnip hoe and commenced hopping his
face with huge bandana handkerchief,
one slltry day in early autumn.
II do wish this patch Of turnips WIS
dug, and safely housed in the old gran
airy, he continued, gazing around upon
the immense piles Of green topped vege-
tables, "or else that the weather would
cool down so that fellow could get
something done in a day Here I've
been hard at work all day, and am not
half through with my job yet; and
what's more, it will take me till plump
this way" And with this muttered
soliloquy Jack resumed his hoe, com
menced digging so vigorously that one
might suppose he stood in dread Of be-
ing called sluggard if he failed to per-
form two days work during one revoIu-
ton of the diurnal axis.
The truth was, however, he had al
ready accomplished good days work,
although 1t was not moro than three
o'clock in the afternoon, and the shadows
of the trees in the grove hard by had not
yet taken that long, peculiar slant which
marks the declnatiou Of the sun TO the
western horizon.
Jacob Muggins WAS n tall brawny
son of the soil, with hands and feet just
little too large to be termed classic, and
a handsome, though sunbufned counte-
nance which could assume a very conf
cal expression when its master wIlled.
To-day he was arrayed in n coarse home
spun garb of pale, richly colored blue,
with rough cowhide shoes and broad
palm-leaf hat, around the crown of
which was tied bright green ribbon
tied there by two fairy hands that Jacob
would have given words 10 call his own.
How Jacob ever came TO fall in love
with Jenny Weatherby, the wealthy
squire's pretty daughter, Jacob did not
know. But the thing had been done.
aud although Jenny had done nothing to
discourage his shy approaches, he had
never summoned sufficient resolution
to make proposal for her hand. On
several occasions he had, m he thought,
scraped up his courage to the sticking
point, but, each time, upon being
ushered into the presence Of the fair
charmer, his resolutions gave way liter
ally, ~ he afterward expressed it, "eked
out as his fingers ends, 40 that he could
only stammer few commonplace
remarks concerning the weather and
crops.
Worse than all, certain dashing
Young cousin OF the Weatherby's had
been down from the city the past few
weeks, and had been making himself
quite plentiful about the squire's, walk
ing rowing and fishing with Jenny almost
every day, while he was compelled to be
AZ work in the field This was gall and
NORWOOD to poor Jacob. not because
he minded the work, but, inasmuch as
his rival was of clever address ana pol
ished manner, he stood i'll great danger
OF being displaced in the affections of
Jenny, by the fascinating nllurements OF
the city Top. and in consideration of this
impending calamity, Jacob determined
to press his suit upon the very first OPP
portunity.
Financially, Jake WAS quite prepared
to enter into state Of matrimony. His
motto hid always been, work and win,
aud, IA consequence Of strictly adhering
to this rule Of honesty, he bad by dill
genr and industry accumulated the sum
OF FIVE hundred dollars. earned by teach
!nG The village school winters md work
ing on the farm Summers.
The possession of this sum very natur-
ally elevated him III the opinion of the
country folks, who looked upon him as
capitalist, and Of course ne was consider
al quite catch by the match making
mammns of the district.
Already he had begun TO look around
III search of suitable investment for
his money, and he decided in favor OF u
little white cottage situated in the val
ley, over whose low, thatched roof the
woedbine aud morning glories grew in
profusion. This could be had for the
five hundred and the marriage portion
which Jenny would receive from her
father, would be sufficient to purchase "a
small farm adjoining the cottage. which
would enable them to commence life in
quite comfortable circumstances.
But, as has been before stated, the
great difficulty with Jacob was to con-
quer his untoward bashfulress, which he
termed hereditary, and secure the wished
for promise, III consequence Of which
failing he WAS placed in quite quandary
"Whew, but it's hot and again Jake
threw down bis hoe, and commenced
hopping bIs face with the red handker-
chief.
81 would give anything for +
cool drnught from the spring, ana
pocket full of the squlre's best apples, :
he soliloquized, glancing wistiully in the
direction of the orchard, bent down with
it's load of ripe red and yellow fruit,
"sna as the distance is not far | believe