Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-05-19
Joe Conway was an odditY.

Joe Conway was an oddity.
He especially delighted in mysteries dis.
guises, unexpected denouements, intrigue,
and romance generally.
Consequently he was always getting into
very bad scrapes, d-superfuous asser.
ton-there was always "lady in the case. y
This made him bit of misogamist-
amateur woman-hater.
Yet for all he could not let the sex alone .!
A profound love of nature and dissi patton
attracted Joe and myself to the little village
of D., on the banks of that charming
little stream, Erehwon. We went to fish,
to sketch, to see scenery, and to drink for,
as Joe remarked, "the waters of the Erehwon
possessed peculiarly refreshing qualities, when
mixed with little cognac.'
The afternoon of the second day of our so.
journ found us seated upon aower-spanglsd
slope, skirted by willows, whose gnarled
roots were bathed in the pellucid Erehwon.
We had sought the spot to smoke, converse,
and digest our somewhat elaborate dinner in
peace and quiet, with the beauty of nature
before our eyes,
AS is very apt to be the case when two
young men get together, our talk was of wo-
man.
Woman What an inexhaustible subject
for speculation, conversation, writing, orato-
ry, painting, sculpture, and matrimony
"It's all CANNON" said Joe Conway "wo.
man don't appreciate cultivation, intellect,
nor good fellowship. All they look for is
wealth and position when they love. If they
don't find those amiable qualities they won't
love, and if fellow hasn't got them he had
better let the sex alone 1t takes a gilded
key to unlock their precious little hearts.
That's so p
"You are sadly mistaken, Joe," said I, "and
the worst of it is, you don't know it. You
are angry with the husband hunters, who
have given you chase, and revenge your.
self by damaging the whole institution Of
dimity. You are wrong. A man like you,
young, rich, and-well, yes without Aatter.
ing, think may say tolerably good looking,
has no chance. You see only the designing
ones, who are bound to marry your bank-ac.
count in spite of yourself, and they play of
their charms upon you ad nauseum"
"But where are the artless ones, who don't
want money who are willing to sacrifice
themselves, and all that, for the sake of the
tender passion p
"They are modest The brazen-faced for.
tune,hunters crowd about you, and accustom
you to being sought The really good girls
require seeking, and as that isn't in your line
you never know how many nice women there
are in the world
"IlI tell you what I'll do" cried Joe, start
ing up suddenly, and half choking himself
with a moutbful of cigar smoke; "I'll test
that question. III do it here in this very
place Ill turn mechanic, ignore my mon
ey aud my family, make up to the prettiest
proudest girl in the village, and show you
she won't marry me poor. Then | will come
out iii my true colors and show you what my
cash requirements can do
"What marry her?'
"Not much. Make her ask me to, and
then laugh at her"
l confess l secretly hoped that Joe would
not test the question. He was capital fel
low, as rich in accomplishments and cultiva
ton as in money. | knew very we'll tina
D. contained some very charming girls
daughters Of retired sea. captains merchants
etc.-who, however much they might like s
mechanic, would not see him. Au contrairie
young gentleman of wealth and position
would probably prove very acceptable.
But he was determined, and when / lef
for the city left Joe arranging chest o
tools, and getting himself up pair Of blu
overalls and paper cap!
Joe had a wonderful talent for doing every
thing tolerably we'll He played on half
dozen instruments, could survey, had dabble(
in the fine arts understood short hand,
little surgery and medicine, was finished
jockey, fair gardener, had built fair bridge
had written an epic, and half soled pal
of boots.
With these somewhat varied accomplish
ments he had no fears, of course, but that h