Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1883-06-28
CHOOSING A WIFE.

CHOOSING A WIFE.
In from the bayfield, came John West
lake and went into the cool sitting.rOom,
threw himself upon a sofa, picked up a
paper, and read as follows:
A young man having matrimony in view
should ascertain before taking this important
step what the housekeeping abilities of his in
tended one are. Many man has had both
fortune and happiness wrecked by overlook
ing this important point.
'Any man, by a little strategy, can obtain
the desired informatOn; he can have some
business at her fathers house early i'm the
morning, or if she lives 10y the roadside he can
ride by and glance in at the open door or win
dow and thus see which, mother or daughter,
'Or he can take position behind some tree
i'm the orchard. commanding view OF the
barn-yard, and find out who does the milk ing
the knowledge can he obtained. and it should
be obtained by some means, and in this case
the end jGStifics the means"
What paper is this?' said John,
looking for the heading. "The Cramp-
ton Herald. Yes. and this is good add
vice for a farmers son. Now sOlilo-
quiZcd he, Il have about concluded
to marry Mary Johnson-that is, if she
will have me, and think she will-but
/ must confess that do not know much
know that everything in their house
that is, as far as have scents i'm per-
feet order; but who takes care of the
house don t knOw-perhaps Mary. per-
haps Mrs. johnson. Mary, know, has
taste, for she comes into company rs
neatly dressed as any young woman in
the neighborhood; but then she has had
the advantage of two or three years
city schooling, which fact may account
for her knowledge of dress, but it argues
somewhat against her knowledge of
domestic affairs-but will find out
John, dinner" said his little sister
Kate. poking her curly head in at the
door.
While eating, John outlined plan of
operation.
II will,'' thought he. ''get up early
tomorrow morning. go across the
meadow to Johnson's corn-field, then
through the corn-field 70 the barn-yard
cross the barn-yard TO the meadow
fence, and then creep along this until l
get to the bushes i'm front of the sum-
mer-kitchen window, where will hide,
and there, not more than a rod away, /
can see everything that goes on.
'.What splendid General I'd make"
said he, chuckling. as he went to the
field by himself; and the more he con-
templated his plan the more he became
convinced of its brilliancy of concep-
ton and ease of execution.
Il will tell Mary" said he, "of my
strategy after we are married-that is,
if she suits me, and l think she will.
Love-" continued he, ''is said to be
blind, but 1 will show Mr.. Cupid that if
he has pierced my heart he has not af-
fected my vision. And again. getting
married is said to be like putting your
hand into bag in which are ninety
nine snakes and one eel, and know just
where to reach for it.
Next morning John arose very early,
dressed quickly, and went down stairs
very quietly.
Going first to the barn he went half
way around it to get it between himself
and the house, ard then struck bee
line across the ncw-mown meadow to-
wards Squire Johnson's corn-field.
He had not gone far before he heard
a noise behind him, and looking around
he saw his old dog Nero at his heels.
$50 home, YOU old scoundrel, go
home!" exclaimed John. fiercely.
Nero looked up into his masters face
with an injured expression, then turned
round and trotted slowly homeward.
But he did not 90 far; stopping on n
little hillock. he turned round, sat down
and gazed after John.
Concluding that there was some mis-
understanding, he resolved to try again,
and in few minutes was close ut John S
heels.
.'You old villain! Didn't l tell you
to 90 home?" said John, turning round
and making pass at him with his foot.
Nero was now convinced that his
company was not desirable, and the
sticks and stones that followed him as
he moved briskly hOmeward had ten
dency to confirm him in this conclusion.
1.-The COMPOUNDED old scamp" NUT
tered John, would have all the
'Squire's dogs about me in less than a
minute, and then goodbye to my plan"
Mary johnson was the daughter, as
we have seen. of Squire johnson, who
lived on the farm adjoining Westlake's.
She was a handsome, intelligent girl,
and of course a good house-keeper, as
most intelligent country girls are, and
as all girls ought to be. Mary's several
wears at school had made some change
in her, but John found to his sorrow
that she had not lost the habit of early
rising.
This morning she arose somewhat
earlier than usual and went to the barn
yard to do the milking. AS she was
about to begin she glanced towards the
corn-field and saw some one coming.
"Who can that be?" she said. "As
sure as the world it's John Westlake! 1
wonder what he is after! And he's
coming right here, and I've nothing on
but this thin gown! Oh, dear! what
shall do?''
Her first impulse was to run, but OBJ
serving that he was coming very eau
tiously, as if in fear of being seen, and
knowing that she was undiscovered,
curiosity prompted her to stay; SO Gid
ing behind a hay-stack near by, she was
in position to note his actions undis-
covered.
Coming to the barn-yard, he ran
ncross It, in half-stooping posture, to
the meadow fence. Getting inside, he
began to creep along the fence towards