Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1883-06-29
CHOOSING A WIFE.

NtANt' MNlN WIN AHAN WV AWNA
threw himself upon a sofa, picked up
paper and read as followsi
"A young man having mairlmony IN yiol
should ascertain before taking this imppriah
step hat the housekeeping abilities OF his "a
tended one arc, Many u man has had bot
fortune and happiness wrecked by overlook
ing this important point
ANY man, by a little strategy, can ohtai
the desired Information, he can have som
business at her fathers house early In th
morning, or II she lives hy the roadside he ca
ride by and glance IN AZ the open door or win
low and thus see which, mother or daughter
NOuks the breakfast.
''Or he can take a position behind some trc
IN the orchard, commanding a view OF th
harnyard, ana mud out who does the milking
the knowledge can be uhtalfed, and Il shouli
he obtained hy some means and In this cas-
the end iustifes the means"
"What paper is thisp' said John
looking for the heading. "The Cramp
ton Herald Yes, and this is good nd
vice for farmers son. Now solilo
quized he, 81 have about concluded
TO marry Mary Johnson that is, if sh'
will have me, and | think she will-bu
must confess that do not know mucl
about her abilities as n house-keeper.
know that everything in their house
that is, as far as have seen-is in per
feet order; but who takes caro- OF tn,
house don know-perhaps Mary, per
haps Mrs. johnson. Mary, | know, has
taste, for she comes into company a.
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 ol
domestic affairs rs-but will find OUT
"John, dinner,n said his little sister
Kate, poking her curly head in at the
door.
While eating, John outlined plan Of
operation
IL wiil,' thought he, "get up early
tomorrow morning, 90 across The
meadow to Johnson's corn-feld, then
through the corn-feld to the barn-yard,
cross the barn-yard to the meadow
fence, and then creep along this until !
get to the bushes in 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-
tion and ease of execution.
Il will tell Mary said he, "of my
strategy after We are married that is,
if she suits me, and | think she will.
Love- continued he, sis said to be
blind, but 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 carly,
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, and then struck bee
line across the new-mown meadow to-
wards Squire Johnson's corn-feld.-
He had not gone far before he heard
noise behind him, and looking around
he saw his old dog Nero at his heels.
go home, you old scoundrel, go
home! = exclaimed John, fiefcely.
Nero looked up into his masters face
with an injured expression, then turned
round and trotted slowly homeward.
"The confounded 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 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
years 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
sbout to begin she glanced towards the
corn-field and saw some one coming.
Who can that be?" she said. As
sure MS the world it's John Westlakel /
wonder what he is afterl And he's
coming right here, and I've nothing on
but this thin gownl Oh, dear what
shall / do?'
Her first impulse wa to run, but OBJ
serving that be was coming very eau
tiously, as If in fear of being seen, and
knowing that she was undiscovered.
curiosity prompted her to stay; so glid-
ing behind a hay-stack near BY, she was
in a position to note his actions undis-
covered.
Coming TO the barn-yard, ne ran
across it, in a half-stooping posture, to
she meadow fence. Getting inside. he
began to creep along the fence towards
The house, much like a savage trying 10
steal upon his enemy
"What does he moan?' said Mary.
her blue ewes dilating in wonder
The summer-kitchen was a short dis
tance from the main building and be-
tween Il and the meadow fence was the
spring.
Prom the spring issued quite a large
stream. flowing under the fence and
across the meadow. Where it flowed
under the fence. nearthe summer kiich-
en-, Was q small but dense thicket Of
alders. hriars and Wild grape-vincs
This was the point for which John
was making.
Arriving within a few rods Of the
house. he ran. stqaping, across The lit
lie oven space of Meadow between fhe
fence and stream then. behind the
sldofs fhaf lincd the bank be hurried
along until he reached the thickef. into
which he crawlei7. and fixed himself 10
that be could hare view ofthe win
dow.
Mays eyes flashed in anger
g s.. John. said she. vou have
heen reading ihc Cumplon Herald
Wen. wen es h81 much inform1Ii1n
yan'I otia'n fsf sour fr1ntia
Tten. taking q 70unda'eat Har. 10
81 be might aei zee heI- AszT srI.1ti