Connecticut western news., 1883-06-13
Choosing a Wife.

01lSOoS1l1S ct w 11os In from the hay field came John Vest lake, and went into the cool sitting room, threw himself upon a sofa, picked up a paper, and read as follows:
 GA young man having matrimony in view should ascertain before taking this important step what the housekeeping abilities of his intended one are. Many 8 man has had both fortune and happi- ness wrecked by overlooking this im- portant point.
 ''Any man, by little strategy, can obtain the desired information; he can early in the morning, or if she lives by the roadside he can ride by and glance in at the open door or window and thus see which, mother or daughter cooks, the breakfast.
 GOT he can take a position behind some tree in the orchard, commanding view of the barnyard, and find out who does the milking-the knowledge can be obtained, and it should be obtained by some means, and in this case the end justifes the means. D ...-. ssWhat paper is this?' said John, looking for the heading. 'sThe Cramp- ton Herold. Yes, and this is good ad- vice for farmers son. Now," solilo- quized he, "I have about concluded to marry Mary Johnson-that is, if she will have me, and I think she will-but I must confess that I do not know much about her abilities as 8 housekeeper. I know that everything in their house that is as far as have seen-is in per feet order; but who takes care of the house I don't know-perhaps Mary, perhaps Mrs. Johnson. Mary, I know, has taste, for she comes into company as neatly dressed as any young woman ID 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 1t ar gues somewhat against her knowledge of domestic affairs-but I will find out.
 ''I will," thought he, ''get up early tomorrow morning, go across the mead ow toJohnson's corn-feld, then through the corn-field to the barn-yard, across the barn-yard to the meadow-f fence, and then creep along this until I get to the bushes in front of the summer kitchen window, where I will hide, and there not more than rod away, I can sec everything that goes on.
 ''I will tell Mary" said he, 'of my strategy after we are married-that is if she suits me, and think she will
 Next morning John arose very early dressed quickly, and went down stairI very quietly.
 Going first to the barn he went hal way around it, to get it between himsel and the house, and then struck bee-lin' across the new-mown meadow toward Squire Johnson's corn-feld.
 Mary Johnson was the daughter, a we have seen, of Squire Johnson, wh lived on the farm adjoining Westlake's.
 She was handsome, intelligent girl and of course 8 good housekeeper, a most intelligent country girls are and g all girls ought to be. Mary's sewers years at school had made some chang in her, but John found to his sorrow thu she had not lost the habit of early rising
 This morning she arose somewhs earlier than usual and went to the barr yard to do the milking. As she WI about to begin she glanced toward u corn-field and saw some one coming.
 ssWho can that be" she said. "k sure as the world it's John Westlake I Iwonder what he is after! And he coming right here, and I've nothing ( but this thin gown! Oh, dearl wh shall I do?"
 Her first impulse was to run, but O serving that he was coming very caut ously, as if in fear of being seen, al knowing that she was undiscovere curiosity prompted her to stay; so gli ing behind hay-stack near by, she w in position to note his actions undi covered.
 Coming to the bsrn-yar he ran aero it, in half-stooping posture, to u meadow-fence. Getting inside, he b gan to creep along the fence toward u house, much like savage trying to ste upon his enemy. ~t
 ''What does he mean? ?" said Mar her blue eyes dilating in wonder.
 Near the summer kitchen was sm but dense ticket of alders, briars a wild grapevines. .-t
 This was the point for which John W making.
 Arriving within a few rods of t house, he ran, stepping, across the lit open space of meadow between the fen and stream then, behind the alders th lined it's bank he hurried along until
 reached the thicket, into which