St. Landry democrat., 1883-06-30
CHOOSING 4 WIFE.

is'he ID anu Went into the cool sltting.room
threw himself upon sofa, picked up
paper, and read as follows:
"a young man having matrimony in yiey
ascertain . before taking this importan
sIep Wnat the housekeeping abilities of his in
Iended one are Many man has had botl
fortune and happiness wrecked by overlook
ing this important point
=, any man, by little strategy can obtair
the desired information; he can have som,
business at her fathers house early in thf
NOR morning, or if she lives by the roadside he car
ride by and glance in at the open door or win
dow and thus see which, mother or daughter
cooks the breakfast. -''oA
Or ne can take position behind some tree
barn-yard. and find out who does the milking
tne knowledge can be obtained, and it should
ne oDIalned by some means, and in this case
the END 1ustifies the MEANS
What paper is this?' said John.
looking for the heading. ssThe Cramp-
ton Herald. Yes, and this is good adj
vice for farmers son. Now solilo-
qulzed he, s.I have about concluded
to marry Mary Johnson-that is, if she
will have me, and I think she will-bnt
L must confess that I do not know much
about her abilities as house-keeper. 7
know that everything in their house
that IS, as far as have seen-is in per-
fect order; but who takes care of the
house don t know-perhaps Mary. per-
haps Mrs. johnson. Mary, l know, has
taste, for she comes into company as
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
Tor 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 q plan Of
operation.
81 viii" thought he, ..get up early
Tomorrow morning, go across the
meadow to Johnson's corn-field. then
through the corn-feld to the barn-yard
cross the barn-yard to the meadow
fence, and then creep along this until T
get to the bushes in front of the s,1m-
mer-kitchen window, where will hide,
and there, not more than a rod away. T |
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, ssof nv
strategy after we are married-that is,
If she suits me, and I think she will.
Love, continued he, sis said to be
blind, but will show Mr.. Cupid that if
ne has pierced my heart he has not af-
tected my vision. And again. getting
married is said to be like putting your
1and into bag in which are ninety
line snakes and one eel, and know Just
where to reach for it. n
Next morning John arose very early.
lressed quickly, and went down stairs
cry quietly.
Going first to the barn he went half j
vay around it to get it between himself /
nd the house, and then struck a bee
inc across the new-mown meadow to- ;
Yards Squire Johnson's corn-field.
He had not gone far before he heard
noise behind him, and looking around
e saw his old dog Nero at his heels. /
go home, you old scoundrel, 90
ome!' exclaimed John. fercely. :
Nero looked up into his masters face
18th an injured expression, then turned
ound and trotted slowly homeward.
.The confounded old scamp NUT Il
red John, stwould have all the
;quire's dogs about me in less than a q
mute, and then goodbye tony plan"
Mary johnson was the daughter, as .
E have seen, of Squire johnson, who Il
red on the farm adjoining Westlake's. J.
She was handsome, intelligent girl,
I'd of course a good house-keeper, as il
ost intelligent country girls are, and d,
all girls ought to be. Mary's several W
ars at school had made some change
her, but John found to his sorrow al
at she had not lost the habit of early SC
ing. to
This morning she arose somewhat
rlier than usual and went to the barn w
rd to do the milking. As she was H