Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-02-07
~YouRs rRULf."
The way In which . YoauE Woman
was Entrapped into Matrimony.

70 piece quh'
"What fur, motherI'
"Why, amt Mr.. Van Vleet
been to see you twice. runnin' lately2
Hes sxed ye, Is'pose, to hev himf'
AN Ieuv him the mitten."
"Shol You wouldn't be half so
sillyl Why, he's wuth dozen orniray
men. You mought 60 futher and fare
wuss."
"Jest what I'm going to dew"
"Did yew tell him so2"
"No, ! writ; now, mother, let me
be; l ain'ts goin' to marry no man
that thinks I'm jumpin' ct the chance
I'd heap ruther be an old maid"
There was nothing said for some
time; then the widow asked:
"When did yew write, 'Mszin?"
"A day or so past"
"Where did you git a penP'
II borrered one. Mebbe you'd like
to know what said tew him."
you've guessed rite" said the
widow eagerly.
at amt nuthin, 70 nobody but us,
mother, s'long es | didn't have him"
said the girl curtlJ, and no more was
said, but the widow sighed heavily and
held her hand to her left side.
Amazin knew that it meant her
heart, for she had been brought up to
respect that organ as an intimidatlng
power. This time she did not relent,
but wondered why she could not like
that big, good looking Van Vleet well
enough to marry him, for they were
poor, poor as that historic church
mouse, and he was we'll off.
But they were not mercenary. Peo
pie called them simple folks; perhaps
because they lacked education and be-
lieved everything that was told them.
But they were good as gold. The
I widows face and form, lank and un-
gainly, were familiar to every sick
room. They rendered unto Cesar the
things that were Casar's. They owed
no man anything, though they worked
early and late to accomplish it. They
were good to everybody and every
thing, and Amazin Grace-her moth
er had named her after the hymn be-
ginning, Amazing grace, how sweet
the sound''-was really pretty. So
thought big, hulking, shame faced
Van Vleet, when he came courting
her, with his trousers tucked into cow
hide boots and a coonskin cap tied
down over his ears. She was the only
girl he was afraid of, and he wasn't
afraid of her, come right down to it.
He was an honest, decent chap, with
fist like sledge hammer and heart
like q child's. He wanted Amazln
Grace, and he couldn't imagine any
reason why he should not hsye her.
When he got her simple little letter of
refusal, wiitten out with infinite diff
Guilty and spelled on a new plan of
phonetics, he read it over and over,
smoked his cob pipe, read the letter
again, grinned good bit, then folded
it reverently, and put it in the pocket
nearest his heart.
That's all rite, my girl" he chuck
led.
A couple of months passed away.
One popularity OF time is that it treats
all people alike. 1t does not fly from
some and stand still with others. 1t
was spring at the Van Vleet tsrm,
which was one mass of apple and cher
ry blossoms, and it was spring at the
Widow Pilsbury's Ii tie lean-to house,
without shrub or blossom. The wild
ow looked out of the window and
sighed. She had never heard the
Song of the Shirt" but she had
sung it all her life. 1t was her bread
and butter.
There's Van Vleet!" she exclaimed,
looking up from her lapboard. "Well,
l declare! What brings him here7"
"P'raps he's comm to ask yew to
to hev him, mother" said Amazin
Grace, laughing, while sweet flush
of pink stained her round cheeks.
IL wish he should!" said the widow,
devoutly; Il should consider it was
6yin' in the face Of Providence not to
marry such a man--if be asked me.
But Mr.. Van Vleet stalked IN with
brief "good day. threw an armful
of blossoms into the lap of Amazin
Grace, and said:
"l'm ready for weddiu'."
Ibid you get my letter." asked the
girl.
"Yep! 1t warn't, to say, lovin', but
took yer meanin'. I've fenced in
the hull north lot. and furnished the
house up, so yer wouldn't know it,
an | kalculate eff we kin get married
next week it WON'T interfere with
my spring work-hey2'
Amazin grace sat back and looked
the picture Of surprise. The widow
thought she heard the cat in the pan
try and discreetly withdrew. As the
door closed Farmer Van Vleet took
two little red hands in his, and bend
ing forward gave Amazin Grace an
awful smack.
"That seals the bargin," he said, but
the indignant girl jumped up and or
dered him out of the house. To her
astonishment he didn't bulge a step
"Not muchl I reckin I've right tc