Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-02-29

ike eO ASK you rev queeClCns.
Jane said nothing, and Joe, evidently
taking silence for consent proceeded
'Dld you cook this dinner 20
Still Jane was silent, but her mother
anwered Eyes" for her.
Joe smiled. well, the Squire told me
you were good cook or wouldn't have
come out here"
"Can you make good bread Y''
A faint but rather indignant ''yes'' was
heard from Jane, as if he had asked If she
could wash her face or comb Der hair.
"Can you milk and tend Co milk, butter
and cheese?"
EYES," little louder.
"Can you run house and do all kinds
Of homework ?"
The cat seemed to have gotten James
tongue again, and my mother. plying her
embarrassment. replied with an exhaustive
catalogue of James virtues as house wife.
Then suddenly checking herself as one
who had said too much, or said 1t in a
wrong cause. became silent, but the ques-
tioning went on.
"Can you sewW
"Yes."
"Can you knit ?"
eyes"
"Can you spin p'
yes"
"Can you weaver"
"Yes."
care you strong and healthy"
eyes"
"As you've got to savin' yes, I'd like
70 60 right on and ask you to have me-;
but I'll 60 out and feed my horse. and
you can talk with your folks and the
Squire and his wife, and give me the ans :
wer to that question when I come in. I
want to say first that if you agree to mar
~ me I'll try and do the fair thing by YOU
and expect you to do the same by me. You
can always have what you can make from
the butter and eggs and half the wool for
YOUR own spending. 1t will be very lone
some, for there won't be another white
woman nearer than five miles for while
vet, and the work will be hard, but mavbe
not harder than you're used to. If you
we'll have to 90 day after tomorrow
The roads are very rough. and it will take
rwo-maybe three-days to travel the SIX
" odd miles,
1t took Joe long time to feed his team
and during his absence great deal of
talking was done. When hereturned Mr..
Holton stood by the table looking verv
sober, and there we're tears in tha ewes of
Ill the women when he said: "Joe, Jane
has concluded she'll chance it with you
She's been good girl always, and we hope
you'll use her well''
II will, Mr.. Holton, 50 help nae God. -
'olemnly answered Joe. and he walked
nver to where Jane stood and put his arm
around her and Kissed her.
Then there was general hand shaking
md arrangements were made for the
Wedding next afternoon, after which Joe
and his wife we're to come back as far as
our house, and the following morning start
Tor home.
The wedding was an ld-fashioned coun-
try one. and not long after the ceremony
Toe's sleigh was packed with cargo Of
feather beds, quilts, blankets. and house.
keeping goods of various kinds. and nice
cow (the pick of the herd) tied behind, for
Mr.. Holton would not let his daughter 90
empty b anded.
Every second year after that for many
Years Jane came home for visit. The
intervening year she conld not come be-
cause ''the baby was too little to bring"
and the numerous little Tolons grew up
in regular succession. their heads mount
ing one above another like the rounds of
ladder. Father regularly asked Jane
when she made these visits if she had
come home for her divorce.
Jane always replied: IN ct this time.
don't see but Joe and I get along as well
as those who take more time for their
counting"
And Joe, who was always holding the
baby while Jane ''undid" the bigger ones
at the time this question was asked. would
say. approvingly: "That's SO, Jane.''
\
Dear me-" said Jane, as, leaning on
her son, young Joe Tolon' 8 arm. she threw
hack her widows veil, (she has worn that
nearly ten years now, and wiped her
glasses before The Heart of the Wilder
ness in the art gallery last fall-"dear
me, Joe, that looks just like the piece of
woods opposite the door of the old house
when your father brought me home I've
seen the deer browsing there many time
I didn't think then it would, and now the
cars run over that very spot. It's been a
long, long time. Joe. but the last ten
years have been longer than all the rest"