Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-02-28
GALES arlo Sketfkes.
"YOURs YRULY.
The WAYN WHICH A Young WOMAN
Was ESrRAPPED INTO MATRIMONY.


noon sewing. "be yew goin' to piece a
quilt?"
s.What fur, mother?"
"Why. amt Mr.. Van Vleet been to see
Won twice runnin' lately' He's axed We,
| s'pose. to hev him ?"
AN guv him the mitten."
'.Shol You wouldn't be half so silly
Why, he's with dozen orniray men.
You mought 60 futher and fare wuss'
"Jest what I'm goin' to dew"
Ibid yew tell him sop
mo. I writ: now. mother. let me be ;
[ amt agoin' 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, Maxim?
"A day or so past"
.Where did you git pen ?"
81 borrered one. Mebbe you'd like to
know what said tew him."
you've guessed right" said the Wild
ow, eagerly.
ut amt nuthin' to nobody but US. moth
er, s'long es didn't have him." said the
girl CURLY, 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 intimidating power.
This time she did not relent, but wondered
why she could not like that big. good
looking Van Vleet we'll enough to marry
him, for they were poor. poor as that his
torc church mouse, and he was we'll of.
But they were not mercenary. People
called them simple folks; perhaps be-
cause they lacked education and believed
everything that was told them. But they
were good as gold. The widows face
and form. lank and ungainly. were ia
miliar to every sick-room. They rem
dered unto Caesar the things that were
Caesars. They owed no man anything,
though they worked early and late to ac-
complish it. They were good to every
body and everything, and Amazin' Grace
her mother had named her after the
hymn beginning, Amazing grace. how
sweet the sound"-was really pretty. So
thought big. hulking. shame-faced Van
Vleet. when he came accounting her, with
his trousers tucked into cowhide 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 q
fist like a sledge-hammer and heart like
a child's. He wanted Amazin' Grace land
he couldn't imagine any reason why he
simple little letter of refusal. written out
with infinite difficulty 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 near
est his heart.
That's all rite, my GIRL" he chuckled.
A couple of months passed away. One
popularity of time is that it treats all peo-
pie alike. 1t does not fly from some and
stand still with others. 1t was spring at
the Van Vleet farm, which was one mass
of apple and cherry blossoms. and it was
spring at Widow Pilsbury's little lean to
house without shrub or blossom. The
widow 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 lap-board. "Well, l
declare! What brings him hereP"
"P'raps he's comm to ask yew to hev
him, mother" said Amazin' Grace laugh
ing, while sweet flush of pink stained
her round cheeks.
Il wish he would" said the widow.
devoutly: 81 should consider it was flying
in the face of Providence not to marry
such a man if he asked me.'
But Mr.. Van Vleet stalked in with a
brief good day." threw an armful of
blossoms into the lap of Amazin' Grace,
and said:
II am ready for weddin'."
did you get my letter?" asked the
girl.
Yep! 1t warn't to say. lovin', but I
took your meanin'. I've fenced in the
hull north lot. and furnished the house up
so yer wouldn't know it. and kalcurlate
Ell we kin git married next week it won t
interfere with my spring work-heyP"
I Amazin' Grace sat back and looked the
picture OF surprise. The widow thought
she heard the cat in the pantry and dis
creetly withdrew. As the door closed
Farmer Van Vleet took two little red
hands in his. and bending forward gave
Amazin Grace an awful smack
| That seals the bargain" he said, but
the indignant girl jumped up and ordered
/ him out of the house. To her astonish-
ment. he didn't bulge a step.
Not much | reckin I've a right to
kiss yer now" he said boldly: then he
stepped to the door and called loudly:
Mother! kun herer'
The widow must have been convenient
lv near. for she almost fell into the room
al his first word. and he bestowed another
sounding smack on her.
Its all rite" he said; me an Amazin'
Grace is goin' to be married. and you kin
dance at the weddin''
"But-but the letter." gasped the girl.
lyon amt understood a word of it.
The fact is" said Farmer Van Vleet.
Il amt had no eddication to speak of.
been too busy grubbin' land all my life.
| didn't rally read the letter to sense it.
but when ! see how YOU signed it that was
enuff for me. knowed you wouldn't hev
writ that way TO teller ye weren't goin' to
marry. | don't know much about gals,
but know that ~
When it was all settled that they were
TO be married the next week. Sunday.
Farmer Van Vleet rode off. and the two
women put away the lap-board and re.
signed the universal shirt-making busi-
ness forever.