Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-03-08
YOURS TRULY.

lcTHOOu sS"ihS w -" o
quilt!"
"What for, mother?"
"Why amt Mr.. Van Nleet been to see
you twice't runnin' lately? He's axed
We, s'pose, to hev him?"
can guy him the mitten."
"Sho! You wouldn't be half so silly!
Why, he's wuth q dozen ordinary men.
You mought go futher and fare wuss."
"Jest what I'm soin' to dew"
"Did you tell him so:'
"No, writ; now, mother, let me be; l
amt goin't to marry no man thet 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, 'Mazin?"
GA day or SO past"
"where did you git 4 pen?"
"I borrered one. Mebbe you'd like to
know what said tew him!"
"You've guessed rite" said the widow
eagerly.
"It amt nuthin to nobody but US,
mother, s'long es didn't have him." said
the~girl curtly, 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 intimidatinS power.
This time she did not relent, but wonder
ed why she could not like that big, good
looking Van Vleet well enough to marry
him, for they were poor, poor as that his
toric church mouse, and lie was well off.
But they were not mercenary. People
called them simple folks; perhaps because
they lacked education, and believed ev-
erything that was told them. But they
were good as gold. The widows face and
form, lank and uugainly, were familiar
IN every sick room. They rendered unto
Caesar the things that were C9sar'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 GIace-her mother
had named her after the hymn beginning,
"Amazlng Grace, how sweet the sound"
was really pretty. So thought big,
hulking, shame-faccd Van Fleet. when
he came courtng her, with his trousers
tucked into cowhide boots and coon-skin
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 a sledge-hammcr and heart like
a chid's. He wanted Amazin Grace, and
he couldn't imagine any reason why he
should not have her. When he got her
simple little letter Of refusal, written out
with infinite difficulty and spelled on
new plan of phonetcs, he read it over
and over, smoked his cob pipe, read the
letter again, grinned good bit, then
folded it revercntly, and put it in the
pocket nearest his heart.
"That's all rito, my girl" he chuckled.
A couple of months passed away. One
peculiarity 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 farm, which was one
mass of apple and cherry blossoms, and it
it was spring at the 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.
sThere's Van Vleetr' she exclaimed,
looking up from her lap-board. "Well, L
declare! What brings him here?"
"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 checks.
81 wish he should" said the widow,
deyoutly; 81 should consider it wus fyin'
in the face of Providence not to marry
such man--if lie asked me-"
But Nj. Van vleet stalked in with
brief "good-day," threw an armful of
blossoms into the lap OF Amazin Grace,
and said:
"I'm ready for veddih'."
Did 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 furbushed the house up, so
yer wouldn't know it, an 1 kalculate eff
we kin git married next week, 1t won't
interfere with my spring work-hey!'
Amazin Grace set back and looked the
picture of surprise. The widow thought
she heard the cat in the pantry and dis
sreetIy withdrew. As tile door closed Far
mer Van vlect took two little red hands
in his, and bending forward gave Amazin
Grace an awful smack.
''That seals the bargain" lie said, but
the indignant girl jumped up and ordered
him out of the house. TO her astonisiI-
ment he didn't bulge step.
"Not much! reckin Eve right 10
kiss yer now," he said boldly-then he
stepped to the door and called loudly:
"Mother! kun here"
The widow musthaye been conveniently
near, for she almost fell into the room at
his first word, and he bestowed another
sounding smack OH her.
SITS all rite" he said, ''me an Amazin
Grace is goin' 10 be married, and you kan
dance at the weddin'."
"But-but the letter." gasped the girl.
You amt understood word of it."
''rhe fact is," said Van Vleet, 81 ain't
had no cddication TO speak OF; been too