Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-02-14


member of the Baptist church when /
am where there is one.
We been raised to work and can
hold up my end with any man. Ihave
a hundred and sixty acres of land
about half cleared. There's the papers
to show for it, and Squire Black will
tell you they're all right.
1--we a good log house, log stable.
and so on. [ own the horses | drove
down here and a yoke of oxen besides.
| [ don't owe any man cent. | shall
have cows and chickens when I've q
| wife to take care of 'em. Now, if YOU
think you can make up your mind to
marry me I'd like to ask you few
| questions.
Jane said nothing, and Joe, evident
" taking silence for consent, proceed
''Did you cook this dinncr?"
Still Jane was silent, but her mother
answered yes for her
Joe smiled. ''Well, the Squire told
me you were good cook or wouldn' It
have come out here"
''Can you make good bread?"
A faint but rather indignant ives"
was nearu from Jane, as If he nau ask
ed if she could wash her face or comb
her hair.
"Can you milk and tend to milk.
butter, and cheese?'
Yes" little louder
Can you run q house and do all
kinds of housework?n
The cat seemed to have gotten James
tongue again, and my mother, pitying
her embarrassment, replied with an
exhaustive catalogue of James virtues
as housewife. Then suddenly check
inc herself as one who had said too
much or said it in wrong cause be-
came silent, but the questioning went
on.
"Can you sew, knit, spin, weave,
and are you strong and healthy?"
yes"
'As you've got to saying yes I'd
like to 90 right on and ask you to have
me; but I'll go out and feed my horses,
and you can talk with your folks and
the Squire and his wife, and give me
the answer to the question when | come
in.
Il want to say first that if you agree
to marry 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 lonesome, for there
won't be another white woman nearer
than five miles for while yet. and the
work will be hard, but maybe not hard
4 haY +n /
have to start day after tomorrow The
roads are very rough, and it will take
two-maybe three-days to travel the
sixty odd miles"
1t took Joe a long time to feed his
team, and during his absence a great
deal of talking was done. When he
returned Mr.. Holton stood by the table
looking very sober, and there were
tears in the eyes of all the women
when he said: Joe, Jane has conclud-
ed she'll chance it with you. She's
been a good girl always, and we hope
you Il use her well"
81 will, Mr.. Holton, so help me God"
solemnly answered Joe, and he walked
over to where Jane stood and put his
rms around her and kissed her.
Then there was a general handshak
ing, and arrangements were made for
the wedding next afternoon, after which
Joe and his wife were to come back as
far as our house and the following
morning start for home.
The wedding was an old-fashioned
country one, and not long after the
ceremony Joe's sleigh was packed
with a cargo of feather beds, quilts,
blankets, and housekeeping goods of
various kinds, and q nice cow (the
pick of the herd) tied behind, for Mr..
Holton would not let his daughter go
empty-handed.
Every second year after that for
many years Jane came home for q
visit The intervening year she could
not come because ''the baby was too
little to bring and the numerous lit
tie Tolons grew up in regular success
sion, the 7 heads mounting one above
another like the rounds of ladder.
Father regularly asked Jane when
she made these visits ii she had come
for her divorce.
Jane always replied: ''Not this time.
| don't see but Joe and [ get along as
well as those who take more time for
their courting."
And Joe, who was always holding
the baby while Jane ''undid" the big
ger ones at the time this question was
asked, would say approvingly: That's
SO, Jane"
x.
'Dear me" said Jane, as, leaning
on DR.. Joe Tolon's arm, she threw
back her widows veil (she has worn
that nearly ten years now and wiped
her glasses before ''The Heart of the
Wilderness" 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 broWs-
Nc there many time. | didn't think
then it would ever be city, but your
father said 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. Z. M. A.
Personal Cleanliness.