The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-12-15


young men WAS either married or moved
out west i"
"But you must have had offers OF mar
rage, aunt. Please tell me all about
them"
LA, child! there amt none OF 'em
worth mentioning. There was Joe His
gins. whose fret wife was Persons.
You see he hal house full OF children. .as
wild and unmsnageahle as go msnv cubs
and be wanted some one to look srter
'em, Dnt. sakes alive! hsd no idee OF
maxim such slave of myself"
And that was all, sun, p said Kate
ia disappointed tone.
"Ls' me see" responded the old lady
her round. eood.natured face assuming s
r aective air. rYes, there was z ke Un
derhill; be was sort o. sneskin' round
arter me when sas gal. But fa,her, !.
|he took . mortal dislikin' to him; satf ~
vas poor shiftless critier. and l guess.
on the hull, be was in the riRlis ont. He
married Jeiushv Dean,as smarta woman
ever stepped. and / don't wish myself in
her shoes I hear that be loaf's about
the tavern the heft Of the time. an his
wife don't know from one meal to an.
o her what they'll have to eat, or If they'll
have snyti ing"
"But where did you get the ring that
YOU alwavs wear ?" persisted Ka'e.
II armed it picking berries go,
most Of my clothes that way when / was
gal"
"But why don't you ever take it of ?"
"Oh! cause it isn't good sign. Don't
never take ring of your finger unless
you want to change your luck an on
the hull I'm pretty we'll satisfied with
mine.
"lt's nigh onto twenty five years, RE.
suned Aunt Hi,ty. "but ] rememher the
drst time l wore it as IL 'twas yesterday
Twas the day that Dan Q iinby made
bis proposal
"There, aunt. I've caught you inter.
rupted KITE shaking her fingers archly q,
the old lady "Sn Dan Q iinby propos-
ed to you, did heP Please tell me abou,
it,
"La. child! there amt no. him to tell. >
"Oh, yes there is, aunt there must be.
"NoW Commence at the beginning and
tell me everything he said and you said.
Lawful sakesl how the child does
run on never saw the beat ont, never
III tell you all there is to tell as nigh as
/ can recollectit You see. buckIeber
ries we're just gettin' ripe, an after din
ner I took pail an went out calculatin'
to be able to pick half dczen qnsrte
afore supper.
jest as got to the foot OF 'Huckle.
berry HilI,' who should see but Dan
| z iinhy?
"As soon as act eve on him I knew
he'd got eometbin' on his mind. but be
didn't say nothin', for he was sort o.
hashful. but kept walkin' alongside OF
me pickin' berries until be had got nigh
onto hatful.
"Tben be hemmed and hawed and
says:
".Hetty. you know I've been thinkin'
OF getting married this long time
"Here be sort OF suffered and stop
ped
didn't your heart palpi,aie. aunt ?
mo. dear; I wasn'i troubled with the
palpitation OF the heart in them dsvs.
".Yes, Dan,' .avs I; 'and I'should say
that you'd been thinking ont quite long
enough
$50 I think says Dan, 'and I've con.
cluded that l might ss we'll get spliced
next Thursday ss any time. She wanted
me 10 sx you TO stand up with her; and
IL it be so that ou could to come over
TO her house tonight, surc.'
"Dear me, aunt, exclsimed Kate open.
ing her eyes vide at this unexpected con.
clusicn, didn't you feel terribly P
LA, no, child what was there to feel
terrible abou,1 I knew Dan @ ,inhy and
Sue PIouty had been keeping COMPANY
for more'n . year; and all the wonder
was that iney hadn't got married aiore.'
"And what about the letter. Aunt Het
tv,' said Nellie little NAL ;ciouslv. .tbat
Kate saw you hiding in your bosom when
she opened the door on you so sudden.
lyr
LA me, child! that ~asn't letter. Il
was plaster that DR.. CurealI gin me for
my rumatiz; and it's done me heap Of
good
Here Nellie hurst into hearty laugh
under cover OF which Kate beat h.sty
retreat to her own room, where she bad
both time and opportunity to RED C, upon
the terrible naturssof Aunt Hetty's dis
appointment.