The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-16
love verses quite different, and balked
after the fust two lines


after the fust two lines
My heart Is yours, oh, Sararann Crumbe
long to speak, but love strikes me dumb.
That was. in my opinion VERY neat as
fur IS it went, but it didn't go fur
enough. But at last she seemed more
friendly like, and told her about Aunt
Berlinder and the fortin' and the SOAP
business.
'I've quite a snug little shop of my
own," sez she, ''only I'm very lonely"
Then she Civ me one of them meltin'
looks with her eyes that seem to make
fellows heart jest simmer down into
jelly like.
But l plucked up courage to say, 'It's
yer own fault, mum, if you're alone. A
charmin' young woman like you must
ave ed loads of chances for gettin' o
companion"
''Oh, I'm afeard you're fatterin',
Mr.. Stokes" she says. a-smiling up at
me, so as couldn't help stealin' my arm
around her waist-well, it didn't go 'alf
round, you know-and sayin', "Well, if
you never 'ad chance before, what do
you say to takin' me for better or wuss2
I'm sure you won't find it wuss." .
She didn't move away from my arm a
bit. She just looked at me with them
black eyes, and says she, ooh, Handrew!
I'm hever thine!" And thcn-it was
pretty dark on deck, so took her in my
arms-that is, as much as | could Of her
and stole kiss for to seal the engage
ment.
After that, you know, the days slipped
away like magic. She was woner to
talk, she was; she had, in fact, the gift
of the CAB very eallopin'. But she
seemed rather shy about permittin' any
embraces or affectionate squeezes. II
don't want to make spectacle of my
SELF" sez she. 81 don't care if we make
h pair of spcctacles," sez 1: and then l
wondered if it was her uncommon cor
pulence as made her awerse to squeezes,
as them stout parties has difficulty in
getting their breath at the best of times.
and thought after we was married Id
try and coax her into takin' anti-fat, or
some of them advertised things us say
they have given folks view of their own
shoe-strings as 'adn't 'ad the pleasure of
contemplatin' 'em for twenty years. So
'ad to be contentcd with squeezin' of
her and, which, queer enough, was
slim. and long, and quite thin.
'Yer and don't never seem to belong
to yer, Sararann," sez I, one day.
"No, it belongs to you," she sez, With
a quick look and a smile.
Il know it, nv love, but / mean it's
not like the rest of you; it's thin, but
you're as plump as-a-a angelv'
"I'm not always fat" she sez
ooh, amt you?" sez 1, with little
feelin' of relief, must confess, COS she
was leetle too much SO, and | didn't
want wife as Barnum would be covetin'
for his show. -
"No, it's the sea voyages as does it,
she says, quite bewitchin'. "Perhaps
you won't love me as much when / git
thin"
ooh, I'm yours through thick and
thin.' l makes answer. ''There's no
changin' in Andrew Stokes, my dear"
l noticed, however, that Sararann was
to be afraid as there was another feller
in the background or somethin', and 1
pressed her to name the day. But Sd
was VERY firm on that point.
''You must wait till we're on land, -
she says. 81 feel that nervous while Pm
on the water can't settle nothin'. Wait
till we're safe on land"
So WAITED 1t was hot day enough
when we hove in sight, and really pitied
poor Sararann, she felt it so, with so
much flesh on 'er. She was that fius-
tered couldn't keep up with her, and
actilly, she scarcely waited for the plank
to be put down before she stepped
ashore. l was hurryin' after her, when
l saw her stopped by two strappin' fell
lers. l couldn't hear wot they said, but
/ know jealousy was like wulture tear
in at my witals. | saw her throw up her
lands, and then seemed to ear her cry
"Handrew!" But before / got near 'er
she 'ad disappeared as if the earth 'ad
opened an swallowed 'er up.
You can fancy the feelin's of a fellow
as sees is sweetheart swollered before
his weirry eyes. I tore around here and
there, and asked questions OF everybody
in a wild way.
At last Custom 'Ouse officer stopped
and eyed me moment.
"a stout partys" sez ne.
"Oh. yes, a stout lady," answered,
pantin'."
"Perhaps you're her pardner2" sez he
81 don't mind confessin' I'm goin' to
be-" sez 1, givin' him wink.
:'Oh, come now, none of that" SCI
he, quite stern. "We're incorruptible
as you'll find. An if you're goin' to bt
her pardner, Tve word to say to you
Just come in here"
An if the fellow didn't take me b.
| the arm as if was prisoner, an h'
| walked me into an inside office. I'adn'
more than got in when l see anothe
Custom 'Ouse fellow coming out, an
behind i'm came long, lanky beanpol
of female, with 'er clothes 'angin' lik'
bags on 'er arms. But, the dress
Surely, knew that garnet merino will
the yellow trimmin's an that at will
yellow feather, an the lace shawl
felt as if 'ad got among magic! An
! when l saw Sararann's own face at tn
top of this lanky picture, | sez to tn
officer, "Punch me, or stick pin In me
for l believe I'm crazy or drunk. VIII
is this woman2"
"Why, you said you was 'er pardner,
says he, with grin. ''She's smuggle
"a first-class one! She's an old stager
she is, an they're takin' 'er off t.
prison, an you bein' 'er pardner 'as 60
to be searched likewise"
At that moment the strange-lookin' fe
male caught sight of me.
ooh, Handrew!' she cried. "Thanl