Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-03-03
A CURIOUS COURTSHIP.

In the town Of Thorick, far north O
the Tweed, dwelt the sober, silent, sc
rious Andrew M'Nab, unmarried ano
alone.
Pastor of numerous flock, it:
members-especially those of the fail
sex-were much exercised about hi!
solitary condition. More than one
lady of his parish had recommended
him, with sisterly solicitude. to change
his estate, and had limited in the most
delicate manner possible, that q suita
BILE companion might readily be OBJ
tanned. Poor, dear man, If he had
had sister or mother at that lonely
lonely manse, it would have been sc
different, but he had not even all at
tached female servant to make tidy
his freside and to put his slippers-ii
he had any-in thefender. Rumor as
serted that no charwoman ever crossed
his threshold, and the appearance OF
things as seen by the penetrating
chances Of those who went to
consult the worthy man In his
study, was enough to rend their
maiden hearts, especially when
they reflected how easily such miser-
able state of things might beremedied.
They disquieted themselves in vain,
for, whether from natural obtuseness,
Or from his own private opinions up
on matrimony, M'Nab seemed pro-
foundry ignorant of, or absolutely in
different to, the disadvantages under
which he labored, and it may be be-
ieved that to the end of his days he
would have quietly plodded along in
single blessedness had not the daring,
not to say outrageous conduct of a
widow lady of his congregation
brought about a crisis. She, it ap-
pears, conceived and carried into exc
cution the bold design OF crossing the
sacred threshold of the back door of
the manse, and, with unprecedented
self-denial, "reddiDg-up' with her own
fair hands without the permission, still
less the invitation of the worthy
M'Nab, who would have remained in
total ignorance of the fact had not her
conduct brought forth perfect storm
of Indignation from every female
"who sat under him."
They were outraged at the atrccious
behavior of ''this person." One pro-
tested she nearly tainted when she
heard of such infamy. Another was
saved from Mysteries by learning that
"that dreadful woman" had not pene-
trated beyond the kitchen, but an in
dividual so lost to all sense of decen-
cy might repeat her offense if permit
ted; and it was impossible to predict
what she might do. The whole ira
ternity-if one may SO speak of SIS
terhood-were of one opinion. 1.-The
thing must be put s. stop to" whether
the subject in that emphatic sentence
we're the abandoned female aforesaid
OF her indescribable procedure, not
being clearly denoted. Fathers and
brothers, and even husbands were ap-
pealed to; the case must be laid be-
fore Kirk Session.
Accordingly, upon the next sitting of
that august body, the ruling elder-a
husband and father (of many daugh-
ters)-brought the matter before the
court and spoke seriously to their re-
spected minister of the dangers of his
position, and of the advisability Of
his selecting a suitable partner for life,
and SO preventing a repetition of the
the good man listened with some
amazement, gravely opining that no
such alarming occurrence had taken
place as that described, but upon be-
ing assured of the fact by so many
credible witnesses he began to compre-
bend the situation; and when it was
further represented to him that the
thought to his congrega5 lion of an "un-
connected" woman in the manse
seemed as unlawful as human hymns
In the church, whereas ifhe would take
to himself wife it would be as the
Psalms of David, he felt convinced
that he must take some steps in the
matter, and expressed his readiness to
follow the suggestion of his friends and
colleagues, but he must desire them
still further to tender their assistance,
as he found it impossible to choose a
helpmeet. Could they name one?
Here WAS delicate task. The rul-
ing elder aforesaid though Mr. M'Nab
must be bereft of his senses not at
once to see the advisability of selecting
one of his seven lasses, but thinking
that perhaps he found it difficult to
decide upon one among SO many
equally deserving, with fathers pref
erence for mis- first born, he (Macin.
tyre) was just forming the sentence:
ga Weel, there's our JEAN" when an
other, swifter in thought and utter
ance land not family MANI struck in
with:
"There's the twa Jameson lasses
dwelling alane, and canty bodies and
douce, wi'oot freens o eny description,
whilk is a consideration of impor-
tance. Couldna' ye choose ane OF
them?"
And before the Macintyre could OBJ
ject, Mr.. Nab, with unusual on ompti-
tude, answered decisively:
cay ayi I'll seek for the eldest"
Such a determination commencing
itself to the rest of the assembly, it
only remained to be carried into exc
cution, which Mr.. M'Nab was recon-
mended to do at >as early date as
possible.