Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1889-02-20

my deck O guards with the ole man
you fellers II see how the game was
played out.
Purity soon Mrs. House she drop
ped back with us, said she couldn't
stan Their foolish chatterin'. Then |
proceeded to git better acquainted
with her | talked to her about the
preachin' an SIGH matters us women
o her age most generally keer fur.
when we got to the cabin we all
went in an tuck seats. don't think
ever sot down to better dinner, UNI
less it was at camp meetin' whar
people them times usu'lly tried their
se'yes.
well, after that went thar toler'-
bic often; mighty nigh ever time
mectin some other fellers a hangin'
round.
when they was present made a
pint to have mighty leetle to say to
them, | ginerilly put in my time a
conversin' with her father or mother
an | did the right thing sartin, fur
they was most alays a-praisin' of me
in one way or a mother
''An' moreover, a bin man could a
seed that Mary wasn't satisfied with
that sort o arrangement. AS soon as
tuck notice o her oneasiness / got
wuss at it. Every blessed time the
other fellers I'D swarm aroun' I'd lie
liberately move my cheer across to the
old folks, or eff they wasn't convenient
I'd git squar up an light out.
But on the other han, when me
and herd be alone the best of em
couldn't AHEAD me off.
well, things rocked on in that way
for a month, they'd progressed fur
enough, | lowed, SO I considered I'd
fetch m to o focus
"One night in August think it
was about the third Monday, if l rec
ollect right came by TO take her to
big party at Ford's. 1t was a leetle
furdeEn two miles; we was a-goin' to
take it afoot. 1t was a cle'r, moon
shiny night-jest fitten fur what l had
! i'll mind
Il never seed 'er look as fine sence
! I'd been a-knowin' of her. We went
down the big road, her on one side an
me on tother-about the length of a
wagon axle betwiXt u.s. she wasn't
willin' fur me to get higher In fact,
she seemed to be more TEDIOUS AN I'd
ever seed her before.
Boys want to remark Jest here
that thar is mighty big difference in
the way, town people and country peo-
pie do their courtin'. I've seed both
sorts. Town folks always have plenty
to say, an are easy enough about it,
but when a country gal on Teller git
ready to pop the question they are
more tongue tied IN new born babies.
Lord, I'd thought up the most
natcherl kind of speech to say, but l
couldn't do it to save me.
'Fust thing l knowed we'd done
passed the forks, not far from Ford's,
and hadn't opened my mouth more
over, the road seemed to be a. assin'
under our feet same as eff we's behind
trottin' boss. l knowed that
wouldn't do, but didn't know how to
better it.
I'D crossed over on to her side O. the
road, but that was as fur as advanced
| felt powerful inclined to drap back
step behind err fur it was mighty
ticklish to be a-Hall1in' so nigh her,
dii ICE ftleAi@
knowed she was sartin o what
wanted to say.
Il seed the light at Fords on the
rise ahead, an she stopped at the
branch that run across the road to put
on her shoes an stockin's that she'd |
been a-totin', wrapped up in q towel.
In them days it was mighty common
fur gals to presarvo their shoes by not
wearin 'em when they TUX long
walk.
Il drapped back rod or so, out of
perliteness, pertendin' ter be inspectin'
Ford'3 chance of u corn crap t'other
side the fence When she riz from
the log she was a-settin' on l j'ined 'er
agin
Thar was jist one leetle more shady
stretch betWiXt us an the house; SO
knowed cf twas ever done on earth it |
had to be then. Suddenly thought
struck me. l made up my mind at
I'd grab her an kiss 'er smack dab in
the mouth she'd understan my mean
in an thar wouldn't be no patricia
use in mother one o us a-tallIin'
over it.
Il changed sides with 'er an got
trihe higher. An, jist before we
reched the end O the shade, flung
my left arm aroun' her an drawed her
squar agin me; an, fore she knowed |
what was up, I'd slapped it to her
right in the mouth.
"Sho turned on me an clawed wuss'n
a wildcat, an jerked out'n my holt. |
couldn't helt her no moron baby |
could eel in water. Then she went
on ahead O me like q tornado, 'thout
lookin' back, an went into the front
door o Ford's with passle O. others.
II never was as tuck back 1t was
a genuine surprise. l was convinced
at she'd go right in an tell the others.
'I.followed her in-that is, as fur as
the door. The house was packed with
women; most O the men was q stand
in around the front l tuck place
with them. | paid no attention to
what the fellers.said to me; | was busy
a-watchin Mary's movements.
"Shc went right up to Jennie Ford
an said somo'n' TO her; then she turned
an looked at me mighty curtis. She
fust got red as blood in the face, then
turned Us white as a sheet She come
right through the crowd to me a.
loollin' powerful clustered.
"I want to see. YOU minute. Mr..
Jennings, she SAID a-tremblin SO much
when she touched me on the arm at |
forgot my own skeer.
Il followed her outside; she led the
way down behind a clump o grape
vines | wondered what on earth was
a-comin' next
after we cot thar, out o SIGHT O