Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-06-06

I1ko WSlI-COEClSO pO0ys AZ "Os~s
he spent more time at his toilet on
that eventful evening than during his
whole life previous At last he start
ed for the house Of his fair. charmer.
Thrice he essayed to knock. and
thrice he essayed in vain. l verify
believe he would have spent half the
night in mastering up the requisite
courage for gentle love-tap had ]
not helped his modesty with thun-
dering jerk at the knocker, and then
run away and left him to answer for
himself
'John was ushered upstairs into q
fearful circle. to begin his courtship.
When the door of the parlor was
opened one side of tho fireplace dis
played bevy of Prudence's maiden
aunts, bristling in all the frigidity of
single blessedness, knitting most vehe.
mently. and casting. every time a new
row was to be begun, sharp and scru-
tinizing glances at the young spark
over their round-eyed spectacles. On
the other side was Nj: B., stretched
at his ease in an armchair, in a black
cap instead of his wig, wrapped in a
blue gown, with his breeches unbut-
toned at his knees. quietly smoking
his pipe. Mrs. B, in her chintz
dress and mob cap. was at his side.
engaged in making patchwork, whilst
the lovely Prudence sat quite erect by
her mamma, with her pincushion and
housewife dangling from her waist,
and her eye cast down, diligently
pricking her fingers instead of her
sampler. Counting was sober bust
ness in old times. Your grandfather
seated himself much nearer the spin
sters than his deary. He showed his
affection very properly by keeping at
a respectful distance. He passed the
evening in talking politics and the
scarcity of money with his future
father-in-law; in assisting his future
mother-in-law to arrange her parti-
colored squares; in picking up the
balls of yarn as they were respective
ly dropped by the maiden aunts, and
now and then casting sly sleeps eyes
at Prudence, at every instance of which
familiarity the aforesaid maiden ladies
dropped a stitch! As soon as the bell
rung nine he gave one tender squint
at your grandmother, and took his
leave"
The winter passes on, each evening
witnessing the same assembly in Mr..
BIS sitting room. except the rare
occasion when Mr.. Jack and Miss Pru-
dence attended a tea-party, when he
had the privilege of escorting Miss
Prudence home, who made record of
the tender signs, the gentle hand
pressures, of the stolen kiss. The i'm
portant question was asked and an
swered; then began preparations for
housekeeping; the young people es-
corted by Mrs b and the three
maiden aunts. At last comes the we'd
ding. when we, by the magic of the
writer's pen, became part of the we'd
ding festivities.
Presently the company began to
assemble. There were then no hack
ney coaches. Ladies and gentlemen
both made use of natures carriages;
and cousin after cousin, belle after
belle came trotting along to Mr. BIS
in their pattens with as much glee as
if they had been drawn by four royal
grays. All at last were collected, and
waiting only for the parson. Old Mr..
B, in his full-bottomed wig, velvet
coat and brooches. gold buckles, waist
coat reaching to his knees, conversed
with his brother merchants on the
usual topics. Mrs. B., in her plain
brocade and snowy cap. only rivalled
by her neck-handkerchief, was seen
ever and anon to wipe away q truant
tear. The maiden aunts, stiff as
pokers. were giving to sister spinsters
most minute accounts of Pru-
dence's domestic arrangements, and
were particularly eloquent in relating
to them the many wonderful bargains
they had made in conducting the pur-
CAaSCS. AA0 yOuuS mCus III euCAT Cuu'
day suits, throwing off clouds of -four
every time they moved their heads,
stood dangling their steel watch
chains and making formal speeches to
the young ladies who sat, with their
cushioned head-gear. bolt upright,
flirting their two-foot fans and blush
ing and simpering with maiden pro-
priety. At last DR.. B appeared,
full dressed with gown. cassock and
bands, with wig that seemed to con.
sist of a whole unsheared sheep-skin.
For a parsou to have attended we'd
ding in a simple black coat and panta.
looms sixty years ago, Betsy, would
have been deemed rank heresy; in.
deed, I have been inclined to think
that half the power of ministers in my
day lay in their wigs.
1.-The presence of the divine was 9
signal for the appearance of Cesar. in
q green coat beautifully studded with
steel buttons Probably the counting