Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-04-16
JUDY FILPOT'S DILEMMA.

Mark Ramsey and Job Trotter were often
seen at the house of old Squire Fipot
These visits were not due to any regard
which Mark and Job may have had for the
Squire, but were clearly traceabe to the
love which they bore his daughter, j Ady.
The two young men were so much alike,
physically, th.t they might have been taken
for twins. They were tall, strong, aud
we'll built; they we're black eyed and long
haired, sun. burned and hardened by expos
ure to all sorts of bardships. Their resemb
lance even extended to mental peculiarities
Mark did not know long division from short
comings; neither did Job, Mark given the
freest exercise of his arm, could not with a
charred chunk, have written his name on
the gable end of the barn; neither could
Job. Being so much alike physically and
mentally, it was small wonder that they
loved Judy, who. by the way, was the hand
soonest girl in the neighborhood. She was
more than merely handsome; she was
bright, quick to learn, and f1atterlng gossip
declared could knit pair of yarn socks OF
snatch the feathers off chicken as quickly
aud as effectually as any girl in the com
m unity, regardless of educational advan
tages. Judy loved Mark and Job, but she
could not decide which one she preferred.
Ills ludUhity RnNo uCI X Cht CuuCoTD, anu
often at night while patching her fathers
brown jeans, or at evening when crouched
in the slowly darkening gold of dying
day, milking the muly COW, she would shut
her eyes, brig up tbs faces of her two Low
ers and attempt to force herself into a de
cision, but in vain; for when the gold of the
evening had darkened into the charcoal oi
night, when old muly stood patiently with
one foet in the pail of milk, Judy's love re-
manned in equal division.
Old Filpot liked the boys, but, TO have
saved bis life, he could not have told which
one was his favorite. He was willing she
should marry one of them, it made no differ
ence which, and he secretly wished that one
Of them, still no matter which, would die,
SO that the remainiGg one could make his
daughter happy.
Neither one of the young men was evel
able to see the gll alone, fo1 they kept sc
close watch upon each others movements
that one making his appearance at the
'Squire's house was sure to be followed
Immediately by the other.
One morning, just as the Squire and
Judy had arisen from the Breakfast table
voices IN the sitting room announced, te
we'll accustomed ears, the arrival of the
lovers. The old man aud his daughter
went in, and following along the worn
habit cord ally shook bands with the
visitors and bade them feel perfectly at
home,
"We have come" said Mark, ''to see il
we can't sorter make some arrangements
"That's what we have," Job put in.
81 want Judy, MARX added.
80 do l." said Job.
Il love her powerful" Mark observed.
81 love her just about the same," job
declared.
"Gentlemen," said the Squire, perplex
edy stroking his whiskers, 81 don't see
how we are going to Tx this affair. Judy,
don't you, arter all, love one just little
better than you do the other?"
81 believe do, pap" she answered.
"Thar, we are gittin' at it. Now which
one is it?'
"That's what I KANT tell, pap
"Thar it goes again, am we are Jest as
fur off as ever. Mark, amt you got nothin'
to suggest?''
"Don't believe 1 have. job mout have" "
'sNo, haint, lessen it is that she marry
me an be done with it"
"Yes; and l reckon / can make sich a
suggestion in favor of myself" Mark re-
plied, and then half musiugly added: 81
do wish this thing was er with, fur am
behind with my crap an my farms run
MIN down, for have to watch Job so close
that"
"Jest the same with me-" Job broke
in.
"Wal, now," said the old Squire, tsut.
hin has got to be did, and did at once, ful
Pm tired of this here feverish condition, as
the feller says. hsve hearn my gran'dad-
dy talk about cases like this that took place
in the old times, and they never failed tc
get at settlement somehow ruther. II
must have been by a match of some sort
foot race, rasslin' or shooiin'. doa't know
exactly how, but near as can ricol!eck the
way that gran'daddy told it they allus left
it to be decided by some 'speriority that one
hel' over the other'
"I'm morn willia'," job declared.
"What do you say, Judy?''
"Sults me-" the girl answered.
"All right. said the old man. eve ken
nov begin to see our own way cir; shal
it be rasslin'?''
They agreed that it should be wrestling,