Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-09-17
A STAMMERING LOVER.
How He Overcame the Defect
and Won a Bride.

anu w Oh d DI4dS.
1t was Sunday evening The serv-
ices at the churches had been held, and
the time-honored hour had arrived
when in New England not a little
counting is done by the young people.
In accordance with the delightful
custom, John Anderson had accom-
panied Mary Beverly from church, and
they We're now comfortably seated,
not too distant from each other, in the
pretty little parlor of the young lady's
home.
Mary was pious; John was not much
so, but he discussed with great appar-
ent interest the sermon to which they
had just listened, and said that it was
mastery effort.
Mary was pleased to learn that
Johns religious views were orthodox
and sound; and when the willy young
man saw that he had produced the de-
sired effect, he began to touch on mat
tiers that more nearly concerned his
! heart and to manifest symptoms of
tenderness.
! Emboldened by the maiden's favor
4 able demeanor, John ut last said
"Na-now, Ma-Mary, if you cou-
could re-regard me as more than a
fra-friend, IL wou-would Hike
it,
''Oh, don't talk that way John"
"a ''Why-why, you kno-know II
cannot hel-help it, he Indignantly
Replied while his face redeemed with
shame and anger.
Mary saw that she had made an
awkward mistake. She had intended
to give him hint that she did not
wish him to propose to her; but with
the suspicious constituencies of one who
is conscious that he is afflicted with a
Ridiculous imperfection, he thought
that she referred to his habit of stam-
mering, the inability to overcome
y which had embittered his life from
childhood
You take my meaning not as l in
tended you to, said the girl, blushing
deeply. II meant that desired you to
say nothing more than friend should
say"
"Why-why sho-sho-should not a
fra-friend say any-anyt hing-thing
that is prop-prop-er?" said the lover,
now somewhat Modified.
''Oh! don't be so inqhisitive!''
''Inqui-qui-quise Why sho-
shou-should II not be so? Yo-
you must sus-sus-pect how II feel;
and it is not sur-sur-prising-t l
sho-shou-should want to know VIII
whether you re-cip-cip-clp-r
cate the feeling"
81 do like you quite we'll John,'
said Mary, hesitatingly, but it is best
that we should be to each other no
more than friends.
"Why?"
II would rather not give the reason.
do not wish to cause you pain.
But II want to know the rea-
reason. Per-per -haps lean o.
overcome it."
81 am sure that you cannot.
'Do you refer to my stam-stam-
mer -mer-ing?" asked poor John, a
feeling of sickening despair taking pos
session of him.
Mary was silent She turned aside
her head
John groaned.
what foo-fool IL have BEEN"
he exclaimed; Il ou-ought to have
l1no-known that no wo-wo-man
wo-would mar-mar-ry a man with
such de-de-fect."
do not say that, my dear friend
said the maiden, deeply regretting that
she had been forced to inf1ict a cruel
wound ''Some good girl, am sure,
will appreciate your worth and be glad
to marry you. But do not be rash
enough to fall in love with an Episco-
palian. l, unfortunately for you, be-
long to the Episcopal church. / could
lItever consent to be married by any
Eother than the service of my own
church; and you know, John-I am
sorry to say it, but you compel me to
be frank-you know that you could not
repeat your part Of the service without
making the people laugh and spelling
the wedding. But all girls are net
Episcopalians, and doubtless there ara
many who would be contented with
tnort service, perhaps would even con-
ept to let justice Of the peace per
prIn the ceremony"
i 'tBut IL wa-want YOU or mono
pGy, said John. ''No-now jus-just
Flf me one thin-thing Wo-wou-