The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-01-27
THE UILLING U1DOW.

| score of us were sitting in the shade
of the depot building waiting for the
train, which was an hour late, when q
! yoke of oxen attached to a queer look
| ing old cart turned the corner They
| were driven by u woman about II
years of age, who was barefoot and
wore mans straw hat.
Git up thar, Buck - she excIailu.
ed as she laid the CAD on the off OK
with Il resounding whack. You thar
! Peie, what you skitishun round that
way fur? Whoa, now. Both OF
yous stan still ~
She turned them up to the platform,
| threw down some hay taken from the
| cart. and came up among us to inc uire
| OF the depot agent about barrel of
| salt. He was busy just then and she
| was waiting around when the smart
Aleck of the crowd, who was travel
ing for wine house, remarked III
tones meant for her to overheal
II have always said that if mar
ried at all I'd marry woman who
could drive oxen
lis that meant fur me - she asked
as she walked straight up to him.
Are you a widow, ma am -
Il am. Bin wilder ever since a
sawlog rolled over jim nine years
ago"
And you'd marry again if you had
the opportunity, would you?''
Il would. When jim lay Il dyin' in
the house he told me to marry again
if had show
"Ahem -
1T runs in our family to love. We
begin airly and keep it up to tn e
grave. What's your proposition
I'm IL plain woman, full O bizness, and
never do any foolin' If you've got
anything to say, spit it right out afore
EN- aIl?''
II don t want to marry now, just
he stanmered.
Don't Ell? Then what's the use of
getting me on my tip-toes about il =?
You man, you Jest the same as asked
me to have you, and | jest the same
as accepted you ~
"Oh No, no! | merely made
some inquiries ~ he replied.
Them inquiries was about love,
sir, and my hearts a thumpin' away
like all get ont. l said I'd marry
again, and | will We are engaged.
When do you want me to be ready =
MADAM, you have totally misun-
derstood me. exclaimed the young
man IT'S he turned all sorts of colors
and appeared to grow small. Il ask
ed you Il few questions out of curios-
ity"
"Mebbe the jury will call it curios-
ity, and mebbe they WON'T she said
as she set her jaw. They don't al
low no foolin round in Posey County.
When Il Teller goes as fur as you hev
it = a hitch or damages. Il III trem-
bin all over like Il girl. an my heart
a tryin' TO jump out. It's reg lar love
or don't know the road hum. You
don't leave here young man till the
case is settled -
..." But, ma am, you see"
Il don tsee nuthin' but marriage or
damages. You've asked me to have
you. | said would. Will you marry
or settle p
"How-how much = he gasped, as
he looked around and failed to find
sympathy.
wall, Saginaw salt is a dollar and
a quarter bar'l, she replied, as she
glanced at a row of barrels down the
platform Il guess the oxen can get
hum with two bar'ls. Make it two
and I'll call 1t square
Everybody grinned except the
young man. He realized that he was
done for and got out OF the box by
planking down $3.50 to the agent.
The cart was driven around to the
spot, the barrels loaded up, and then
the woman came back to say to the
young man:
I've settled this case and the salt
is in the cart, but jes want to remark
I In a If hannah tliS IN