The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-27
81 Want to Marry You, Don't You Undcrstand2- 2-

in the fact that three men, strange
men at that, come here and called you
Polly. And mebbe in the mornin they
will tell you that you better git out.
Then what?"
I'll tell them to go to place not on
the school maps, but we'll located in
spiritual geography"
II CAD, that's the way to talk to avoid
strength, but it won't do to tell 'em no
such thing. There is way by which
the whole affair may be made smooth"
1T is smooth enough now," she re-
piled.
'I'll be dinged if it is; it's as rough
as a toad's back; but we can smooth
it. Now here" he leaned toward her.
81 say now here, you marry me and
the whole affair will be settled, for they
won't dare to talk about the wife of the
mayor of the town. Hah, what do you
say? You see that I've got about the
best place around here, and / was down
the creek yesterday evenin' and that
corn is goin' to turn out monstrous,
hah? You can so right down to the
store and trade out ten dollars worth
as snort, hah? Then Nell can help
you right along in the printing office
and it shan't cost you cent. AS told
you once before, you amt so powerful
good lookin. Your face amt got that
saft look that it ought to have, but we
expect everything of woman from the
city, you know. Oh, / know I'm gittin'
old, but / bet dollar that / can jump
over that bean pole right yander."
"Ill take the bet" She replied,
"Hah, what's that? You don't want
to see me jumpin' round in the garden
path at night like a toad, do you?
Wouldn't like to have 1t said that you
married a man simply because he could
jump over pole, would you? Look,
don't you see have got this here horse
shoe nail jest to please you? Look how
am putting myself out"
but you haven't told me that you
love me-" she said and in the gather
tng darkness he could see her looking
down.
Haven't 1? Well, I do. Love you
well enough to let you go to the store
and trade out ten dollars worth at a
snort, and If that amt love, hanged If
know what is. Yes, / even love you
more than bhat-I'll let you trade out
fifteen. Now what do you say?"
"Mr. Aimes," she said, and her voice
was low and sympathetic, your earn
est pleading warns my heart toward
you, and 1t therefore grieves me to tell
you that am engaged"
to? But not to one of them men,
hope"
mo; not to one particularly, but tC
all three"
"The off OK you say! But you cam
marry all three of EN-"
NO can't; but can wait and sec
which one / really want"
Miss" said the old man, catchinl
up his hat and arising, you com,
mighty near being the blamest creetel
ever saw"
He stood there fumbling with hi
collar; he took out the nail held 1t {
moment In his hand, and then throw
ing 1t away, said: THAR, have fiunt
my love and your honor out int,
bushes. Good night"
There was a great deal of talk in tn
village, and at one time 1t appeared
that the mite society, for whose benefi
Polly had so ardently begged nick
here and there, would issue an edlc
against her; but the tide was flnall,
turned by the president of the associa
tlon, "a widow with business eye. Sh
saw that ito cut off the newspaper wa
to throw away valuable adjunct, an
so 1t was agreed that Polly might re
main in the society and rest simpl
under mild degree of suspicion. Tn
question was discussed in the church
but the preacher strong in his belle
that church notices and abstracts @
sermons should be printed, called dc
termined halt, -