Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-09-05
Continued from fourth page.


throat.
Mrs. Stevens went out, and
presently Ruth came in.
The squire fidgeted about for a
while before he could make up his
mind how to come at the natter
At last he cleared his throat again,
and began:
II s'pose your mothers told you
how bad | needed a housekeeper
hain't she?"
"Yes, sir" answered Ruth,
demurely.
II thought so. Well, the long
an short of it is, want you. II
you've no objections, jest say so"
"You don't mean to say you want
to marry me?" cried Ruth, in
astonishment.
"But do," answered the squire,
getting red in the face. That's
what I've been thinkin' about all
summer"
"Dear met! exclaimed Ruth,
growing redder in the face than the
squire was, with her effort to keep
from laughing. II thought it was
mother you wanted. Charley said
So"
"He was mistaken then" said the
squire, ,wiping his face vigorously.
ut was you. Do you s'pose your
mother'd have any objections3"
"Charley would, if she wouldn't" I"
said Ruth, blushing like a pink
II promised to marry him last
spring"
"The dickens" exclaimed the
squire. The dickens" was about
as near swearing as anything the
squire ever INDUCED in. HE never
told me anything about it. If he
had, | should not have put my foot
in it in this way"
"But he said you told him he
couldn't do better than get wife
like me; and he was sure you
would be willing" said Ruth.
$50 l did, and so l be-" answered
the squire. II don't blame either
one of you a bit. But, l declare,
this works me up like anything.
To think of my askin' you to have
me, when you're engaged to my
son. Don't say anything about it,
will you?"
II shall have to tell mother"
said Ruth
Couldn't you manage to keep it
from her?" persisted the squire
Tell her | come to see about
Dear me! | don't know what you
could tell her. Did you say you
thought l wanted to marry herr"
"Yes, sir" answered Ruth
Charley thought so, too"
"Do you think she'd have mep'
suggested the squire, desperately.
81 don't believe she'd say no.
said Ruth.
"If she wasn't SO DID," said the
squire, reAectively, nd ask her in
a minnit."
Good gracious!" cried Ruth,
with a merry laugh. IF you think
she's too old for you, what do you
suppose must think of you for a
husband. She amt so old as you
are."
That's a fact" admitted the
squire. II see, now, that you an
| wouldn't made the right sort of
a match. You wouldn't do for an
old man like me, nohow. You
might tell your mother, if she
wanted to know what | wanted of
you, that | was inquirin' to know
if you thought she'd have me if
should ask her to. If she'll agree
to that, I'll try my luck with her. "
Agreed" answered Ruth
"Shall ! tell her you want to see
her?"
"Do so, if you please" said the
squire; and Ruth went out and sent
her mother in.
She came in pretty soon, looking
like a rose. Ruth had evidently
been as good as her word.
"I've been talkin' with Ruth, an
she says she don't think you'd say
no if | should ask you to have me.
Would you?" inquired the squire,
congratulating himself on the nice
way in which matters had been ad-
justed so far.
"Ask me, an III tell you," re-
piled the widow, blushing redder
than ever.
Twill you marry me, then?"
asked the squire, fairly and squarely.
IF you'll take me with all my
faults an failin's, I'll try to do
my best to make you good wife,"
I.