Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-02-16
N MATRIMONIAL.

A forlorn figure she was. She was sit
ding Oh her trunk at landing on the
banks Of Red river, waiting for the down
boat. About her was a group Of amused
but sympathetic bystanders, and she
was telling them her story.
II answered it in good faith" she said.
Here is his advertisement. I cut it
from matrimonial agency paper"
She took the clipping from her pocket
and read it aloud, her black eyes snap
ping dangerously:
1 am a widower, "a years old. live, with my
two little girls, upon my cotton plantation.
have GOO acres, mere or less, my own unln-
numbered property, situated on the beautiful
Bayou ST. Lucas. l have u nice cottage home
embowered in vines. with gardens, chickens.
COWS, harness and saddle horses, flowers fruit
every comfort except wife. With view to
supplying the deficiency, ask correspond
ence with some respectable young lady, hoping
to persuade her to
'Share my cottage, gentle maid.
1t only waits for thee
To add a sweetness to its shade
And happiness to me-"
References exchanged.
ALEXANDER GRANVILLE.
ST answered that advertisement, said
the black eyed girl sitting on the zinc
covered trunk.
II was teacher in a small private
school in New York. The work was hard;
the pay was poor. had a stepmother
at home and a houseful Of small half
brothers and sisters. I wanted to get
away. I-I-had had disappointment
the black eyes flled-'sand l was I'M
happy. had read Jane Eyre and L
really thought that man might be anoth-
er Rochester. We correspondent. He
gave the postmaster as reference. l
wrote to the postmaster, and he answered
that Mr.. Graville's character and stand
ING were all right. He had a good farm,
he was honest and paid his debts.
.'Mr. GRANVILLE wanted me to come on
and be married at his home. l drew
what money had saved out OF the saw
ings bank, sold my watch and came on.
NY stepnlother was glad to get rid ct
me. got here yesterday. He had said
he would meet me at this landing-it
would be pleasant ride out to his cot
tage. 1 had written a letter just before
I left, saying when I would arrive. l
found nobody to meet me. l asked the
way to Mr.. Alexander Gravilles. No
body could tell until an old darby sung
out:
Dat white oman mus mean ole
Sandy Gravel. He live back here in the
swamp, but he amt got no ca'age to send
for nobody. Got nuthin but er cyart.
Hits here now. His son Ben driv' in
to git some pervisions.'
:. Has he son? l asked.
"EsGot a swarm of EN- was the an
swer, All done married but Ben
s.NlsG v mind misgave me, but I had no
place to go to-no money, so hunted up
Ben and told him was going to his IA
theirs house. He was freckled, patched,
stupid looking young man. He looked
at me with eyes and mouth open in
amazement and was so bashful that re-
Trained from asking questions. never
limited to Ben that had come on to be
his stepmother.
.sOn we drove, over stumps and roots
and gullies-through mud and swamps.
It seemed to be 90 miles. At last wedrew
up before q dingy, two roomed house
with shed at the back. A few scruggy
peach trees and a neglected grapevine
were the only green things i'll the yard
beside the weeds. A woman was milk
ing a scrawny COW in front OF the gate.
She had her back to us and a sunbonnet
on, Two shock headed, barelegged chill
dren sat on the fence. They gave the
alarm when they saw stranger in the
cart, and a man, who had been squatted
in fence corner holding off the calf got
up and came toward us.
ss That's pap said Ben.
ssHe looked nearer 60 than 35. He was
grizzle and snaggle toothed; his neck
was red and wrinkled. He came up to
the cart. He was agitated and chewed
his tobacco wonderfully fast. got up
from the -four sack.
90 I am Amelia Jones'
s'He turned very red and told his son
to carry the sack of -four into the house.
"'I wasn't expectin you,' he said. Its
SO long since you wrote
".You have deceived me- burst out.
you said you had a nice home, en-
powered in vines and fruit trees. You
said you were 50. You said you had
only two little girls. You said you were
rich
"'No, didn't he interrupted. 4 said
had 1000 acres of land-so have
though big part of it is swamp. Acres
don't make folks rich in these parts.
This amt New York. said / was 35.
I didn't say was a few years over, for
I'm spry and young enough for any wo-
man. said l had two little girls Twin
with me-said nuthin about the boys.
They're all big fellows and married and
gone, 'cept Ben. AS for the house, amt
that good house?-double pen and a
shed to boot! Don't leak unless it rains
and got first rate chimney. And amt
there vine? And what's the matter
with them peach trees-ain't there
fruit?'
"'And do you imagine any young wo-
man in her senses would marry you and
live here" j cried.
"'Do u Well, there's no imagination
about it. There's three women have
married me and lived here. Two of 'em's
dead and buried, and yonder stands
t'other. Icouldn't hear from you. l Icon
cluded you was playin me a Yankee
; trick; couldn't wait nohow. So I mar
'ried Miss Susan Barnes, and if you say
she amt young woman in her senses,
why, She
ss'Why, Ill show her-that's what I'll
do said Mrs. GRANVILLE No 3, dropping
her milk pail and rolling up her sleeves
as she came to the side CT the cart.
81 begged Ben to drive me back to the
river, and here I ain-waiting to take the
first boat. I've played the fool, and I'm
punished. It's crushed all the silly ro-
nance out of me. How I'm to pay my
passage, don't know. I'll offer to dc
chamberinaid's work.
"But this Miss Amelia Jones was moi
forced to do. .Ole Sandy Graville' came
to the front. He proved to be not such
a bad lot after all. He rode up presently
ON a bony mustang and promptly gave
the little yankee sehoolmarm' enough
money to pay her passage back, with an
additional sum TO cover the expense Of
her coming. He had drawn on his cot.
ton crop. He looked cast down and
sheepish. He explained to his friends in
this wise:
4 T was fool-a doggone fool, but ]