Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1897-12-11
continued rrom ilii.,.;.,.. ilr 49,. !.

replied; There are many features of
life in city, and some of them might
seem strange to you. That should
have become acquainted with those
men was happening; that they should
have come to this place is another hap
pening. and neither happening amounts
to enough to cause any real uneasiness
on the part of my friends. So beg of
you not to let 1t worry YOU"
"Oh, 1t doesn't worry me 30 far as
am concerned, but what will the peo-
pie say? Indeed, what won't they saw"
"Nell, the view and the opinion of a
village are necessarily narrow; here
people are suspicious of strangers and
are ever on the lookout for an oppor-
tunity to suspect one another, SO it
would be quite impossible for me to
make an explanation that would be
satisfactory to them"
"But, my dear Polly, you can make
an explanation that will be satisfactory
| to me-"
Not now, my dear, but after awhile
I will Your father is calling you"
The old man stood at the garden
gate, whooping the name Of his daugh-
ter, and when she had come to him,
having left Polly sitting on bench in
the summer house, the old fellow said:
Nell, go 1t into the house and stay there
till come, and when do come may
have some mighty interestin' news for
you"
The girl passed on without replying,
and the old man joined Polly in the
summer house. he sat down on the
bench near her, tanning himself with
his straw hat, and It wss some time be-
fore he spoke.
"Hotter'n it was last night" he said
"Hotter than 1t was night before last,
think, the woman replied.
~ CAD, guess you're right. You
always raise me one; must have played
poker in your time"
but if were to play poker might
not always raise; might sometimes
simply call"
Cad, believe you have played; but
that amt what want to talk about.
See this?" He touched his shirt collar
and it was fastened with horseshoe
nail. Been q threatenin' to git it for
long time and got it jest now in honor
of you, don't you see? But it amt
nothin' to laugh at. Will you let me
tell you somethin'?"
Yes, am going to sit here few
moments longer"
Don't exactly like the way you put
it, but 1 reckon it's an right" He was
silent, fumbling with the nail at his
collar; he sighed deeply, threw his hat
on the ground, thrust his hands into
his pockets and leaned back against the
vine-woven lattice work. And in the
twilight she could see that his face was
hard-set and his countenance eager.
What were you going to tell me?"
she asked.
"Somethin' powerful important to
both of us, but you'll have to let me
git at it in my own roundabout way
! By this time the whole town is discuss
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?"
''Ill tell them to go to place not on
the school maps, but well located in
spiritual geography"
81 gad, that's the way to talk to avoid
SUI i'AlsS ILi oub ~ Noll Y IO W lSll CHI 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 1t Is; it's as
rough as toad's back; but we can
smooth it. Now here" he leaned
toward her. Il 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 this
| town. Iiah, 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, hGh? You can
| go right down to the store and trade
out ten dollars worth at 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 loolSin
Your face amt got that saft look that
it ought to have, but we can't cxpec,
everything of woman from the city
you know. Oh, | know I'm gittin' old
but bet dollar that can jump ovel
that bean pole right yandor."
'I'll take the bet" she replied.
"IIah, what's that? You don't wan
to see me jumpin round in the garden
path at night like toad. do you.
Wouldn't like to have 1t said that yor
mV'ried man simply because he coult
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"
''I'ut you haven't told me that yo,
love me-" she said, and in the gather
ing darkness he could see her looking
down.
Haven't I? Well I do. Love yor
we'll enough to let you go to the stor
and trade out ten dollars worth at
snort, and if that nin't love, hanged
know what is. Yes, I even love yo
more than that-I'll let you trade ou
fifteen. Now what do you say?"
"Mr. Aimes," she said. and her voic