The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-03-17

L AASAky tSASvSAs sO0G oOA4SSlAACS tNgy W&a1
scarce in the matter Of plates and
spoons. though they always had plenty
to eat, such as it was. and were glad to
have company. The men folks. ct with
their huntin' knives, and silver and pew
ter was not so common that they was
used every day and in every house.
Well, as gran dad was goin' in at the
door OF the cabin where ne was to ask
for his dinner, he saw a girl standin' at
the fireplace fryin' fish, the clearin' be-
in near the river, where fish was plen-
ty. She was about II, was barefoot and
had on a blue insey wool dress. Her
hair was yaller and her cheeks was like
red apples. Gran'da he walked up to
her and give her look. She looked at
! him, blushin' a little, and her blue eyes
dancin' with mischief. ) -
'How-de-do? said gran'dad. You
amt the woman of the house, l know,
for you amt married. The girl
laughed and blushed more than ever
as she said she wasn't the woman of
the house. MY, you're purity gran dad
said. I'm mighty glad you amt mar
ried, but you're too purity to stay
SINGLE
Maybe you're lookin' for wife,
said the girl, still laughin' as though it
were mighty good joke.
Nov, gran'dad hadn't notion OF
gettin' married till that minute, but
something seemed to strike him all of a
heap just then. His legs shook under
him like green hunters does when he
sights his first buck. Great drops of
sweat came out on his face, and his
mouth felt as dry as though he had a
tech of fever. This passed off in less
time than it takes me to tell it; then he
braced up and come little nearer to
the blue-eyed girl. He gave sort of
gasp, as if he had been runnin' hard,
then said, quite steady and earnest:
Yes, am lookin' for a wife, and you
suit me first-rate. Will you have me p
1.-THE purity girl didn't laugh any
more, for she see that he was in earnest.
Have you?' she said, so astonished
she could hardly speak. You must be
crazy! I don't even know your name,
and you don't know mine
"'Well, my name is Tom Martin,
gran'dad said, serious and steady. 4
am from Virginny, and I'm going to
lllinoy to take up a claim. I've got $500
in money; l don't drink nor swear, am
church member and % years old.
What's your name?'
":Jane Smith, she answered. taking
up the fish and putting some more in
the pan.
We'll, Jane Smith, like your looks
and like you. Will you have me, now
or never?'
swell, don't mind said Jane, think.
in it over until the last piece was in the
pan and the grease sputterin' away at
a great rate. don't mind, and don t
care if do
"Now, guess you think grandad put
his arms round her and kissed her and
said something soft, for that's what
folks always do in story books when a
girl says she will have 'em, but he didn't.
He knowed better. The chance was that
Jane, bein' proper brought up, would
have clipped him side of the head with
the fryin' fork. So he just went to the
door and sung out to the circuit rider
to come there. The preacher he come
in hurry. Grandad told him in few
words that he wanted to be spliced to
Jane Smith, then and there. He didn' t
ask no questions, the preacher didn't,
but told them to jine hands. James
mother had been to the spring to fetch
| some water and just now come in. Her
father and brother had been in the
stable givin' the horses their noon feed,
and they happened in; then all stood
starin' as if they were daft, while Jane
laid down the fork she's been turnin'
fish with, gave her hand to grandad,
and they were man and wife in less
! than two minutes. Then jane went on
fryin' fish for dinner
THAT evening they had big supper,
for word had been sent all around the
settlement invitin' people to come, and
after supper there wuz some whisky
drunk, for in those days preachers and
deacons took their dram regular and
never thought of dom any harm. There
was Ne]hSiA WV hASL lucu
wore moccasins they had made them
selves, and most of the girls was bare.
foot. The bride borrowed a pair OF
cowhide shoes and tuck-comb for the
party, put on her best linsey gown and
danced with the rest.
"Grandad stayed three days with his
new wife, then went on to lllinoy, laid
his claim, cleared ten acres, and built
a cabin. He didn't see her nor hear
from her for six months; then he went
back and fetched her. They rode back
to their home on load of household
stuff and young fruit trees. They lived
happy together for so years and raised
a family of seven sons: The oldest,
'Lias, he"
Here loud snore interrupted Silas
for Bill had succumbed to his narration
some time ago. The historian turned
his pipe upside down, blew out the
ashes, slowly arose, picked up his fish.
ing rod and ambled out of sight, leaving
his crony to the mercy of hovering
yellow-jaclket preparing for business.
Los Angeles Herald.
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