Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-02-03
The Courtship Of Miranda Jane.

~ "a 1tclueT EuluElOU.
Miranda Jane Brown was the eldest
daughter in family of twelve chill
dren: Three boys, older than her.
self; had already tumbied out of the
home nest, and were providing for
themselves, each after his peculiar
fashion; but there were still enough
left to make people wonder how they
managed to turn around in the over
crowded nest.
Miranda Jane had now reached her
sixteenth birthday; and her mother
said:
Miranda Jane. it's high time We
were looking out for yerself. Sence
your father is laid up with rheumatic
I kin hardly git cornbred enough for
the kids. an backy fer the ole man an
myself"
well, marm," Miranda JAM an.
swered, as she twisted corner of her
apron about her finger, how'll l do
It? ! can't get place, cause don't
know how to cook anything but corn.
bread, taters an bacon"
cit married." was the short and
pointed reply.
Miranda Jane opened her eyes wide
with establishment.
Why, Marin Brown, who in the
name o. sense kin l marry? never
had a beau, an men don't grow on
bushes like blackberries, TO be got fur
the pickin'."
No reason why you shouldn't mar
~. Marry that long-legged, red.hair-
ed Jim Shade. He's got log-house,
an an acre Of ground his grandad
left him. 1t amt good fur a man to
live alone; an Jim's mighty good
worker, If he amt jest so hansum."
But s'pose he don't ask me,
marm?" And Miranda Jane looked to
her mother for an answer to this
puzzling question.
"I'll help We. He's got kind Of
hankering arter you, anyhow, cause
yer sort of purity, Miranda Jane, with
them yeller .curls, red cheeks, an big
blue eyes. Yer, ought to marry man
of property like Jim. Yer needn't be
a poor mans wife with that face o.
yourp."
Miranda Jane blushed, giggled, and
looked bashfully at the reelection of
her pretty, but not overclean face, in
the bit of broken mirror hauled out
from the city, and had been most care
fully treasured.
Miranda James home was miser-
able little shanty In recently cleared
part of - County, Ohio. The soil
was black and rich, but almost swamp
like. even in dry weather. What it
was during rainy season leave the
reader to imagine. There were half
dozen such shanties, scattered along
either side of the railroad newly-built
through this region. The thriving
city Of x was only some two miles
distant; but Miranda Jane had been
there only once; they had moved to
this place some three years before,
wnen work on the railroad was first
commenced.
Miranda Jane went about for the
next Two or three days in Sort of
expectancy, as though the much need
ed man might even drop from the
skies, orr like the princes in the fairy
tales, come riding across the marshes
on snow-white glittering with
gold and jewels; or might spring up
out Of the ground like mushroom.
Miranda Jane was romantic, and in.
dulged in many blissful day dreams
that closely resembled the cheap nov.
els that she now and then found a
chance to read. She kept her face
and hands half clean, and washed out
her best, but sadly-faded red calico.
In imagination. she went through,
numberless times, but with as many
changes, the exciting moment when
Jim should fall upon his knees and in
tmpassioned words, declare his never.
dying love. Jim was not at all like
the heroes in the novels; but of course
she could not expect any of those
grand personages would come in her
way.
aspect I'd orter faint" she said to
herself, when Jim pops the question
Only I'dont know how they do it. All
the fine ladies in the stories does that
or falls gracefully against his manly
breast. y
She did practice falling against a
tree few times, in lieu of manly
breast" but when her mother CHANGED
to see her, and asked her If she was
trying TO knock her brains out, she
gave up her practice and determined
to depend upon the emotions of the
moment.to help her out.
Three days passed by as usual and
Jim had not even been near the shan
ty. Miranda Jane began to yield to
the despairing thoughts and Jealous
fears of her favorite heroines
"Marm's been foolin' herself" she
said dejectedly, as she sat on stump
and dug her bare toes into the damp
black soil; "an' l Expect there's moth
in fur me to do but tramp it. Jim
don't keer fur me, 'spect he's stuck
On that red-haired Sal Perkins, who
thinks she's some'at cause her folks
live on the hill where it's dry. 1t sets
some folks up wonderful to have BIZ
of prop'ty. Them as has wants as
much more as they kin git" she added
little bitterly. "Jims got acre an
log cabin, an he's sot on gittin' a
sheer Of old Perkins forty acres. Wall
hope hell be happy with Sal if lei
tongue is sharper nor razor"
Who's that yer hope'll be happy?'
asked a,voice behind her.
Miranda Jane started, and blushed
under her limp sunbonnet. She had
not known that she was thinking
aloud.
Yer scarf me, Jim." she said
without turning around. ~ wonder
you amt up on the hill with the rich
folks"
I'D ruther be here" he answered
with one of his CHEEKY laughs, as he
seated himself on the stump near
her. Say, Miranda Jane" he wen,
on abruptly, you amt never seer