The Prescott daily news., 1908-07-25
LAND THE FIRST
 SHALL BE LAST"
tOriginal.l

a ' who says he wishes to see you about marrying him.
 didn't like to break of from the .bread of my discourse; but laying down my pen, went into the parlor. .There stood the youngster, six feet In ho;oht strong as Sampson, light hair ed blue eyed, red and brown complex ton shocky hair. His trousers were in his boots and were supported by a nair of country store galluses over a woolen shirt; no coat; felt hat in b;s hand. He had come in with an OK vhip over his shoulder, which he .r,oced on the mantel Evidently he racarded the furniture as too good to sit on; at any rate, he was standing.
 "Be you the parsonY he asked.
 "I am"
 "Say parson, If I figger roun' today an git things fixed, could l come up here long with a gal an git married?'
 "Certainly. 1 shall be here all the morning. I have some parochial du- ties for the afternoon, but if I knew the hour you would be here 1 would be on hand"
 q ain't done it all yet. I done 1t except one thing. l got my license. That's already. I got it more'n a week ago.
 That's the only really important matter" I replied to help him on.
 ON you got a certificate, hain't you?'
 "Lot's of them, in blank"
 "Well, that's two things-the cer- tiGcate and the license"
 "You're right; that's two very i'm portant things, one Indispensable and the other convenient"
 CIV here's place to get married h."
 Has your fancee got her trous- seau?"
 "What's them?'
 "The first means sweetheart, the second the clothes brides usually get together so they won't have to call on their husbands for some time after the wedding for such articles"
 He stood thinking for moment, then looked up and said with anima- tion:
 By cracky. parson, that's a good idea. Never thought O that"
 Has she got it?"
 "Oh, 1 don't know nothin' bout that. 'Twouldn't be fust rate for me to talk about that. 'Twould be dead mean cheap
 There are more important things for the man to say. grant, and more becoming"
 What are they?"
 Well. the first thing Is the pro posal"
 That's just the trouble with the whole business"
 Did you find it difficult?"
 Difficult? You bet. hain't got through with it yet" "Phew" I looked at my wife. She sat behind the young man and was cramming her handkerchief into her mouth to stop an outburst of laughter. My exclamation was made under my breath, but the youth saw 1t. Just you hold on, parson," he said. I'm good for 1t yet. Just gimme time. put I'd rather drive my OK team up stone wall, 1 would She's in town today. l seen her in a store buyin' some stockin's. That's why I came up here" Don't you think you'd have better seltled the matter with the girl first?" we'll he drowned, there's differ ent ways of doin' things. Eff I'd asked ner and she'd said yes what in thun- uer would l 'a' done with nothin / fxed?"
 are you sure you have the pluck
 NOW, parson, don't you worry bout ,nat. I'm going right off to find her. | you?"
 lu stay in all day to marry such q ane fellow as you. Go ahead. Remem- set what General Grant said when he nist marched brigade against the Confederates"
 Whatd he say?"
 That he remembered the enemy be-" "'
 oh' she won't be frightened. Gals uon skeer worth a cent"
 ne grabbed his whip and in jiffy a. .as out of the house and striding uown the street.
 went back to my sermon and wrote ma . an hour when my wife threw open 'ny :ns study door, exclaiming:
 They're comingv'
 oa mho" l asked, not so readily turn ca from my subject