The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-08-20
Big Stationery.
[orlgInal.1


where he wished for home. He adj
mitted TO himself that he couldn't have
a home without woman. and he
never stopped long enough to do any
courtlng He was always moving on
the towpath. and how can man make
love who is continually walking behind
a horse or a mule pulling canalboat?
On the route was little unoccupied
house across the road from the tow
path that Joel would have coveted II
he had had n wife TO put in It. One
day when he passed he saw smoke
curling from the chimney and a woman
at window. After passing and re-
passing on several trips he made up
his mind from observation that the
woman lived alone.
Here was nm opportunity, the first
he had ever had. He resolved to take
advantage OF It. Before starting on
one of his trips he prepared small
board, on which he wrote in chalk:
dero Madam / would be hapy TO MAX
yure aqualntence. 'am driven n mule
on tho towpath. JOEL TlIROGGS.
On reaching the house in question
he threw the board into the yard
without stopping his mule. This was
Mr. Throggs' first love letter. 1t was
not very ncat-lndeed It was some
what bulky-but they say Love laughs
at locksmlths." Why shouldn't the lit
tie god smile benignly on n board billet
doux?
When Joel passed the house on his
return trip. ON the end Of a chicken
coop had been chalked:
/ shud DO ploezcd to make yourn.
MAHULDY WIGGINS.
SO far so good. joel had not pre-
pared stationery, wooden or otherwise.
for reply, so 1t was not till he came
along on his next trip that he respond.
ed. Then he ran across the road be.
tween the towpath and the canal and
set the top of an old table on the gate,
on which he had written:
wud esteam mlself onered Of you
wud tax a ride with me on my mex
trip The mule has easy gate. Bring
But the course of true love can't be
expected always to run smooth. When
Joel passed again the end Of the chick
en- coop glared with big chalk letters;
Can't. Out to work all day.
Joel was respondent. Not only was
he tied to the towpath, but his love
also was at work. He thought the
matter over as he logged along, now
and then gently laying his whiplash
on the back OF his mule, and when h.
reached the terminus prepared another
letter, longer one--so long that he
needed more room to write 1t. He Sc
lected the door of the canalboat cabin,
whicn he took Off its hinges. lay on
' the deck and wrote as follows:
dere Mahuldy. saved 600 dollers. I'm
lookin fur a home were two harts kin
beet together. Sposen l jlne with you
an we work your yard fur garden truck
fur the market. Prlses is hi in town.
Stay hum mex time | pas. wensday. lie
ride you a few miles. an we can tawk
It over. ile pay you the days wages.
On passing the house the next time
Joel carried fhis bulky letter to the
premises and set 1t up against the
fence.
When Joel passed the following
Wednesday afternoon Mahuldy was
waiting for him with a pillow 'to set
! on" Except for the lack of several
front teeth and one eye gone she
wasn't bad looking, Joel was much
pleased. He helped her up on the
mules back and walked along beside
her. She told him that she was a wild.
ow with no membranes. She had
been permitted to live In the house
rent free. 1t had no especial value
and the land wasn't worth $50 an acre
She accorded with Joel's plan, especial
! ly as he had money enough to buy the
place and stock it. But she was
| somewhat coy about marrying n man
she had never seen before and wanted
time to consider.
Joel's only objection to delay was
| that they would wish TO communicate.
and this was difficult. He had already
been obliged TO use the door OF the
canalboat. AS his passion grew he
would need more space. The only
larger stationery he could think Of
was an old tent he possessed. He
might rip out side, write his mes
sage on it and set 1t up on poles when
he passed. II he needed still larger
space. he might use the whole of one
l side of the canalboat.
Mrs Virgins thought the matter
over aud found that her modesty would
not admit Of such open loyemaklng,
She said the neighbors might get on
to 1t. Joel didn't care for the neigh
bors. but objected to the trouble Of
| getting up such big messages. He
said mournfully that "lf they KEEP
a-growin' he'd hev to use the mainsail
" coo ion schooner before they wera
married"
Thii Rnttlal tle matter Mrs Wiz.