The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-08-31
LAND THE FIRST
SHALL BE LAST"
tOriginal,l

l. was at WOTk Ou Luy Suuuay SCI
mon when my wife opened the door.
She was laughing.
There's a young fellow downstairs
who says he wishes to see you about
marrying him."
/ didn't like to break off from the
thread of my discourse; but laying
down my pen, went into the parlor.
There stood the youngster, six feet In
height, strong as Sampson, light hair
ed, blue eyed, red and brown complex
ion, shocky hair. His trousers were
in his boots and were supported by a
pair of country store galluses over a
wooden shirt; no coat; felt hat in
his hand. He had come in with an OK
whip over his shoulder, which he
placed on the mantel. Evidently he
regarded the furniture as too good to
sit on; at any rate, he was standing.
BE you the parsonT he asked.
81 am"
"Say, parson, If l figger roun' today
an git things fixed, could l come up
here long with gal an git married?"
Certainly. l shall be here all the
morning. l have some parochial du-
ties for the afternoon, but If / knew
the hour you would be here l would
be on hand"
II amt done it all yet. l done 1t
except one thing. l got my license.
That's already. I got 1t more'n
week ago."
That's the only really important
matter" 1 replied to help him on.
AN you got a certificate. hain't
your
Lots of them, in blank"
"Well, that's two things-the GER
tifcate and the license"
You're right; that's two very i'm
portant things, one Indispensable and
the other convenient"
an here's a place to get married
in"
HAS your fiancee got her trous-
seau?"
whats themT
"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 a moment
then looked up and said with ANNA
ton:
"By cracky, parson, that's a good
idea. Never thought o that"
HAS she got it?"
"Oh, l don't know nothin' bout that
'Twouldn't be fust rate for me to tall
= about that. 'Twould be dead mear
: cheap"
] "There are more important thing:
: 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 tn
e whole business"
? did you find it difficult"
r Difficult? You bet I hain't go
+ through with it yet"
"Pheww l looked at my wife. Sh
sat behind the young man and wa
examining her handkerchief into he
mouth to stop an outburst of laughter
, NV exclamation was made under m
breath, but the youth saw it.
l. Just you hold on, parson," he sait
I'm good for it yet. Just gimme time
But I'd rather drive my OK team u
. stone wall, | would She's in tow
today. | seen her in a store buyil
s some stockin's. That's why came u
here"
:, Don't you think you'd have bette
settled the matter with the girl first
p "Well," he frowned, there's diffe
. ent ways of dom things. Eff I'd aske
her and she'd said yes what in thu
g. der would | "a done with nothil
fixed?"
g, "Are you sure you have the pluck"
"Now, parson, don't you worry 'bol
" that. I'm going right off to find he
You'll be here when l get back, wi
-, your
y I'D stay in all day to marry such
fine fellow as you. Go ahead. Remer
10 Der what General Grant said when
!. first marched a brigade against Il
ST. ConfederateS."
s. "What'd he say?
as THAT he remembered the enen
ts would likely be as much frightened
he"
ooh, she won't be frightened. CT
re- don't skeer worth a cent"
er' He grabbed his whip and in a jill
.ly was out of the house and stridil
in down the street.
So l went back to my sermon and wrc
NJ. for an hour when my wife threw op
AZ my study door, exclaiming:
va They're coming"
NJ "Who?' l asked, not so readily tut
ed from my subject
ay 1.-THE young OK driver and his g
ire Come"
of 81 went downstairs, and there in
parlor We're the pair. They had j.
come in. The man looked as if he W.
- IL.