Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-04-09
LEADING a LIMB.

homes2 It's we'll enough 'slongs y sr
young, but you forgit that your youth
n good looks is given y for a purpose
n that purpose is to git married. :.
"But, Aunt Lavinia," said q pout'
ing miss of eighteen, I'VE cant ask the
men to marry us. And sometimes a
fellow Il hang about girl for a long
while, keeping other fellows away and
never ask her. There's Ben Pitnel
been devoted to Lucy Souers ever
since a year ago last January, and
they're not engaged yet
"Pshawl Lucy hasn't got any In
genuity. Do you suppose youne
mans going to make up his mind tc
give up his independence and assume
the cares O matrimony all by him.
self. He knows he's standin over q
cold water bath and has to be pushed
in. III tell you about a case | knew
of once. There was a young man
named Jake-nevsr mind his other
nsme-who was devotin' himself to
girl called Ruth. He asked her to go
to all the parties and shows and such
things with him and looked sour as
vinegar if she went to any Of EN- with
else. Sometimes he'd hint
around about mstrimony bein SER
ious matter and shouldn't be entered
without countin' the cost. Then ne d
.ay he was awful feared he'd never
have a wife n q home because they
cost 50 much money. The girl couldn't
say anything against this idea, so she
ist agreed with him and told him that
# she married she supposed shed have
TO marry some one that was dOln
we'll, whether she liked him or not.
$50 it went on from month to month
till Ruth got mighty tired of it. She
ust give Jake the cold shoulder for
awhile. Then one day she went into
,he store-Jake was clerking for the
asked for some white
,ilk. The proprietor waited on her
and showed her lots o pieces, but they
weren't any of 'em good enough for
her till they came to the finest piece
in the store. She told him to cut her
. sample of it and asked him how
much he calculated it would take to
make her dress.
"'With a train ? he asked.
"'Yes, a long train-long as a
comets tail.
Trimmed with orange blossoms 2
yes. I may as well own that
it's to be trimmed with orange bios
SONS, but l don't want you to say
about it. Got any stuff for
q veil2'
"He showed her some yelling, and
she took a sample of that, and then
she went away.
"She hadn't any sooner got out o
the store than the proprietor called
Jake, who had been waitin' on GUS
toner at the other end, where they
sold the groceries, and congratulated
him on being engaged. Jake said h'
wasn't engaged, and then his employ
er told him that he must a. lost hi
girl, cause she'd been in to buy
weddin' dress. Jake he turned white
as cloth and like to fell in 6t.
"That night he went over to se'
Ruth just Is soon as the store wal
shut up. She was expectin' him anc
was ready for him. She sent word By
her mother that she wasn't feelin' very
we'll and she'd like to be excused
Jake, nearly beside himself, sent I
beggin' message that she'd come down
for one moment, as he had something
very particular to say to her. sh'
knew well enough what it was, bu'
she wasn't in a hurry to come down
80 she sent word that she was very
busy sewing, and couldn't ne cal
some other timer At the word sew
ing Jake caught at the piano. d.
considered it his death warrant. Ii
sent up another message that if she'c
come down long enough for him t.
say half dozen words or SO he'd g
away and wouldn't ever bother ne
any more.
"She scattered lot O. threads Owe
her dress, put a thimbls on her hinge
and went down, lookin' for ali tn
world 3 if she was workin' night ant
day on a trusseau. When Jake saw
her he almost cried.
"'Rath, he says, you've treated IN
shamefully. dishonesty, received m
attentions all this time and then
"'Laws a. mercy, says Ruth.