The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1909-01-29
Blessed Be
Nothing.
BY W. 5. cENUNc.
Copyright. 1909, by American Press
Association.


the back counties of Florida. i was out
hunting one day with a young man. n
typical backwoodsihau, and We stop
ped at a small log cabin for drink Of
water
A widow and her little girl, about
five years old, lived there. l had met
the lady before, and so presented the
young man 30 her.
The widow was a stout. hardy, en-
ergetic woman, probably thirty-five
years old The young man was nenr-
ly eighteen and was never thirty miles
from home, had never seen locomo-
tive, steamboat. bicycle, stove, clock or
mirror. Raised in the fiat woods, with
out education, be could not pick "a"
out OF the alphabet. Isut 10 his credit.
be II said, he had been working for 50
a month to support widowed moth
er, who was an invalid; a crippled
brother and younger brother and sis.
ter. This small amount had supported
this family of five. with the addition
Of 81 a month which the county gave
the cripple.
Not an evening passed after the
young man was introduced to the Wild.
ow that he was not at her house, and
in less than two weeks they were en-
gagged
Then the struggle with fate began
The young man lost his Job. A mar
rage license would cost 81 He could
not get the price. and they wero not
selling marriage licenses ON credit
What was he TO do? He struggled
hard for two weeks and managed by
hook ar by crook 10 secure S1.25. Only
70 cents between him and perfect
blissl Hut, alas, with the longest pole
be could find he conld no6 reach the
persimmon. lie could not, with the
stoicism Of The fox that could not get
the grapes, dismiss them from HE
mind by saying that they were sour.
for he positively knew they were
sweet. No; he could only tnurmur In
bitterness ~ heart. ''rhou art So near
and yet SO farr
Thus several days passed away Tn"
darkness OF despair seemed 10 settle
upon Him. He became Respondent. 4
haggarl, careworn look was on his
face, as II he had not slept for o
week. Finally, however, with despera.
ton and courage he did not know
that he possessed. he came to me with
tears In his eyes and opened his whole
heart.
He told me Of his trials and troubles.
his expectations and disappointments.
his hopes. fears and dIscouragements.
and then besought me 40 pIteousiy for
the loan Of the other 10 cents that |
did not have II In my heart 20 refuse
him
He had 20 90 Immediately TO his
sweetheart aud tell her his good for
tune. He was back ia very shor,
time IN an ecstasy Of delight 10 get me
TO write and send for his license to
the county seat. forty miles away
wrote and directed the letter and
told him 10 put the two dollar fee In
It and register II for safety. also
told him that registering and postage
would cost him 10 cents more. Again
his countenhnce changed from hnppi.
ness 10 despair. He had encountered
what was 10 him another lnsurmount-
able obstacle, though only the size Of
a dime
Gosh" be cried, what II I dol |
hain't got anathcr cent. II yer don't
lend me 10 cents more, I'll hat ter give
It up. I'll pay yer back, declare TO
heaven will!'
gave him the additional dime, and
he started on in hurry for the post.
office. FIVE miles away, 10 mail and
register his letter. The postmaster
told him that his license ought TO be
back at the postofiice by Friday night
II was then Monday. II seemed a
long time TO wait. but there was no
help for II.
II was arranged that the bride and
groom should start early Saturday
morning TO the postoffice for the H.
cense, and as the postmaster was also n
notary public he was the only man for
a long distance who could perform the
marriage ceremony, as there were no
preachers In that part Of the country.
Except cdlored man at the turpentIne
still, and they were too high toned TO
call upon him,
Saturday morning came at last. The
week had seemed ike month to tbiJ
ardent young lover. He and his lady
were over at my place bright and ear.
1y for my inspection and advice as to
how to proceed.
The bride was dressed In a black
serge skirt and faded silk waist, with
red ribbon around her neck and n
brown sailor hat on her head. She
had to wear brogan shoes, as nearly
half the distance to the postoffice was
through water from shoe TO knee deep
but she took a pair OF morocco shoes
and pair Of black stockings TO put
on before reaching the goal.
When the young man came to my
place on this eyentfu wedding morn
ing he was dressed in a clean twenty
fvc cent calico shirt. much too Iarec
at the neck, but the sleeves only came
to within about eight inches of his
wrists; pair Of old shoddy pants,
which in his rapid vertical growth he
had left about halfway between an.
lie and knee, but to make up for this
defect his travels through swamp and
briers. brushwood and palmettos had
fringed them at the bottom for about
one and half inches. These trousers
were kept up by a pair Of mother
made suspenders from nnbleached
muslin. A pair of No. IL brogan
shoes, the tops of which lacked several
inches of meeting the friIged ends Of