Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1909-03-19

Some years ago. while | was engaged
IN natural history pursuits in one of
the back counties Of Florida. was out
hunting one day with a young man. a
typical backwoodsman and we stop
ped at a small log cabin for drink of
water.
widow and her little girl. about
tive years old. lived there | had met
the lady before, and SO presented the
Young man to her.
The widow was stout, hardy, en-
ergetie woman. probably thirty-tive
years old. The young man was near
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
ont education. he could not pick a.
out of the alphabet. But 10 his credit.
lie it said. he had been working for So
a month to support Il widowed moth
or. who was an invalid: a crippled
brother and 4 younger brother and sis
Ter. This small amount had supported
this family of five with the addition
of So 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 ell
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 were not
selling marriage licenses on credit
What was he to do? He struggled
hard fer two weeks and managed by
hook or by crock ia secure S1.25- Only
~ cents between him and perfect
hliss But. alas. with the longest pole
he could find he could not reach the
oersmnon He could not, with the
stoieism Of the fex that could not get
the grapes. dismiss them from his
mind by saying that they were sour.
for he positively knew they were
sweet No. he could only murmur in
bitterness Of heart. Thou art so near
and yet SO far
darkness of despair seemed to settle
upon him. He became Respondent A
haggard, careworn look was on his
face, as If he had not slept for a
week. Finally. however. with despera-
ton and a courage he did not know
that he possessed. lie 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 so piteously for
the loan of the other Is cents that
did not have it in my heart to refuse
him.
He had to go immediately to his
sweetheart and tel her his good for
tune He was back in a very short
time in an ecstasy of delight to get me
10 write aud send for his license to
He county scat. forty miles away.
wrote and directed the letter and
told him is put the tive dollar fee in
il aud register il for safety | also
toid him that registering and postage
would cost him 10 cents more. Again
his countenanee changed from happi-
less to despair. He had encountered
what was to him another insurmount-
able obstacle. though only the size of
dime.
"Gesh.e he cried. what II | do? L
hain't got anuther cent. If yer don't
lend NE 10 cents more, I'll hat ter give
Il up. III pay yer back, | declare to
heaven | willr'
gave him tin additional dime. and
h. started of In hurry for the post
office. five miles away. to mail and
register his letter. The postmaster
told him that his license ought to be
hack at the postotfice by Friday night.
II was then Monday. 1t seemed
long time to wait. but there was no
help for It.
II was arranged that the bride and
groom should start early Saturday
morning to the poStoffice for the Ii
eense and as the postmaster was also
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 colored man at the turpentine
stu. and they were too high toned to
eaIt upon him.
Saturday mornin. came at last The
week had seemed Ike month to this
ardent yoBng lover He and his lady
we're over ut my place bright and ear
l. fer nv INSPECTION and advice as to
how 10 proceed.
The bride WAS dressed In a black
serge skirt and faded silk waist. with
red ribbon around her neck and
brown sailor hat on her head She
had To wesr brogan shoes. as nearly
half the distance To the postotiice was
through water from shoe TO knee deep.
hut she took pair of morocco shoes
and pair of black stockings TO put
IN before reaching the goal.
When the young man came TO my
place on this eventful wedding morn
ing he was dressed in clean twenty
FIVE cent calico shirt. much too large
ct tho neck. but the sleeves only came
g. within about eight inches OF his
wrists: a pair of old shoddy pants,
which IN his rapid vertical growth be
Lad left about halfway between an
HE and knee. hu, "a make up for this
defect his travels through swamp and
trierS hrHShwood and nalmettos bud
frinresf them ~ the bettom for about
ere and a half Inc hes. These trousers
were Kept NJ hy pair Of mother
maae sasneuders from unhieaehed
muslin. 4 pair q No. II nrosaI
s.gals. Tie tops Il which lacked several
issahea II meeting the friaged esitis II