Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-02-17

Some wears ago. while was engagcd
IN natural history pursuits in one Of
,,o hack counties Of Florida. I was out
hunting one day with young man,
cynical backwoodsman. and We stop
ned at a small log cabin for drink OF
water
A widow and her little girl. about
Eve wears old. lived there. l had met
The lady before. and so ! presented the
young man to her.
The widow was stout, hardy. en-
erretic woman. probably thirty-fve
vears old. The young man was near
~ eighteen and was never thirty miles
from home. had never seen a locomo-
live. stear,boat. bicycle. stove. clock or
mirror Eaised IN the fat woods. with
ont education, he could not pick "A"
ont Of the alphabet But to his credit.
40 II said, he had been working for So
a month to support a widowed moth
ar who was an invalid: a crippled
hrotber and younger brother and sis
tor This small amount had supported
this family Of Ave. with the addition
~ 50 A month which the county gave
the cripple.
Not an evening passed after the
voune man was introduced to the Wild
cw 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
r,ace license would cost s.. He could
not get the price, and they were not
ceiling marriage licenses on credit.
what was he to do? He struggled
hari for two weeks and managed by
hook or by crook to secure SIPS. Only
Is cents between him and perfect
hiss. But, alas, with the longest pole
ne could find he could not reach the
oersimnon. He could not, with the
stoicism Of the fox 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"
Thus several days passed away. The
darkness of despair seemed to settle
upon him. He became respondent. A
haggard, careworn look was on his
face. as IL he had not slept for a
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 so piteously for
the loan of the other Is cents that l
did not have ID in my heart to refuse
him.
He had to go Immediately to hts
sweetheart and tell her his good for
tune. He was back In very short
time in an ecstasy of delight to get me
to write and send for his license to
the county seat, forty miles away.
l wrote and directed the letter and
told him to put the two dollar fee in
It and register 1t for safety. also
told him that registering and postage
would cost him 10 cents more. Again
his countenance changed from happi-
ness to despair. He had encountered
what was to him another insurmount-
able obstacle, though only the size Of
dime.
Gosh" he cried, "what III do?
hain't got anuther cent. II yer don't
lend ne 10 cents more, I'll hat ter give
It up. I'll pay yer back. declare to
heaven l will"
l gave him the additional dime. aud
he started on in hurry for the post
ONCE, five miles away, to mail and
register his letter. The postmaster
Told him that his license ought to be
back at the postoffice by Friday night.
1t was then Monday. 1t seemed a
long time to wait, but there was no
help for It.
1t was arranged that the bride and
groom should start early Saturday
morning to the postoffice for the IL
eense, and as the postmaster was also a
notary public he was the only man for
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
SUI, and they were too high toned to
call upon him.
saturday morning came at last. The
week had seemed like a month to this
ardent young lover. He and his lady
were over at my place bright and ear
y Tor my inspection and advice as to
how to proceed.
The bride was dressed in black
serge skirt and faded silk waist, with
sed ribbon around her neck and a
ofown sailor hat ON her head. She
asa to wear brogan shoes. as nearly
aair the distance to the postoffice was
through water from shoe to knee deep.
gut she took q pair of morocco shoes
snd a pair Of black stockings to put
oa before reaching the goal.
Wnen the young man came to my