Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1909-04-02
(cOpyriEht, Dodd, Mead Company

warmed his blood, and his eye bright.
ened
"I've buried two wives, but | ave
to be careful myself, old as I am"
he said. thoughtfully. There's more
than one woman about ere as would
like to change 'er name for mine.
Clayburys got the name of being
marrying place, and they don't like
to see even a widow-man.
"But there used to be one man
in these parts as the Claybury wom-
en- couldn't marry, try as they might.
He was a ugly little man with red
'air and foxy face. They used to
cali i'm Foxy Green, and e kept 'appy
and single for years and years.
HE wasn't man as disliked being
in the company o women though,
and that's wot used to aggervate EN-.
He'd take EN- out for walks, or give
'em a lift in is cart, but none of 'em
could get old of i'm not even the wild
ders. He used to say e loved 'em
all too much to tie hissef up to any
one of 'em, and e would sit up ere
of night at the Caulinower and send
men with large families Almost crazy
by celebrating 'ow many pints o beer
their children wore out every year in
the shape o. boots.
Sometimes is uncle, old Eb-
enezer Green, used to sit up ere with
i'm. He was n strong. 'earty old
man. and ed sit and laugh at Foxy till
lis chair shook under i'm. He was
a lively sporting sort o man. and
when Foxy talked like that e seemed
to be keeping some joke to hisself
which nearly choked i'm.
You'll marry when I'm gone,
Foxy he'd say.
"'Not me- ses Foxy.
"Then the old man 'ud laugh agin
and talk mysterious about fox-hunts
and say e wondered who'd get Foxy's
brush. He said ed only got to shut
lis eyes an e could see the pack in
full cry through Claybury village, and
Foxy going is 'ardest with is tongue
'anging out.
Foxy couldn't say anything to i'm,
because it was understood that when
the old man died 'e was to ave is
farm and is money; so e used to sit
Nuclc dLlu do IL Y ilhNu it'
when Foxy was about AZ is
uncle died. The old mans mind
seemed to wander at the last, and e
said what a good man ed always
been. and wot comfort it was to i'm
now that e was goin'. And e men
toned lot o. little sums O. money
owed i'm in the village which nobody
could remember
"I've made my will. Foxy, he ses,
and school-masters takin care of it;
I've left it all to you
"The old man was buried few
days after, and Foxy stood by the
grave 'olding handkerchief to lis eyes,
and behaving as though e 'ad lost
money instead of coming in for it.
Then they went back to the farm, and
the first thing the schoolmaster did
was to send all the women off before
reading the will.
''Wot's that for?' ses Foxy, staring.
You'll see,' ses the schoolmas-
ter; them was my instructions. It's
for your sake, Mr.. Green; to give you
a chance-at least, that's wot your
uncle said
''It was all straightforward enough.
The farm and stock and two cottages.
and money in the bank, was all left to
Josiah Green. commonly called Foxy
Green, on condition
"There was such noise o. clap.
ping. and patting Foxy on the back,
that the schoolmaster 'ad to leave off
and wait for quiet.
ION condition. he ses, in loud
voice, that he marries the first Clay
bury woman, single or widow, that
asks i'm to marry her in the presence
OF three witnesses. If he refuses, the
property is to go to 'er instead
Foxy turned round like mad the1
and asked Henry White wot e was
patting i'm on the back for. Then,
in choking voice, he asked to ave
1t read again,
"'Well, there's one thing about
1t, Mr.. Green, ses Henry White
with all your property you'll be
able to ave the pick o. the prettlest
gals in Claybury.'
""Ow's that?' ses Joe Chambers,
very sharp; he's got to take the first
woman that asks i'm, don't matter wot
e: age Is
"IIc got up suddenly, and without
cvcl saying goodby to Foxy, rushed
out of the 'ouse and OF over the fields
as ard as e could go.
"'Wot's the matter with 'im?' Eee
Foxy.
Anything wrong with the drink?
ses Foxy, puzzled like.
"They shook their 'eads agin, and
then Peter Gubbins, who'd been star
in3 ard with 'is mouth open. got uI
and gave the table bang with is fist
"'Joe Chambers as gone arter IL
sister, ne ses, and Henery White ar
ter is wife's ster. as 'e's been keep
ing for this last six months That's
wot they've gone for
Everybody saw II then. and in two
minutes Foxy and the schoolmastel