Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1912-09-10
Farmer Hillets was greatly surprised

|
| then went to his wife to tell her the
particulars and add:
| "Of course, we can't take such a
man into the family
| what do you mean by that?" was
asked.
why, we can't let him marry
Nancy"
Moses Hillets, are you out of your
head?" Joab is all right and your ac-
tor is a fool. Do you suppose we
could make Nancy believe such stuff
even If we believed it ourselves? They
Twill get married unless one of them
dies"
Mr.. Hillets retired from the contest
for day Then he saw Nancy out in
the orchard and sneaked out to tell
her that Joab was unworthy of her
and could never be son-in-law Of
his. 8
II shall marry him as soon as we
are ready" was the firm reply.
"But you are my daughter, and
command you to break this affair OF
at once.
"We shall now get married month
sooner than we intended tor
The father dropped It, but only for
a day. Then he went down to the
field where Joab was toiling and put
the matter up to him. He tried to be
very nice about 1t, for he liked the
/ young man but he had to be firm at
the same time. Joab must make his
exit. A little reflection must convince
him that he was no mate for the
daughter of man who had descend
ed from King Carlo. He would proba-
bly, lose his. appetite for few days,
and Nancy might shed a few tears,
and then It would be all over.
| you'll give me couple Of weeks
to make up my mind in, won't you?"
asked Joab.
"Oh, for sure. I know you'll come
to see 1t as / do
During the rest Of the day Joab
/ looked like man bearing mental
burden, but after talk with Nancy
4 and her mother that night his face
wore smile.
! "'You and Joab amt going to do no
clipping to get married" said the moth
i er, land we are going to bring your
| father to his senses. That actor man
seems to have turned his head"
Before the two weeks were up the
Lake View House" was full OF
guests, and farmer Hillets went around
chuckling and rubbing his palms to
gether. The season would be great
success. He did not forget that little
affair between Nancy and Joab. To
his surprise, neither of them seemed
cast down, and every time he spoke
to his wife about 1t she answered
| without interest.
Joab's two weeks would expire on q
! Wednesday AS the day drew near he
was reminded of 1t, and he answered
that he would be ready with his an.
swer. On Tuesday evening, as the
father was King Carlo-ing around
Nancy asked him to fetch some pota-
toes from the granary in the barn to
be prepared for breakfast. He went
without lantern, and the moment he
was inside the room the door was
slammed on his heels and locked.
! When he began row q. voice called:
Father, you must be CAREFUL
THAT you, Nancy?' he shouted
back. What have you locked me in
for?''
Father, there is a box in there
with two skunks in it,"
There ISL
"Joab trapped them last night
What for?"
Hes going to stir them up and let
them loose as he leaves in the morn.
ing"
Great Scott. but he mustn't dc
that"
"But he will Father. you have
made desperate man OF him. You
know what will happen If those AMI
mails are stirred up, don't your"
do I? Do I? Why no one can live
1 around here for MONTH"
Just SO, father"
1T will be our ruin!"
ut will"
Our place win be known as the
Skunk View Housed"
Il agree with you, father-perfectly
agree with you, and now. as Joab Is
SO desperate--and as you don't want
| 10 be ruined-and as you may stir up
the animals any minute-and as I'll
| run away to get married If you oppose.
don't you think 1t best to-"
Yes! Yes! Lemme out O. here
and have Joab get that box a mile
away as quick as he can and you can
get married the first thing in the
morning.
And in the morning, when he found
that the box contained only two wood
chucks. he didn't go back on his word.
AS the descendant Of king he
couldn't,