The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-12-01
A Christmas
w edding
By OSCAR cox

boat. Jim was not especially proud of
his mule, but he was very proud Of his
boat. He could tie up nights, picket
his mule and turn into the luxurious
quarters In the stern for a good sleep.
Most of the other boats on that canal
contained families. Jim was lone
bachelor, and when he passed other
boats and saw clothes hanging out to
dry he felt more lonely than ever, and
when he saw dirty faced children look
ing at him out of the stern windows 1t
made him positively homesick.
The hardest days for Jim to get
through were holidays. There was one
Christmas that he kept the towpath all
day to drive away the blues. And even
then he couldn't help seeing the win
dows along his route hung with ever
greens and children running about
showing one another the toys that San
tn Claus had brought them.
There was a small house a short dis
lance from the canal in which there
hved an old woman. She kept chick.
els, a COW anu bCNCidi Pi6cs SAih h"N
no interest in the place until one day
when he was passing with his boat
coMefy young woman emerged from
the house with bucket In her hand
and dumped the contents into the pig
sty. Jim passed out of sight Of the red
checked girl with a bucket to the mu-
sic of gruntlng pigs.
Men have fallen in love to the sound
of lutte. Probably their refined ma
tures could not have fallen into the
same condition to the grnnting Of pigs
struggling for swill. But Jim was not
a gentleman; he was a mule driver. At
any rate, that's exactly what he did
His lonely heart yearned for that red
checked girl, and love was born within
him on the same principle that 1t Is
born in man listening to lutte.
As Jim went back and forth on the
towpath whenever he passed that
house he looked for the girl with the
red cheeks. One day he reached the
place Just as she stepped out into the
yard Naturally, seeing boat moving
| by, she looked ut 1t. Then, seeing Jim.
she looked at him. He was only a
man driving a mule attached to ca
nalboat but perhaps she was sighing
for n mate, just as jim was. AT any
rate, she didn't look away till she had
noticed an admiring look on Jim's hon
est, but homely, face. AS he passed
on she continued to look at him.
The next time she saw the boat so
by IL was In the late fall, but the ice
had not closed navigation Jim had
m overcoat buttoned tight around him
and was smoking n short pipe. On
the deck of his boat was board prop
ped up to show chalked letters, "Christ
mus is comm"
How did that girl know that this
was message for herr Maybe she
didn't, but the next time Jim passed
the house he saw chalked on the ROOT
of the pigsty, Hope you'll enjoy It."
The Ice was broken-not in the canal
but the ice OF nonacquaintance be
tween these two piners for each other
The next passing message was. "HoW
would you like to spend 1t on canal
boat?" To which was made reply
"Fust rate"
Much less has been taken for pro
posal Of marriage and an acceptance
The singular part Of 1t Is that the con
tract In this case was made befor
these two had closer view of eacl
other than hundred yards. Never
theless Jim regarded the matter set
tied, and his heart was overjoyed tina
he would not have to spend the com
ing Christmas OH the towpath to kce
from being lonely.
His next message was christina
; ever" To which he received II reply
"Isn't that suddent?" On seeing TIL
loving message chalked In beautifr
pure white letters on the roof of tn
pigsty Jim halted his mule. sat dow
OH the deck of his boat with his leg
dangling over the side and waited Il
a sight of his ladylove. Presently sl
appeared at window ana threw hi
kiss. He was not satisfied with tn
and waited longer, but she did not al
pear again. Turning the board owe
he chalked on the other side. BE read
Christmas eve" Having waited till
). felt sure she had seen his message, |
!. drove on.
, The day before Christmas Jim loade
up at the terminal with Christmas
!. ands and on his way out again callt
on parson living beside church tn
he had often noticed near the girl
house, The parson promised to be
~ hand on Christmas eve.
n Mind you, Jim was taking 1t all
!, faith. He didn't know what the q
!. would do but he said that he "kind
!. reckoned she would" Dusk was ia
* Ing on Christmas eve when jim
K home, containing a bridal-Christm
e outfit, stopped opposite the girls hon
d He and the parson went there al
a found her In her best dress. Jim b
Ie on a store suit, and at nearer view {
two were mutually pleased. The q
woman gave Jim shrewd glance a
xyas eyidentlv an atisfled The party {