Year: 1863

once called on my friend, Steve CO.


nant, and while there the convers alton


turned on courtship; and, at my request,


the old gentleman told me an incident in


his own love affairs, which | give in his


own words:-


"Wall, seeing it's you, l don't mind


telling about scrape that happened to


me when | was courting Nancy here


That are is something that never tell


anybody. But ye shall have it -


"No, don't Steve" broke in the old


woman 81 should think you would be


ashamed of yourself, telling your love


scrapes to everybody"


elf you can't bear to hear it, you may
go out doois-so here it goes When


was nigh about twenty one | came up


here, all alone, and built me cabin. |
hadn't naber nearer than five miles, so
ye see, didn't quarrel much but as it
grew to be near winter, got kinder lone
some, and begun to think that ought to
have woman to keep me company so
one morning | started down to Lenway,
to takea look at the girls, to see if | could
find one to suit me. When | got down
to the settlement asked young chap ii
he knew of q girl that wanted to get mar
ried, and he told me that he guessed that
Nancy Knox did, and if wanted wife,
| had better try and hitch on with her
and he said that if it was agreeable, he
would go to Deacon Knox's and make
me acquainted with Nancy, and he was
as good as his word. and twasn't an hour
afore Nancy and was on the best of
terms. Afore night hired out with the
deacon for ten dollars month, half of
the pay to be taken in produce, and the
rest in clear cash, and was to work all
winter. Wall, for about two months |
felt as neat as mouse in new cheese.
| courted Nancy every Sunday night, and
l was determined before another month
to pop the question, and | hadn't bit of
dorbt but what Nancy would be overioy-
ed at becoming my bosom companion
Well about this time there came fellow
from one of the lower towns to keep
school, and he hadn't been there more'n
week afore found he had q natural
hankering arter Nancy; and worst of all,
the old deacon, who had seemed mighty
pleased at the thoughts of my courting
his girl, begun to kinder kool off, as if
he would like the schoolmaster better for
q son-in- law, and it made me feel kinder
down in the lip, can tell yor. Wall,
one Sunday night, Bill Smith, for that
was the pesky critters name, came in just
at dusk, and when the clock struck nine
he didn't seem ready to go. Old Mrs.
Knox and the young uns all went off to
bed, and there were none left Int the old
deacon, Bill, Nancy and l. and there we
all sat, round the fire, without saying a
word. Always afore the deacon had gone
off to bed, and left the coast clear for
Nancy and l. and kept 'specting every
minite that he would show Bill to bed,
but he did no such thing but jest as
the old clock struck ten he ris up, and
ses he: t-..# . .l.-


"'Steve, let's go to bed, for we must
be up bright and airly to have them ere
logs to the river


WASN'T that hint, Ell? Hooked at
Nancy, but she turned away her he'd, and
at this | up and marched out into the en-
try, and up the ladder to bed. | was
boiling over mad with al! cration-Bill,
Nancy, and the deacon in particular.
got into bed and kivered myself up, but
felt so bad that couldn't so to sleep.
Like as not, the schoolmaster was hug
ying and kissing Nancy down in the
Kitchen, and couldn't shet my eyes for
he life of me. Wall, all at once it oc-
'urred to me that there were some big
racks in the floor over the kitchen, and


could watch and see all shat was going
IN below: so out of bed I got, and crawl
d along close to the chimney on all fours,
nd, finding big crack, l looked down
through. Bill and Nancy were sitting
bout two feet apart. though every now
nd then Bill would hitch his chair a lit ,