Year: 1874

bleak, cold night in country par
lor. 1t was on. of those nights in
midwinter, when the wind swept
over the land, making everything
tingle with its frosty and keen
breath, that I was seated before
blazing fire, surrounded by Jolly
half dozen boys, and an old bache-
lor, Peter Green, about forty and
eight years.


1t was just the night without to
make those within enjoy q good
story so each of us had to tell his
farorite story, save Mr.. Green, and
as he was a jolly story teller, we
were somewhat surprised to hear
him say. 81 have no story that
would interest you," so we had to
find other entertainments for q
while, when one of the boys told
us to ask him how it happened that
he never got married. So we did.


"Well, gentlemen" he began sit
don't seem right for me to tell how
it happencd, but as it's about my
self, ! don't care much. You see
when l was young we had to walk
as high as five miles to church and
singing school which was our chief
enjoyment. But this don't have
anything to do with my getting a
wife, hut l just wanted to show
you that we hal some trouble them
days in getting our sport.


"John Smith and l were like
brothers, or like Mary and her lit
tie lamb Where one went the
other was sure to go. So we went
to see two sisters and as we were
not the best boys imaginable, the
: old gentleman took umbrage and
wouldn't allow US to come near the
house, so W. would take the girls to
) the end of the lane, and there we
would have to take the fiaal kiss.
ave soon got tired of that sort
} of fun, and | told John on our way
to singing-school one night, that !
was going home with Sadie, and
that I was going into the house, too
: HE said the old man would 'cant
! me- if l dill.


) ~ told him that l was going to
risk it any how, come what would


"Hc said 'he would risk it if l
would


$50 home we went with the girls
: "When we got to the end of the
! lane told the girls we proposed
going all the way.


"They looked at each other in a
way didn't like any too well, but
they said the old folks would he in
bed, so they didn't care II we did.


"They were u little more sur
prised yet when l told them we
thought of going in little while.
but as all was quiet when we got to
the house, we had no trouble in
getting into the kitchen.


"Then and there we had our first
court, and l made up my mind to
ask Sadie to be my wife the next
time l came!


at was now past the turn Of
night, and as we had four mile to
walk, | told John we must be GO
ing. So we stepped out on the
porch, but just as we did SO, the
sky was lit up by lightning, and one
tremendous thunder peal rolled
along the mountain sides. It's echo
had not died out in ths far off wales
until the rain began to pour from
the garnered fullncss of the peni
MP clouds. We waited for it to
stop until we were all sleepy, when
the girls said we should go to bed
in the little room at the head of the
stairs which led out of the kitchen.
as their father didn't get up carly.
we could be home before the old
folks were up. So after bidding
the girls q sweet good-night-and
hugging them little--and wishing
them pleasant dreams, and promis-
ing them to come back on the next
Saturday night, we started for bed.


ave didn't have far to go as the
he'd stood near the head Of the
stairs. John was soon in bed, but
as / was always little slow, and
full of curiosity, set about to look
around the room.


"At last / thonght / would sit
down on chest which was spread
over with a nice white cloth, while