Year: 1866

story, and if You will come and see me |
shall be glad have three daughters, all
as good girls as ever lived Now. perhaps
one may be the very one you are looking
for if so, | will do my best toward max
ing the balance of the matter agreeable
Ride over and see me tomorrow, take din
ner and stay in the afternoon which will
give you fair chance to see them and
judge" The young man instantly agreed
to the proposal, making only one condition,
that the young ladies should not be inform
ed Of the nature Of his errand. This was
agreed to and they separated.


The next day at the appointed time, the
young man dismounted at the door of the
house of his new friend and was heartily
welcomed. The hour before dinner was
consumed in looking over the farm, the
young man i'll admiring it's keeping, the old
one in approving of the sensible and practi-
cal remarks Of the younger, when the meal
was announced, and the three young ladies
and their mother were introduced They
were all, as the old gentleman had said
fine girls, but the youngest, rosy-cheeked,
blue eyed, and laughing faced, charmed the
young farmer especially The dinner over,
they once more walked out for chat


"Well, how do You like my daughters ?"
was the old gentleman's first question:
"they are. all nice girls, very NICE" said the
young man, t oughtfully "And which of
them do you like the best 2" was the ques-
ton. "The youngest--Kate She is char
ming, do take the youngest, and by all odds
the prettiest; and if am to be your SON.
in-law, you must give me Kate" This
will never do" said the old gentleman, Sc
riously. 81 must have her or none," was
the response, spoken decidedly "How much
money did you say you wanted ?" Give
thousand dollars will put my farm in excel
lent order, and make it worth twenty thou
sand dollars to morrow. | must have five
thousand dollars"


'1ll give you the sum with either Of the
other girls" said the old man, positively !;
but will give you three thousand with
Kate" "Ihen | may as well go home
Five thousand | must have-I have set my
mind upon it," "And | haveiust as strong
ly determined to do only what have said"
was the old gentleman's reply; so | sup
pose the matter is at end. However, we
will be good friends, and you must some
times run over and see me" This ended
the conference, and they parted The young
man mounted his horse and rode down to-
ward the road, but just as he was about
| opening the gate, stopping from his saddle,
| the laughing-faccd Kate s2rang through
! the shrubbery to save him the trouble
Cant you accept my fathers terms !"
"Yes, by George, | will, if you say So" was
the instantaneous response. "Then come
| over tomorrow morning before ten o'clock
! and tell BIN so > and the girl vanished
| Ike fairy among the leaves. The young
man rode slowly home, but he was ON hand
next morning, according to bidding, and
married the fair Kate in two months after
| As a specimen Of the absurd, we cannot
do better than cite case that occurred
within our own jurisdiction, in country
! village Of massachusetts, There was GER
! tain ZaCharlaA PEBBLES, a stout, industrious,
/ sober and bashful farm hand, a resident of
that locality. Zacl was celebrated not for
what he did say but for what he did not,
his silence being matter of marvel throagh
all the chattering neighDorhood, Zack, with
all his taCiturulty, was not proof against
shafts of love, and was Smitten with the
wholesome charms Of the only child of the
Widow Brown bright eyed, good looking
girl possessing the same trait Of silence as
lack, though not in so eminent degree
| The first time Tack showed his admiration
for Sally was by seizing large basket of
cow food she was about to carry into the
stables, and was huryng thithcr in
! frightened way, much as though he was ta-
king it from burning house. ...E


After that Zack seemed to be perpetual
| ly on the watch to save poor Sally from
heavier work These delicate attentions
could not fail to attract the notice Of
the Widow Brown, who, really respecting
the young man, invited him into the house
to spend the evening" dividing his atten-
ton equally between the fire, and feasting
his eyes on Sally. For two years this Qui-
ct alteration went on, and the neighbors
wondered why, as there was nothing to pre-
vent it, they did not marry. 1t never had
been known whether the idea arose out
Iack's own brain, or whether it was hint
from friend, but at last he did find cour-
age to pop the question 1t was done in
! this way:


The time was New Years eve, and the
fair Sally had been preparing stout jug of
muIled cider, that she might have some
thing to cheer lacks heart when he came
in. Zack came, he drank, took his accus-
toned seat in the chimney corner, where he
sat quietly as usual for few minutes, and
then, without any previous symptoms, he
rose up to his full hight, six feet and two
inches, putting his head up the chimney so
| that little Of him was seen above the waist,
and delivered the following oration "If
somebody loved somebody as we'll as some
body loves somebody somebody would mar
ry somebody" Zack remained with his
head up the chimney after this speech, ST.
lent as death, for some minutes, until he
came forth at the earnest solicitation of
Widow Brown with a face glowing like the
setting sun. The thing was done, howev-
er, and Zacb and Sally were married in
few weeks after, and we are convinced that
if either Of them could be induced to talk
now, after a trial Of a dozen years, they
would say that they were entirely satisfied
with that mode of popping the question


Music is one of the fairest and most
glorious gifts of God, to which Satan is a
bitter enemy, for it removes from the heart
the weight of sorrow and the fascination
of evil thoughts. Music is kind and gen
tie sort Of discipline it refines the passion
and improves the understanding Those
who love music are gentle and honest in