Year: 1875

The narrative which / am about
TO relate was told me one bleak,
cold night, in a country parlor. 1t
was one Of those nights in mid
winter when the wind swept over
the land, making everything tiAgls
with its frosty breath, that / was
seated before a blazing FIRE, sur
rounded by a jolly half-dozen
boys, and an old bachelor, Peter
Green, forty-eight years old.


1t was just the night without to
make those within enjoy a story,
so each had to tell his favorite,
save Mr.. Green, and as he was a
good story-tellsr, we were surpris-
ed to hear him say, al have no
story that will interest you," SO
we had to find other entertain
ment for awhile, when one of the
boys told me to ask him how it
happened that he never got mar
ried. So l did.


Well, gentlemen, he began, it
don't seem right to tell you how
that happened, but as it is about
myself 1 don't care much. You
see, when l was young we had to
walk as far as five miles to church
and singing school. But this
don't have anything to do with
my not getting a wife, but, 1 just
wanted you to know that we had
trouble in those days in getting
our sport. John Smith and l were
like brothers, or like Mary and
her little lamb. Where one went
the other was sure to go. We
went to see tive sisters, and as
we were not the best boys imagi-
nable, the old gentleman took UNI
bragg, and wouldn't allow us to
come near the house, so we would
take the girls to the end of the
lane, aad-tho-e we ssnnld have -
take the final kiss.


We soon got tired of that sort
of fun, and l told John, on our
way to singing school one night,
that l was going into the house,
too.


He said the old man would run
me out if l did.


1 told him 1 was going to risk it
anyhow, let come what would.


So home we went with the girls.
When we got to the end of the
lane I told the girls we proposed
going all the way.


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


They were little more surpris-
ed yet when we told them we
thought of going in a little while,
but as all was quiet we had no
trouble in getting into the kitch-
en-, where we had a good time,
and l made up my mind to ask
Sallie to be my wife the next time
l came.


1t was now past the turn Of
the night, and, as we had four
miles to walk, 1 told John we had
better be going. So we stepped
out on the porch, but just as we
did so the sky was Lit by light
ming, and one tremendous thun-
der peal rolled along the noun
tain sides. Its echoes had not
died out in the far-of Wales before
the rain began to pour from the
garnered fullness Of the clouds.
We waited for it to stop until we
fell asleep, 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, and, as
their father got up late, we could
go home before the old folks were
astir. So, after bidding the girls
a sweet good night, and hugging
them, and wishing them sweet
dreams, and promising them to
come back on next Sunday night
we started.


We didn't have to go far, as the
bedroom stood near the head of
the stairs. John was soon in bed,
but, full of curiosity, 1 was look
ing around the little room. At
last 1 thought 1 would sit down
on a chest, which was covered
with nice white cloth, while l
drew of my boots. So down |