Year: 1873

how we'll I was getting on, he wrote
back to me that I ought to get married.
He said I would be better man and
happier one with a good wife. And
then he added this sentence: i" But do
not take any woman not full-jeweled.".
I knew what he meant. He wanted
me to he as careful not to be imposed
OH by sham in marrying as I was not
to he humbugged in watch. But how
few women or men there are who have
all the jewels!


My fathers letter set ME to thinking
about marriage. Living rather lone
ly life, 1 amused myself by thinking
what sort of woman my wife would
be and what should do TO make her
happy. Iwould give hes watch, the
very mate to my own, ladies watch
that would keep time. Ladies watches
are such shams generally; good for
show, nothing else. SO picked out
watch of the same as my own, and
amused myself with regulating it. 1t
was for my wife when Ishould find her
Playfully 1 told one or two friends what
l meant to do with my ladies' watch,
and the story got abroad. 1t was q
matter of no little bantering among the
girls who should have my "Lady El-
GIN" Some declared they did not
want it, and Il great many asked to see
it. It's accuracy got to be talked about,
and the story helped trade, for half n
dozen married gentlemen in the village
provided their wives with duplicates.
But there! l am talking shop.


My Lady Elgin became more and
more celebrated; some, imagining that
it must be better than any other, en-
deavoring to buy it, but this l refused
stcadfastly, even when I was offered a
premium for it. would not begin by
wronging my wife While yet did not
even know who she would be- L soon
found that l could not go into any
company without meeting all sorts of
illusions to my wife's watch. When
asked who the lady would be, always
answered i'll the words of my father,
ga lady full-jewelcd." Some thought
BY this meant a rich WIFE but others
understood it.


l am not one Of those who think that
might have married any woman. Any
man who believes that of himself is a
fool and an egotist. But the very fact
that this watch was talked about made
some of the ladies particularly anxious
to carry it off, as it had became q sort
of prize to be taken by competition.
Sometimes n girl would stop to see it,
and talk about it, and blush in a way
meant to hint to me that she would like
it. But was determined that none
but full-jeweled woman should have
it. And is modesty not jewel exceed
ing precious?


My business was even more prosper
GUS the second year than the first, for
Cattaqua was growing rapidly in con-
sequence of the location Of Bodgcr Fe-
male College in the town, and the
building of the Perkinstown Branch
Railroad, which made our town q rail
way junction.


1 thought more than ever of marry
ing, and had we'll nigh settled on Miss
Sophie Bennett, member of the SEN
ior class in Bodger Female College, and
tho daughter of Mr.. Bennett, of the
firm of Bennett & Brown, dry goods
merchants. Sophie is handsome and
musician. She is well educated, and
she taught class of girls in the Sum
day School of which l was Secretary at
that time. I did admire her a great
deal, for she was brilliant talker and
knew great deal more than did.
And she had the art of winning. When
l walked home with her she managed
to make the conversation pleasant, and
though she knew SO much more than
did about many things, she never let
me feel it. She was in every regard
amiable. That is what everybody called
her.


She had friend hardly so handsome
as she was-at least I thought not.
Louise Jones was quite young yet, but
she was teaching in the public schools
in order to help her father, who was
poor. 1 mention this Louise Jones
here because of a conversation over
heard between her and her friend So
phlo Bennett I had paid some atten-
ton to the latter, until I found that