Page:Peterson Magazine 1869B.pdf/192

MRS. MARCH'S BOARDERS. 191 “Land of pity!” says I, hiding my face in my apron, and getting that dough all over it—“how you do talk!”

“I know it’s a little sudden,” says he, squezing my hand so that the pinch-~beck ring, that I wear on my forefinger to keep off the rhumatiz, cut rite into, the flesh, ‘I know it’s sudden, and I beg your pardon for speaking of it. But I must confide my trouble to some feeling heart— and to whom shall I speak unless to you, my dear Mrs. March?”

“Sarting!” says I. “I’m the very one. Talk rite along, and tell me everything.”

“I’m unfortunate,” says he. “I cannot be married without losing a fortune, unless I am married privately. My grandfather is very wealthy, and has made a will in my favor; but if I marry in his lifetime I forfeit all the property. He is opposed to matrimony.”

“The old hunks!” says I, indignantly.

“Yes,” says he, “so he is, though I must not say so; and, Mrs. March, what I want is, that you will consent to a private marriage, and allow me to remain here afterward with my wife;” and he laughed, and blushed, and looked as silly as could be,

“Lawful heart!” says I; “of course I con- sent. ’Tain’t nobody’s business, no way. When is it to be?”

“Next Saturday night, if it pleases you. I have already spoken to Squire Moss about it, and he has consented, We shall go down to his house in the six o’clock train, be united, and return at eight to your house. You'll not fail to be at the depot?”

“No, indeed!” says I, “you can depend on me!” and then he kissed my hand jest as they do in novels, and never seéméd to notice the dough that was still sticking to it.

I was as happy as can be; and I made up my mind that I'd deed the six-acre field to Mr. Cliffe the minnit we was married, That would show him how much confidence I had in him.

I should have somebody now to esquart me home from evening meetings, and to go to the sowing-circle with me Thursday nights. It was dreadful nice to think of; and I didn’t go to sleep till nigh midnight that night for thinking of it; and when I did get asleep, I dreamed of a funeral, which is a safting sign of a wedding.

I went and had a buff delaine gound made for the occasion, and Sotterday night, at half past five, I sot sail for the depot. It seemed that Mr. Cliffe didn’t want to excite no suspicions by our going to the depot together. Jest as I turned into the road that led to the depot them consarned cars whistled in, and I knowed I was late. I started upon the run, stepped onto my gound, and fell flat, rite into a mud-puddle, and spattered myself from top to toe.

But I jumped up immegiately, and made for the depot, I seed a man standing on the platform. I waved my handkercher to him, and screamed at the top of my voice,

“Stop ’em! Don’t let ’em went on without me!”

“They've already went!” says the man—and, shure enough, so they had! I asked the man— who got in? And he said a man and woman— and described Mr. Cliffe exactly.

“«Look bere!” says I. “Hain’t there no way that I can git to Stickneyville without waiting for the next train?”

He scratched his head to scratch up an idee, and said, he and another man there would kerry me down on a hand-car for a dollar. I told them the money was ready for him the mianit I was landed at Stickneyville—and we sot forth rite off.

“Turn like all possessed!” says I. “It's necessary for me to git there as soon as I can!”

And they turned. I guess they fairly airned their dollar.

I paid ’em as soon as we arriv, and hurried to Suire Moss’ at the top of my speed. There was a light in the parlor, and I rushed in without knocking.

And, gracious deliverance! I wonder I hadn't swoonded rite on the spot, for jest as true as you live, there stood Cliffe and the widder Westly hold of hands, and the squire was jest a saying,

“I pronounce you man and wife!”

I grabbed Cliffe’s arm, and brought him round facing of me in a seckont.

“Land of Goshen!” says I. What does this mean?”

“She’s mine!” says he. “Nobody can separate us now!’ and he fell to kissing the widder.

“You're a false, desateful man!” says I;: ‘cand I’m a good mind to have you arrested for begotry and breeches of promise! You pro- mised to marry me; aad here I’ve been to the expense of gitting a new gound P

“My dear Mrs. March!” says he; “what a. mistake! I have been engaged to Myra ever since her husband died, and we came to your house to be together. And we hope still to remain.”

“Well, you won't,” says I, “not by two. chalks! I won’t keep such a man in my house!: You’ll tramp tomorrer, both of ye! Oh, dear! dear! what shall I do! If this should get out, how folks would talk! What shall I do?”

‘«

Land of pity!" says I, hiding my face in my I was late. I started upon the run, stepped apron, and getting that dough all over it-" how outo my gound, and fell flat, rite into a mudyou do talk !" puddle, and spattered myself from top to toe. "I know it's a little sudden, " says he, squezBut I jumped up immegiately, and made for ing my haud so that the pinch-beck ring, that I the depot, I seed a man standing on the platwear on my forefinger to keep off the rhumatiz, form. I waved my handkercher to him, and cut rite into the flesh, "I know it's sudden, and screamed at the top of my voice, "Stop ' em! Don't let ' em went on without I beg your pardon for speaking of it. But I must confide my trouble to some feeling heart- { me!" and to whom shall I speak unless to you, my "They've already went !" says the man - and , dear Mrs. March?" shure enough, so they had! I asked the man"Sarting!" says I. "I'm the very one. Talk who got in? And he said a man and womanand described Mr. Cliffe exactly. rite along, and tell me everything. " " I'm unfortunate, " says he. "I cannot be " Look here !" says I. " Hain't there no way married without losing a fortune, unless I am that I can git to Stickneyville without waiting married privately. My grandfather is very for the next train ?" He scratched his head to scratch up an idee, wealthy, and has made a will in my favor; but if I marry in his lifetime I forfeit all the pro- and said, he and another man there would kerry me down on a hand- car for a dollar. I perty. He is opposed to matrimony." " The old hunks ! " says I, indignantly. told them the money was ready for him the "Yes," says he, "so he is, though I must not mianit I was landed at Stickneyville-and we say so ; and, Mrs. March, what I want is, that sot forth rite off. "Turn like all possessed !" says I. "It's you will consent to a private marriage, and allow me to remain here afterward with my necessary for me to git there as soon as I can !"' wife ;" and he laughed, and blushed, and looked And they turned. I guess they fairly airned their dollar. as silly as could be. "Lawful heart!" says I ; " of course I conI paid ' em as soon as we arriv, and hurried sent. Tain't nobody's business, no way. When to Suire Moss' at the top of my speed. There is it to be ?" was a light in the parlor, and I rushed in with"Next Saturday night, if it pleases you. I out knocking. And, gracious deliverance ! I wonder I hadn't have already spoken to Squire Moss about it, and he has consented. We shall go down to his { swoonded rite on the spot, for jest as true as house in the six o'clock train, be united, and you live, there stood Cliffe and the widder return at eight to your house. You'll not fail Westly hold of hands, and the squire was jest a to be at the depot ?" saying, "I pronounce you man and wife !" "No, indeed !" says I, "you can depend on I grabbed Cliffe's arm, and brought him round me!" and then he kissed my hand jest as they do in novels, and never seemed to notice the facing of me in a seckont. " Land of Goshen !" says I. "What does this dough that was still sticking to it. I was as happy as can be ; and I made up my mean ?" mind that I'd deed the six-acre field to Mr. " She's mine !" says he. " Nobody can sepa-. Cliffe the minnit we was married. That would rate us now !" and he fell to kissing the widder.. show him how much confidence I had in him. "You're a false, desateful man !" says I ;: I should have somebody now to esquart me "and I'm a good mind to have you arrested for home from evening meetings, and to go to the begotry and breeches of promise ! You prosowing-circle with me Thursday nights. It was mised to marry me ; and here I've been to the "" dreadful nice to think of; and I didn't go to expense of gitting a new gound"My dear Mrs. March !" says he ; "what a. sleep till nigh midnight that night for thinking of it ; and when I did get asleep, I dreamed of mistake ! I have been engaged to Myra evera funeral, which is a sarting sign of a wedding. since her husband died, and we came to your I went and had a buff delaine gound made house to be together. And we hope still to for the occasion, and Sotterday night, at half { remain. " past five, I sot sail for the depot. It seemed "Well, you won't," says I, "not by two . that Mr. Cliffe didn't want to excite no sus- chalks ! I won't keep such a man in my house !: picions by our going to the depot together. Jest You'll tramp to-morrer, both of ye ! Oh, dear ! as I turned into the road that led to the depot dear ! what shall I do ! If this should get out, them consarned cars whistled in, and I knowed how folks would talk ! What shall I do ?" VOL. LVI -- 13