Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. III.djvu/370

Rh work, which he had found at the manufactory, and by which he could earn twenty dollars a month. But still he said he loved the old country best, and he meant to return to it as soon as he could get together a thousand dollars.

I inquired if he were married.

No! he had thought it best to remain unmarried.

And then he inquired if I were married.

I replied, no; and added that, like him, I thought it best to remain unmarried, after which I bade him a friendly good-bye.

But he rose up and following me, said,—

“And you are wandering about here so alone, Miss! Don't you think it is wearisome to go wandering about by yourself?”

“No, Jim,” said I, “I like to go by myself.”

“Oh, but you would feel yourself so much better off,” said he; “you would find yourself so much happier if you had a young man to go about with you, and take care of you!”

“But I find myself very well off as I am, Jim,” said I.

“Oh, but you'd find yourself much, much better off, if you had a young man. I assure you, a young man who was fond of you, and would go with you everywhere. It makes the greatest difference in the world to a lady, I do assure you!”

“But Jim, I am an old lady now, and a young man would not trouble himself about me.”

“You are not too old to be married, Miss,” said he; “and then you are good-looking, Miss; you are very good-looking, Ma'am! and a nice young man would be very glad to have you, to go about everywhere with you.”

“But, Jim, perhaps he would not like to go where I should like to go, and then how should we get on together?”