2 Ijc mes, New Bloomftcfo, Ja. A Sailor's Wooing. CAPTAIN BETH TILLER, returning from hi weekly fishing voyage In the good bark Tickler, was surprised to find his domicile shut up and apparently ne glected. Still more surprised was he upon being informed by a sympathizing neighbor, who delivered to him the door-key, that his sister Nancy, who had been since his moth er's death his sole housekeeper, had formed a sudden attachment for a traveling tin man of a neighboring town, and had on the previous day walked oft", or rather ridden off, with the same in his wagon. Nancy had left her love and a good piece of roast beef ready for her brother, togother with a message to the effect that she "hoped he would think better of it and come to see her and Joseph, whicli nothing would please them more." "Durued if I do," said Captain Beth Tiller, wratbfully. " Lot her bo satisfied with her Joseph, Bince she was fool enough to leave a comfortablo homo for the sake of gcttin' married. Jest like women the whole world over. man's only got to say, " Will yer?" and they jump at it like a dog at a bone that's flung to him. "Well let her go, I don't kecr. A woman ain't worth much anyhow, and I guess I can get along without 'er." And then, to show his independence of women, Captain Reth straightway set about preparing his evening meal, but being more of a sailor than steward, he failed, and then went out and got an expensive, un satisfactory and badly cooked supper, at the only public house in the littlo seafaring town wherein he resided. Ho came home cold and miserable ; and unable to And the matches, groped his way to bed in dark ness. The morning brought him no com fort. There were things to bo " set to rights," "chores" to do, pots and pans to bo scoured, his clothes to be mended and washed ; and Captain Seth looked around with a sort of dcspaii. For the first timo in his life there dawned upon his mind a perception of the usefulness of women. For a day or two the Captain led this miserable mode of existence, and as tho time approached for embarking on his next voyage, ho looked upon that and his pro spective return with a species of forlorn horror. Somebody'll break into the house and rob it, thought he, " or the things'll got musty and mouldy with being shut up without any fire ; and look at them dud's 'o mine." lie frowned wrathfully at a heap of sai lor's clothes lyingln the corner of tho room, all of whicli wanted washing, and some of which stood in great need of re pairing ; and Nancy had always kept them so neat and whole. "Look 'ere," said Captain Tiller, rising, and with his back to the stove, his legs astride, and his hands in his pocket, apos trophising the furniture in general. "Look 'ere, this state o' things won't do no longer ; I've had enough of it. A man cau't be expected to live a wild Injun. I'll got married." Captain Tiller was a man of his word, and who having, made up his mind to a thing, was sure to act promptly upon it. He sat down, now, on a three-legged stool before the fire, and leaning his elbows on his knees, meditated. In three days he would sail, wherefore there was a necessity for prompt action. " Let's see," said Captain Tiller, thought fully ; " It'll be better to take a widdcr, I guess ; widders are more steady than t'others and more used to things,and won't expect any courting, and that sort o' non sense. Not a young widder though. They're apt to be flighty." Then he mused again, and mused within himself that the only one he knew answer ing to his requisition, was the widow Tyron. Yes : he'd marry the widow Ty ron. And, with a slap on the knee, as of one who had arrived at a final and satis factory contusion, clapped his sou' wester upon his bead, buttoned up his pea jacket and betook himself to the lady's abode. " Good mornin', widder 1" said Captain Seth ; as in answer to bis knock at the door Mrs. Tyron appeared in a tidy cap and apron and with her bare arms dusted with flour,' while an appetizing odor of cookies issued from the comfortable kitchen. At that smell the visitor's heart enlargod and his nostrils expanded as those of a war-horse who bears from afar the din of the battle. " Why, lawks a mercy I Is it you, Cap'n Tiller? Hope nothin's happened least wise sence Nancy's run away and got mar ried." " That's jest it, widder," responded the Captain, gloomily shaking his head. Nancy came to make such a fool of herself, when she'd a good home, and clothes, and vict uals and the whole house to herself when I'm away " " Now, that's what I call onreasonable of you, Cap'in Seth," interrupted Mrs. Tyron, seriously taking up the cause of her sex, as she wiped the flour from her hands, and out of respect to her visitor sat down to her knitting. A woman's a wo man, and musn't be expected to deny her self everything fur the sake o''clothcs and viotuals. She must hev somebody to keer for her more than brother's likely to do. It's only nature after all. What'd become o' the world if everybody took to lead in' single lives, I'd like to know." " Well, I guess there's some sense in that, widder," quoth the Captain, scratch ing his head under his sou' westor, " and I'm rather rejiced to hear you express them sentiments, seein' as it'll likely help us to an agreement on a p'int I've come to propose." " Ah 1" said Mrs. Tyron, putting back the border of her eap and pricking up hor ears. "You see," resumed he in a business like manner, " a man can't do to hum without a woman to look around and see arter things. It's their business, you know. We can't go rubbin' and scrubbin' round in the kitchens and bed-rooms. Now, I've hcerd from Nancy that you're a notable manager and housekeeper." " Oh, you want me to keep houso for you, mebbe." , "About that," replied tho Captain star ing into tho fire. " What celery?" "Why, I wasn't jest calculatin' upon a salary. I thought we might go into part nership together, if its agreeable. I'm a plain business man, as you know widdor ; and all I've got to say is, that if you'll bo Mrs. Captain Beth Tiller " " Stay a minute, if you pleaso, Cap'in !" exclaimed the lady, hastily jumping up. "I do believe those cookies is burning 1" lie waited patiently while she busied herself about the oven. Then rIio came back, wiping her heated face on her clean apron, and placidly resumed her seat and her knitting. " Well, widder, what about the agree ment?" inquired her suitor then. " Why, you see, Cap'in Tiller," sho an swered, slowly nnd thoughtfully, "I've been considerin' of it while tendin' them cookies, and I about made, up my. mind that I needn't be in a hurry to marry again. " I've had my share of a wife's trouble.and I feci like takin' a little rest to myself now, as I go downward into tho valley of the shaddcr, whero we'll all find our ever-lastin' rest." ' " I might, perhaps, help you on tho way, you know," said the Captain argumcnto tivoly. "I'm obliged to you," she responded, with a sigh, " but I'm pretty strong yet, thanks bo to goodness 1 and cau get along well enough without help leastwise, for a Bpell longer." " Well," said Captain Tiller, slowly ris ing, "if that's your resolution, I needn't waste no moro o' your or my valuable time about it, I calculate. Good mornin', widder 1" "Stay a minute, Captain 1 won't you have soino cookies aud a cup o' tea afore you go?" "No, thank you, marm. I'm obleeged to you the same. Good mornin'." Aud tho Captain walked home, aud sat down on the three-legged stool, and gazed into the fire as before. The result of this wooing had been to him altogether unexpected. Here was a woman who had actually received and re jected a proposal without giving it more than a moment's thought I" " I guess she's too old and worn out as she says," ho cogitated, "and I must look out for a younger widdor, who'd likely not bo inclined to think so hard of the matter. There's Miss Fuller she as was Molissy Brown, If I remember rightly. She's 'bout thirty. Rather too young for my ideas ; but I s'pose I must put up with it." No sooner thought of than acted upon. Miss Fuller was in her garden planting hollyhock roots. She wore a floured calico dress, and a girlish, white apron, elabo rately ruffled, and looked, as the Captain thought, like a taut-rigged schooner under full sail. For an instant his heart misgave him, though he felt reassured by the gra cious smile with which he was received, as the young widow furtively adjusted her front hair beneath her sun-bonnet, and gave the latter itself a coquettish tilt on her head. " Well, Miss Fuller, you're preparin' for spring betimes, I soe. Fancy garden truck eh?" " To be sure, Captain 1 I like flowers and other pretty things. Don't you ?" answer ed sho with a sidelong glance of her black eyes. " Well, I scarcely know," replied the Captain, doubtfully. "To my mind, there's nothin' prettier than " " Than what ?" urged Miss Fuller, pre tending to look unconscious. "Than a not full o' flue herrln's. You ought to 'a seen my last load, all alive an kicking, and squirming and sparkling like like " The Captain was not remarkable for a lively fancy, so he added, " like noth in' but fresh hen Id's can squirm and spar k le 1" The widow stooped down grubbed at a marigold root. ".I bate herrings," said she. "Yes? Well, now, that's rather untortu nate. The woman that takes me must take my herrln's likewise." " Who's goln' to take you ?" " Why, I hope she ain't no very fur off," said the Captain, significantly ; leastwise, not outside this 'ere garden." " You don't mean me?" " Well, p'raps I do mean you." ,i . " Humph I" said the idow with a toes of her sun-bonnet ' and a short laugh. " Well, I must say this Is a queer way to come a-oourtin' 1" "Oh," said the suitor, a little crest fallon. " I don't set up to be much in the courtin' line, like the young sparks here abouts. You and me ain't neither one of us chickens, you know, Miss Fuller ; so we can arrange sensible-like without any nonsense of that kind." "Arrange what?" inquired the lady, flashing her blaok eyes rather ominously upon the Captain. " Why, about our marriage, you know." "As if I would have you?" she burst forth, angrily. "A man that walks in my gardon suddenly in his work-day clothes, and without even sittin' down or sayin' a word o' courtin', for decency's sake, tell me I'm no chicken, and asks me downright to arrange for marrying him, jest as he'd ask to buy a green goose or a suckin pig for his Sunday's dinner!" And without another word the Widow Fuller flounced into the house, while the disappointed suitor walked rather b ankly out at the gate. "They're a hard set, them widders," ho meditated. " I'll give 'em up, I guess, and take a singlo woman. But 1 won't hev a young, skittish one, to be rampaging about whilo I'm out o' the way. There's Miss Charity Hobson. She's a good man ager, and I guess she'll do 'bout as well as any." . Ho had turned in the direction of Miss Charity's house, when he remembered Mrs. Fuller's hint about his clothes. So ho went home, put on a gorgeous flowered vest kept for State occasions rubbed a handful of hog's lard into his hair, anoint ed his boots with the same, and set forth with renewed vigor on his wifo-hunting ex pedition. Miss Charity looked up grimly as he en tered her neat kitchen, and placing a chair for him, herself took another at the oppo site sido of the room. " You're lookin' uncommon well, Miss Hobson," said tho Captain, planting his hands on his knees, and gazing at her with what he meant to be a most amiablo smile mindful, from his late experience, that it be necessary to do a little in the court ing line before popping the question. "I'm pretty well, I thank you," respon ded the lady dryly. "And monstrous snug and comfortable lookin'," resumed the suitor glancing round. "But ain't you a little lonesome at times ?" " Not I ! I've got a dog and two cats them as you Bee thore ; aud mean to hev a mockin' bird as soon's Jabez Long can git one for me. So I've got no reason to be lonesome." " But cats and dogs ain't human critters Miss Hobson," said Captain Tiller insinua tingly. " I reckon I don't need to be told that Captain. They ain't human crceters, but somethin' hotter, if anything." " Not equal to a husband, maybe, Miss Hobson or baby " " A what ?" shrieked Miss Charity, fiercely, glaring over her spectacles. "Oh, nothin' particular. Only I'd think it would be a melancholy thing for a wo man to be all alone with a lot o' cats and dogs, as she's gettin' on into the downhill o' life and" he remembered Mrs. Tyron's expression " and the valley o' tho shud der. Cats and dogs can't lick away the wrinkles from hor face, nor bring down her gray hairs with pleasure to tho gravo." "Capt'n Tiller," said Miss Hobson, lay ing down on her lap the stocking she was knitting and looking at him, with a flush on bar sallow cheek "Capt'n Tillor, I'd like to know once for all, what do you mean ?" He saw at once that she was angry. He didn't know why but be felt it incumbent on him to soothe and please her. So he drew bis chair across the floor, and sat down close beside her. " Come, now, let's you aud me have a friendly understands' together," said he, looking coaxingly in her face. " I'm sure I've got none but the softest kind o' feel ings to'ard you, and I don't see why you shouldn't reciprocate." And, to add point to his words, be put his left arm across the baok of her chair, and with his right fore finger touched .her delicately and playfully in the ribs. Miss Charity Hobson bounced from her seat as if a bomb shell had exploded be neath it. " Git out o' this house," she shrieked " I'll let you know how to come round, sassing a lone woman, and in her ewn house, too 1 Here, Blinker I at him 1 Ketch him I" and with Blinker at his heels, and Miss Hobson following wrathfully in his wake, the innocent miuded Captain Tiller made his exit from the house which he had entered with such amiable intentions. Very dejectedly he walked home. It wasn't such an easy thing, after all, to got a wife ; and be felt for the present com pletely discouraged from any further at tempt in that line.. Moodily he sat down on the bottom of a tub he rarely took a chair unless compelled and he mused upon his adverse fate. He felt bumble and forlorn. " Please, sir, missis have sent you some supper," whined a very small voice behind him ; and the Captaiu, turning, he beheld Miss Hester Bluings' small servant, bear ing in her arms a very large tea-tray, laden with good things. There was a pitcher of steaming ooffee, a plate pf hot, buttered cakes, a nice steak, with onions, and other good things all done to the point of per fection. Poor Captain Tiller's heart warmed at the sight even In the midst of his astonishment. " You don't mean to say," he remarked to the very small servant "you don't mean to say that she that Miss Hester Bittlngs sent me these 'ere fixin's ?" " Yes, sir, she did, sir," responded the diminutive handmaiden, eagerly. "She said sho ouldn't abide to see even a dog livin' in such a way and eating Bitch victuals." The Captain wasn't offended. He felt too much subdued for that now ; and, be sides, the sight of that supper tray would have ovorcome any feeling of rising wrath in his bosom. He was even sensible of -a glow of gratitude, and, under the influence of this emotion he took down from the mantle-shelf a stuffed greon parrot, glued to a sea-shell, and thrust it into tho hands of the small maiden. "There, my little gal," ho said, "there's something for your trouble ; and say to your misses, ' I'm highly obleeged for her kindness.' " He emptied the contents of tho plates and dishes into crockery of his own, and, without thinking of washing the former, sent them back to their owner, together with tho small model of a fishing smack, wrought by himsolf in his hours of leisure while ou shore. Miss Hester laughed when she behold these things. "Poor man," she said, "ho hasn't got a bad heart, after all ; and it would be a pity to let him starve." So next diiy,sho sent him a daintily cook ed dinner. " Miss Hester," said Captain Tiller that afternoon, rather shyly addressing her as she sat at her window sewing, " wouldn't you like to hev your fonce-palins fixed up a bit? I see they're broken through." " Why, it would be a convenience to have them palings mended," she admitted. Whereupon Captain Seth went to work, and with hammer and nails, manfully re paired the fence. "Jest call on mo whenever you're in need of sich jobs," he remarked, amiably, whon it was completed. " And I'll do your cooking for you while you'ro ashore, Captain, responded the grat ified Miss Bittings. A sudden light flashed upon the mind of Captain Both. Why had ho never before thought of this? "Miss Hester," he said, "you don't mean to say that you'll forgive Pickle for worrying your Pink ?" " Why, he is a worriting dog," the lady replied, dubiously. " I'll send him away !" said the Captain, magnanimously. "La 1 what an idea, Captain ! Oh, no ! let the critters alone. I dare say they'll be friends after awhile. It's all our du ties to be friendly to one another, you know." "To bo sure:" acquiesced the Captain, heartily. " Wherefore, it follers that you and me ought to be friends, as well as Pickle and Pink." " I'm sure I've no wish to bo otherwise with any budy," said Miss Hester, looking down at her knitting. "Then," said the Captain slowly and somewhat diffidently, " maybe you would not object to " " To what, Captain ?" " To enter into a kinder partnership, you see you and mo together to be a help to one another ?" "I'mwillin' to do what help I can for you and my other fellow creeters, I hope aud believe," responded Miss Bittings, piously. "It's my duty, when I see a for lorn body in need of help, to do what I can to make 'em comfortable." After this, very few words were neces sary ; and an hour subsequent, Captain Both Tiller was seen with a beaming coun tenance entering the gate of Parson Dem pester's yard. And on the following day the twain that is, Captain Beth Tiller and Miss Hester Bittings were made one. That evening, as he sat at a luxurious supper with his wife, to the great admira tion of the small handmaiden, and the ap parent bewilderment of Pickle and Pink, the following note was left for him : " Captain Tiller, I've been considerin' of what you said, and, as seoond thoughts wisest, hev come to the conclusion that is it will bo a comfort to hev a hand to help me down into the valley o' the shadder. Yours truly, Widdkk Tyron." " Durn the valley o' the sbadder?" ex claimed Captain Tiller, throwing aside the note, aud betaking himself anew to his oysters. The tempting bivalves were scarcely dis posed of, when a hard knock at the door heralded a harsh voice, which inquired : "Capt'n Tillor to hum?" " Yes'm," responded the small hand maiden, promptly. " Then gave bim this," said the hard voice ; and a bit of paier, folded triangu larly, was thrust Into the girl's hand, while hasty steps wore heard retreating. " The paper contained these mysterious words, in pencil. " If Captaiu Tiller he will step rouad at Miss C. Hobson's and hopes he will ex cuse Blinker, which she knows and believes his Intentions was not to be rude to her, and a mistake on C. H.'s part I will be pleased to see him. C. II." "Durned if I go," muttered Captain Tiller, lighting his pipe. " Why, what's it all about ?" Inquired his bride glancing somewhat suspiciously at the two notes. So the Captain told her. " Humph I" said Mrs. Seth Tiller ; and sat thinking, rather moodily. "You see," suggested her spouse de preciatingly, " I hadn't an idoa then that you'd have me." Mrs. Tiller was a sensible woman, and she accepted the explanation'without more ado. "Please, sir," said the small maid, with very big eyes, here's a boy come and brought another letter." "Let's see," said Mrs. Seth, exercising hor matrimonial privilege. And she read aloud the following, written on pink-tinted paper, scaled in an embossed envelope ! " Deau Captain Tiller. Been expect ing you round to-day. Hope no offense ; as you know when a woman's took by sur prise she's obliged to say what she don't always meau. I'm to home this evening from 7 to 10. Truly yours, "Melissa Fuller." "Woll," said the Captain, running his fingers through his hair, "if this don't beat all I Rum critters, them women 1" " And bold enough, some of 'em," join ed in Mrs. Tiller. " To be making propo sals to a married man !" " Why, you see, they don't know yet that I am married." " Then, best let 'em know it at once. Suppose you accept all their invitations right away, and take mo along by way of explanation, you know." The Captain chuckled with an inward appreciation of his wife's clovcrness and wit. Ho took her advice, and tho pair made their round of bridal calls much to their own satisfaction, if not to that of the recipients thereof. Mrs. Tyron sighed. Widow Fuller laugh ed somewhat hysterically, it must be con fessed and Miss Hobson talked of a suit for breach of promise. Not one of tho three ever forgave him. Chartered March 11, 1870. XT . ZE4 . Mutual Aid Society OF PENNSYLVANIA, HOME OFFICE: L 10 IS A. IV O IV , ' y Lebanon county, Penu'a. President, Secretary, Ttensurer, Hon. J. II. Kinports. Geo. A. Mark. (JIDEON LlOHT. This Society U based on the assessment plan. Assets subject to Assessment, $8,000,000.00. Death losses paid to date, $60,000.00. Tills Society insure for SIX HOLLARS per thnuRaild for the first year; FIVE UOLLAHS annually, per thou sand, for the next rouu ykajih, TWO DoLLAKH ier hie, and pro-rata mortality asHCHKincuts as each death may occur, which for the Firat Uluaa is aa f ollowa : Aire Ass. I Akb Ass. I Atfe Ana. I Age Ana. 15 60 I 28 73 41 Mi 54 1.70 19 61 29 74 42 1)4 65 1.82 17 62 30 75 43 IM 56 1.94 IS 63 81 77 44 98 67 2.04 19 64 82 79 45 1.00 68 2.1tt 20 (in 83 HI 4f l.Ufl 69 2.28 21 l 34 83 . 47 1.12 (it) 2.40 22 1)7 35 85 48 1.18 HI 2.45 23 C8 3ti 8 49 1.24 62 2.50 24 69 37 87 50 1.30 63 2.55 25 70 38 88 61 1.40 64 2.60 2tl 71 39 89 62 1.60 65 2.65 27 72 40 00 63 1.00 "For all classes of $2,000 benefit the above ratea are In all cases double, andlorallclaaeNuf tfjS.Ulu benefits tripled Kiwht class, now in operation. Claesea Olwll to in sure for 1.uuo, s.iiot) and rt;t(tm Male and Female from Vtlteen to Sixty. Flva yearn of as-e, of Kood moral habits, in trood health, hale, aud of Mound mind, irresteetive of creed, or race, may be come members. For other luforuiatiou, addreaa GKO. A. MAKK, Hec'y U. li. Mutual Aid Society, Lebanon, Pa. Ob, I). H. EAKLY, fimi. Ag't, Hsrrlsbnrg, Pa. I.. W. CltAUMKK, Ass't.ien. Ag't, Gen eral Agent's Cilice, corner of 9th Street, and Kail lload, LEBANON, PA. -AGENTS WANTED! 818m Nciv Pension Law. UNDEIt an act of Congress approved March 3, 1873, widows of olllcers who wore killed, or died of disease contracted In the service, are now entitled to iiOO per mouth tor each ot their chil dren. The guardian of a minor child of a soldier who heretofore only received 8.00 per month pension Is now entitled to 111), per moth. holdlors who receive Invalid pensions can now have their pensions Increased to any sum or rate between 18. and (18. per month. Soldiers who have lost their discharges can now obtain duplicates. Fathers and mothers who lost sons In the serv ice upon whom they were dependent tor support, can also obtain pensions. The undersigned having had over 10 years ex perience In the Claim agency business will attend promptly to claims under the above act. Call on or address LEWIS FOTTElt, Attorney for Claimants, New Bloomtleld, aotf . Perry Co., F a . i-,""-Tse Eds tzsmmsi & OUR BEAUTIFULLY ILLUhTHAItU CATALOGUES for 1874. of at Numbering 1 7S PAOS8, and containing! iTnniir uln.n.lh.s will Um malittd U UBUfcl. irM, Mf I1 Ul fieri, un rcKci i "'" - wroturnliiHMdor PUuU, w.U.flrfcord.; U imrrhntert of oir Book, titter fta VsJniii.T tnr Fro tit. or Practical Floriculture rM-j i Ml vi-k ttyrtiuLiL bu nuiU.i haV rlitir ruiriHM etitsrtd w our lUti, and wil charye. oMdimoA, 35 Cortlindt Street, New Torn. 60 8m SHAWLS AND BLANKETS for sale at Funic prices nt F. Mobtimeh's'
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