[_From the lips of an Octogenarian_.]
Won by the charms
Of goodness irresistible.
_Thomson_.
"You see, ma'am," said the old man, "my mother died when I was twelve
years old. About that time old Mr. C---- came down, and set up for a
great _marchant_. Well, his wife was sick, and she sent to ----, where
she came from, for a widow-woman to come and take care of her. This
widow-woman had three children. Her husband, had been a sea-faring
man, and he was _wracked_ and lost down there at Halifax,--and left
his wife with nothing at all, and these three children to take care
of."
"Well, my daddy, ma'am, fell in with her, some how or other, and
married her. She was a nice woman--as good a mother as ever was,--and
had great _larning_, and knew how to do every thing,--only she didn't
know _nothing_ about country-work, you see. Well, her oldest daughter
came down, (for my dad had agreed to take one of the children,) and
she was a nice _gal_; and a while after the boy came down. Well, there
was nothing said; we all worked along; and the daughter she got
married--married Mr. H----, (you know his folks?--) he broke his neck
afterwards, falling from his horse."
"Well, a while after this tother daughter came down. Debby was
dreadful plain!--I thought she was _dreadful plain!!_--but she was a
nice _gal_--smart, working--and good to every body. You see, there
were four young children of the second crop, and they had got ragged;
and Debby spun, and wove, and clothed, and mended them up. Well, she
went back,--but they couldn't live without her, and sent for her
again, and so she came. She took care of every thing--saw to my
things, and had them all in order,--and every thing comfortable for me
in the winter, when I went in the woods,--but I thought nothing, no
more than if she'd been my sister."
"Well, by this time I was a youngish man; and in my day, the young
folks had a sort of a frolic every night. I used to go,--and sometimes
went home with one _gal_, sometimes with another,--but never thought
of Debby. Well, there was a Mr. ---- came to see her, but she wouldn't
have nothing to say to him; and after that, one came from the
Shoals--a rich man's son; his father gave him a complete new vessel,
and every thing to load her; but Debby wouldn't have nothing to do
with him _nother_. _Then I wasn't worth so much as this stick!_--Well,
I wondered, and so I says to mother, 'Mother, what's the reason Debby
wont take this man?--she'll never better herself!'--'Don't you know,
John?' says mother. 'No.' So I says to Debby--'Why don't you have him,
Debby?' 'Because,' says Debby, says she, 'if I can't have the one I
want, I wont have nobody!'"
"Well, I thought nothing,--but went on, frolicking here, and
frolicking there, till one night as I was going home, just towards
day, with one of my mates, says I, 'Tom,' says I, 'I wont go to
another frolic these two months! If I do, I'll give you a
dollar!'--'You?' says he--'you'll go afore two nights!' 'Well, you'll
see,' says I.--Well, I stayed at home _steady_; and after a while says
father, says he to mother, 'Suzy,' says he, (for that was the way he
always spoke to her--) 'Suzy,' says he, 'I guess John has got tired of
raking about so,--and I'm glad of it.' 'I hope he has,' says mother."
"Well, one day we were all sitting at table,--mother _sot_ there,--and
father _sot there_,--and the hired man next him,--(for we had a hired
man, and hired _gal_,) and Debby was next to mother, and the _gal_
next, and I between the hired man and hired _gal_. Well, mother was
joking the hired man and _gal_,--(she was a great hand to joke,) and I
cast an eye at Debby, and I thought, 'I never see any body alter as
you have, Debby!'--She looked handsome!--Well, Debby was weaving up
stairs; and I was mowing down by the well, close by the house; and I
felt kind of uneasy, and made an excuse to go in for a drink of water.
Well, I went in;--and I went up stairs, and into tother chamber--not
the one where Debby was weaving,--(for I was kind of bashful, you
see,--) and then I went in where Debby was--but said nothing,--for I
had never laid the weight of my finger on the _gal_ in my life. At
last, 'Debby,' says I, 'what sort of a weaver are you, Debby?' 'O, I
guess I can get off as many yards as any body,' says she; 'and I want
to get my web out, to go up on the hill to sister's, this afternoon.'
'Well,' says I, 'tell her to have something nice, for I shall be up
there.' 'We shan't see you there, I guess,' says Debby. 'You will
though,' says I; 'see if you don't!' Father had a great pasture on the
hill,--a kind of farm like, (for my father was a rich man!--) so just
afore night up I goes, and they had every thing in order. So a while
after supper I says to Debby, 'Debby, 'tis time for us to go, for
'twill be milking-time, by the time we get home.' So we went right
down across,--and on the way we talked the business over. I married
her--and a better wife never wore shoe-leather!"