136 THE FOGY DAYS AND NOW; 



most importance to him, his present crops or the happiness of 

 his youngest daughter ; this got him, and he went. Now I 

 had to talk to the old lady, and managed to find her in the 

 parlor early next morning, so brought the question to bear at 

 once ; but she said she wanted her dausjhter to learn more 

 about the responsibilities of housekeeping before she married. 

 I told her I had an old mother where I lived, who was the best 

 in the world about that. She then remarked very positively 

 that her daughter was too young to marry ; but I was posted 

 and asked the old lady how old she was when she married' 

 and this was a sockdolager. Then, as a concluding remark, she 

 was not willing to give her daughter up ; but I spiritedly told 

 her that was exactly my fix, that I'd die before I'd give her 

 up ; then the old lady fled, and I never did get her consent. 



But I took the old gentleman home with me, and he and my 

 parents consulted together over the matter, and after the 

 caucus had been held I was summoned to the parlor. My 

 father was the speaker ; he stated that the matter had been 

 fully discussed between them and had been decided in my 

 favor, but that they had all agreed that it was best to postpone 

 the marriage for two years longer and allow the young lady 

 an opportunity to finish her education ; then I kicked, kicked 

 the tea overboard. I took exactly the position the confed- 

 eracy took towai'd the federal government, seceeded^ positively 

 refused to accept the amendment, called for the previous 

 question, and, like TomReid, counted the votes all my own 

 way. I firmly stated to my seniors that the time was irre- 

 vocably "sot,"and we were of the opinion that as we were the 

 parties mostly interested that our decision was a matter of 

 much consideration, and we carried out our programme. The 

 dear old folks against whom I rebelled have long since gone to 



