A hunter's life. 349 



An old Yankee neighbor of mine then remarked, "A 

 widow, I suppose?" to which she replied that she was-, 

 when he presently whispered to me, " That's your chance. 

 Browning." 



As I had made up ray mind to procure a wife as soon as 

 I could suit myself, I began to look at her with more inte- 

 rest than I had before taken, and discovered that she un- 

 derstood all about housekeeping. Being urged on by my 

 Yankee neighbor to seek an interview with her, I watched 

 my opportunity ; and when I found her in the ladies' par- 

 lor, in a rocking-chair, I took the liberty to walk in, offer- 

 ing as my apology that the bar-room had become so noisy 

 that I had ventured to come in there in hopes of escaping 

 the disagreeable noise ; and, if I was not trespassing, I 

 would like very much to spend a little time in peace in her 

 company. 



She said there was nothing amiss in my doing so ; that, 

 having just got through with the business of the kitchen, 

 she had left the girls to clear up the things, and being 

 tired, had seated herself there to rest a while. 



I remained perhaps an hour with her, and, being pleased 

 with her manners, continued my visits to that room each 

 night, as my business engagements permitted. She seemed 

 to be interested in my company, and to make me equally 

 so with hers. 



Matters went on in this way for three or four days, when 

 I was compelled to leave for the lower part of the county ; 

 and after the assessments were made, we hired a compe- 

 tent clerk to make out our books for the Levy Court ; 

 after which I went home. Subsequently, being summoned 

 on the jury, I felt somewhat more willing to attend, on 

 account of my little widow ; and when the time came, and 

 my name was called, I was not missing. I took lodgings 

 at the same place, of course, with a full purpose of blow- 

 ing up the old coal with Mrs. Mary M. Smith, which was 

 30 



