A hunter's life. 351 



trying to persuade her mother to become my housekeeper ; 

 that I wanted a wife, and would like to secure her mother ; 

 and that I thought I should do so some day or other. She 

 was very angry, and left us in short order. We kept on 

 with our discourse for a short time, when I left the house, 

 and engaged boarding in another tavern ; after which I 

 could only see my affianced wife when I passed up or down 

 the street, while she was at the door, or with some others 

 in the entry. 



Thus matters continued until the following summer, 

 when I took it in my head to visit the little widow again, 

 though I had nearly fifty miles to travel to Cumberland. 

 When I arrived at the place, I learned that the landlord 

 and his lady had gone on a long journey. This suited my 

 purpose exactly ; and as the little widow was in full charge 

 of the whole house, we had a pleasant opportunity to pre- 

 pare plans for our marriage. 



We knew full well that we should meet with the fiercest 

 opposition from her son-in-law and daughter ; and the pas- 

 tor of the church had been made to believe that Mrs. 

 Smith's husband was still living in the West. Objection 

 being made on that ground, I was told by the clergyman 

 that I should never speak to her again on the subject ; and 

 she was placed under a like restriction. Subsequently she 

 removed from Cumberland to the eastern part of Pennsyl- 

 vania, and I visited the western part of Virginia. 



I had a friend living in Natchez, where it was said that 

 John Smith, her husband, was still living ; and being in a 

 small county town in Western Virginia, and seeing letters 

 mailed for Natchez, I went to my lodgings, sat down, and 

 wrote to my friend in that town, to make inquiries for me 

 regarding the whereabouts of John Smith, and to ascer- 

 tain whether he was dead or alive. My friend wrote me, 

 in answer, that he was dead, beyond any possible doubt. 

 Still, the prejudice was so strongly rooted, that the minis- 



