A SHY COURTSHIP.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 14 September 1907, Page 4

A SHY COURTSHIP.

"If only I weieu't such a bashful, bluii deling kiud o' eriiturol habit,' Job Ford uad waiia-cd to blurt out on one occasion. "1 Hal's my trouble, Sally, and I'm lVared it alius wi.l be! Ton my word I sometimes wonders if 1 U over come, to the scratch of getting married at all, it's that awtward lor my tongue to utter the words that tries to be at the tiu of it."

To which Sally, who was of a pious turn oi mind, had sympathetically and with some embarrassment replied: "Anl may the Lord Almighty work miracles iou the tongues and unruly ui-nibers of all thein as is stricken with such an af diction."

This was the nearest appro;uk to a proposal tliat had ever passed bet wen Job Ford and Sally Trent "Vet they've knowed each other thirty year," the 'Doctor's old hou-ekecper had | remarked to him with tragic aolemuiiy. "Well a remembers once, when they w.i, both infants in lons clothes, liow thcy catches, sight of each other, and thcr- was that look in their ey. s as sari, -when we grows up—you and luc-weil get wedded together.' Ami ever since the dav, doctor, that you took Sally l>, ncath this roof as your little maid-ot all work ha, .lob com" once every week and h.id tea with Sally in this kitchen, and taken her out a-walking in the even

"Then vou think they ate really fond |„. r ,if oa-h other!" asked the doctor -I:, ■I ,i»n"t think it, doctor, I know? it. -i„. Onlv vou see, doctor, they've grow'd so ~,| u-ed to each other o' them a-thinking I -.. it of quit-Mil"- to themselves as hmv ,-ri tlievll "rt married some d:iy, that for -ti l„,',i- Job to ax Silly to l»- his «ifii in ■ teems like axing his own ma to be a \ ; mother to him. They are Loth that rou- ' tinal and matter-o'-faet, they don t know wi l„,w to start the proper courting." >o -Well -ome kind friend will have to '" 1, lp them into it," laughed the doctor la. knowingly. „ ~ ... The h-u-ckoopor was out for the after- •"■ noon. and -loli was having tea alone with •s.ll'v in 'h" doctor'- kitchen. ' -iVs awful norpicxing for the poor doe t,,r" bean Joli. nervou-ly stirring his " t .,' -If he wants a earriago-and pair. | u he mn-l hive it, that's certain, isn't Jt? (( -(If course." responded Sally. ~ "Tint that's not the awkward part. m ]!•- s.ivs he's been a thinking how fine lit (| • .'.,,.' ,- v i lin ] lf . ™es on hi- rounds, seated ' •,. "in 'front o''"him, dressed all in brass -And a white shiny coat on wet days ~ ' You'd look powerful nice, Job, and Id h fllv that proud of you." •That's not the perplexity: the doctor , •> =.v= that the coachman's hons" as he ; "built is a real big place, with 1 -,< ■ o' mom for a wife and half-n dozen , .. ■ ~.,-:'.i-e.l bairns "Ifd be a divfl'iil V, I-,;,., nf he kept dinning into :P ~.. ■«., hav.- a chap there who weren't ... """",' V'-o-M be." wh!=perod Sally. She don't it V" murmured Job in h's teacup. '•That it do. 'cos then you could be the Hji l-n-fhrnan m-t right ' rJM "\nl the doctor -its and ii the •*» Irflmaxieal point, Sallv, he »•<** the

place, ! cO3 lie can't afford to keep ail extry servant in The house. Seems a pity for you to leave liim, Sally, alter all these years, don't It?"

"Wh, that it do. Vou see, I've grow'd so used to tho doctor's ways and all that," Sally half apologised. "if only wc could work it out sootable jfor all parties." Job put his cup down and gazed hard into it as if trying desiperately to solve the problem there. | '■Seems nigh-most hopeless, don't it?'' jßiglied Sally, after an embarrassing pause. She made a pretence to clear the tea-things. I Suddenly Job's face turned an apoIpieetic red, and he stammered out, as if |he had unexpectedly received a wonderI fu.l inspiration: j '-Wait a bit, Sally, I've just thought o' somethink that might fix it up ripping for the doctor. Ilow'd it lie supposing jiniiul, we're only supposing" -lie turn-d a deeper scarlet—"supposing I went and married vou!"

"Lor', 1 never thought of (hit!" And SaTTy, with an equally blushing face, vanished mysteriously with her tray into the scullery.

"Of course we're only supposing it just for the sake of argument like," Job added hurriedly.

'•Well, wc might as well ponder it out!" Sally's voice rose from the depths of the sink.

"You see," Job's utterance was growing bolder across the space between the. kitchen and scullery. "Any ways, I don't know no other gels, except you, do I?" "Xo, I suppose you don't, when you come lo think o' it." The sentence was half lost amidst the rattling of cups and saucers.

"llesides, I don't believe no other gels would have me, would they? Such a blundering erittur-of habit as I am." "Xo, I don't expect they would." A spoon clattered on the scullery pavement. At thai moment the doctor entered the kitchen. "Anv news for me, Job?" he asked kindly". "Not exactly, doctor, only me and Sally has been doing a bit of argufying, which concerns yotl." "Indeed?" the doctor's eyes twinkled. "Well, doctor, you see you wants a married man as your coachman, with a wife: you wants to have me, and you rioosn't want to lose Snlly, so what more can wo do for you than settle up matrimony together?" The doctor tried hard to keep a straight face. "So, as T says to Sally." continued Job, "if we two go and set the weddingberls a ringing, the doctor will get all i>e wants, bless his heart!" "A capit.nl idea!" exn'aimcd the doc tor. "f wonder we never i nought of it liefore T-'ll go and get the banns put up at once." "The world's very small, and full of strange coincidentals," remarked -fob, as he followed Sally into the scullery. "Who ever would' have thought that vou an 1 I would end up with matrimony?" "It seems only consid'ratc like, to the doctor, don't it ?" ventured Sally. "1 suppose yon b'aint much disappointed, be vou, Sally?" hesitatingly "Oh. no. I can't say as 1 objects!' And it don't trouble you, neither, do it, Job? "Lor', no!" He gazed at her admiring ly. "I say, Sally, approaching her shamefacedly, "Folks say when you're going to get married that you ought to kiss'"each "other, just lo show you're re spectable sweethearts; shall us follow the fashion?" "I alius holds with doing things decently and in'order." asquiesred Sally, holding up her crimson face to his lips. "1 S;IV. hu'V about -niotiirr on Ve.l?" There was evident relish in his voice. "We'll have a lot on cm now we've once begun, won't me?" "I don't see why not!''