HOW PETER PALMER GOT HIS WIFE;

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2486, 16 June 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

HOW PETER PALMER GOT HIS WIFE;

Or, THE DIFFICULTIES OF OBTAINING A PARTNER IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE COLONY. * CHAPTER I. BAD BREAD. " Therk, there, tho bread is bad again, what shall we do;'' thus said Peter Palmer to his brother, Robert: spoiled again after all my trouble in trying to mako it right, I'm euro I followed Mrs Kelly's directions." " Well, well," said tho other, "it's as heavy as lead, whether you followed thorn or not, the question is what are wo to have for toa. I can'c eat that stuff, the last gave me indigestion for a week." " I suppose I shall In.ve to boil some potatoes" said Bob ruefully, "there's nothing, else to bo had in this wretched hole, and not mnny of them either, I'm thinking, let mo see, six left;, three spuds each, not much for a hungry man. I shall have to go to the Maori settlement in the morning for some for breakfast." Now while Bob Palmer is cooking his frugal meal, I must give my readers a short description of the brothers Peter and Robert Palmer who bad come to seek their fortunes in Now Zealand, being what are termed " greculiorns " and very anxious to own a farm they were easily takeu in, mi-fortun-.it.ely too"; they got into tho clutches of iiu 11 nscriipious lurid agent, who had, a barren farm in an out. of the way district on his hands for Homo time, hiivinsr taken it as a bad debt at Is.'in acre, lie now saw u chance of getting rid of it to tho newly arrived brothers. " Dirt cheap sir, flirt cheap at £1 an acre, good land, rising neighbourhood, store, post-office, and mission statum, ten miles oil."

"That is rather far away, is it not;' said the elder Palmer (Peter).

" Fiir off, no, no, my dear sir, why in tho colony no one thinks anything of riding 20 or 25 milc.s before breakfast, on a good horse you go fifteen miles au hour, and its fine exercise too."

"But wo can't ride," mildly remarked Robert.

"No, T;ut wo can soon luarn," said Petei , , and tha sooner tho better. Finally tho bargain, or swiudle wps completed, and after about a month in Auckland'the two .started off for their new home taking all the paraphernalia required for life in tho bush and travelled in a one horse cart. It took them a week to reach their farm ; there were no white people nearer than 10 miles. One or two small native settlements lay within a few miles of tin; IPalmer'a farm, and there they occasionally got ii supply of potatoes and kumoras. All their stores had to be carried cm horseback 10 miles, and instead of a pleasant rido before breakfast as had been represented by the agent, it proved a day's journey, the road or track being over two high hills and a river to ford. Tho brothers took it turn about once a month to go for provisions, letters and papers, and Mrs Kolly, the storekeeper's wife, to whom Bob had confided his troubles about his bad bread, had {riven him a recipe for making soda bread, and Bob bought the requisite materials for .«o doing , , but try as ho would it was always heavy as lend, till he was iu despair about it. Peter and his brother lived in tho primitive style of the country settlers 25 years ago, a nikau whare, slab chimney, sitting-room, bedroom and kitchen all in one, and they worked early and late to clear tho open land of tho fern and ti-tree, so as to bo able to plough it and grow their own wheat and potatoes, which was the height of their ambition. They had been about four months on tho farm at tho time our story begins. The potatoes now being cooked the two sit down to their f rubral meal of three murphieseach and sodden bread, the first were well enough but they were soon devoured and feeling far from being satisfied it only seemed to have made them more hungry, so they made an attempt to eat the bread.

" Can't manage it Bob," said Peter. " Sooner go hungry than eat that stuff, let's have a smoke to finish up with. Tell you what it is,"he oontioued after ho had smoked in silence for about ten minutes, I cuu't stand this style of living , any longer, we must set a cook, or we'll die of starvation or indigestion." " What's to be done ?" said tlio other, " wherc's. a cook to be had in this wilderness," " Well," said Peter slowly, "I've made up my mind, yea and I'll do it to, I' go and get a wife." " A wife!" cried Bob, " where, and who—one of the dusky damsels from the Maori settlement, eh ?" ''No said lha other, "but I'll go over to the Rev. Mr Brown's mission station, and ask for ono of the Halttaster girls, I've been tuU they have beeu brought up like English giils, and are taught to cook, wash, and few. You may bo sure one of them will bo only too glad of an offer of marriage." " Peter, are you mad, talking about beinar married that way. In the first place you don't know any of the girls, and even if you did none of thorn might have you, besides, I have otten heard you say you would only marry for love." '" Bother the love, Bob I I promise to be kiud to ray wife. Anyway we'll say nothing about love, it's someone to make good bread, not make love, I want, though perhaps the love may come afterwards." "Or never at all," said Bob, "and how you will feel then.' " Not so starved a* I do now, anyhow," said his brother. " Ono can live on good bread, but I defy a man to live on love, that's only the bosh you read in novels." "Well," said Bob, "I should like to be sure of both first."

" I've made up my mind," said Peter doggedly. " We can build another room for yon, and when you get your nioals properly cooked, and things done for you, you'll bless the day I got married.'' " If you cm put up with a wife, I suppose I Oiin put up with a sister-in-law," said Peter; '' I'll say no more, providing , you don't insist ou me having cine of the srirls, too, for when I marry I mean to fall in love in the proper orthodox fashion, and do my courting beforehand. "All right, old fellow," said Peter, cheerfully; " then it's settled. I shall start on Monday for the Mission Station.

Now, suppose we go to bed." Hβ was inwardly relieved that Bob had so quietly given ia to his proposal tho' he was very detei mined. Whoa he had made up hie mind to a thing , he would not like to have driven hia brother away, for he was*, warmly attached to him. Bob lay awake" for some time after he went to bed, wondering if it could bo possible that his brother was in earnest. Knowing him to carry out anything he made up hie mind to, aadnot being given to joking ho began to fear Peter meant what he said. Woll, if I don't like tho girl I'll bavo to clear out, that's all. Bother that bad bread. I believe that's what put this idea into his head. I'll got up early to-raorrow and try some again, and thus thinking he fell asleep. Monday came and nothing more hail been said about Peter's intended journey, and Bob was congratulating himself that his brother had thought better of his idea of a wife, but in this he was mistaken, for on saying to him, "It promises to be a fine day, Peter, shall we go and burn up that ti-tree," he replied, "You can if you like, Bob, I'm going wife-hunting. Don't expect me back until Saturday, and pehaps I'll have some news for you by theu." "Surely jrou don't mean to bring a wife back with you," said Bob aghast, " and nothing scarcely for her." " Oh, no," said Peter, laughing at his brothers dismayed countenance, " but I may want a week to find her and do the courting if any is required," he added. " You seem very confident of success," returned Bob. " Confident, yes. I know I'm too good a bait not to be taken at once." " Well," returned his brother, "Ihope all will be right, so good-bye, you'll be gone before I get back to dinner." " Yes," said Peter, "I will, so goodbye old fellow, and take care of yourself till I come back." CHAPTER 11. MARY. Bob having gone to his work Peter set in earnest to got ready, polished his boots and rummaged a solitary white shirt out from the bottom of his hox and with his Sunday clothes on looked quite the beau as ho mounted hia horee and rode off. He was not by any means so good looking as Bob who had dirk hnir and eyes and was considered rather handsome, while Peter Irirl vorj' red hair, pale blue eyes, and rather a large nose and mouth, but still on the present ocr;a:-ion lie looked very pas»iibl<\ Ho arrived at his destination early in the overling and on enquiry found that Mr Brown would not be in till late, but hi-! wife invited him to wait and ftay the night, an offer that ho p.iarnrly accepted. Mr Brown nrrivfid to after the meal was over. Peter asked him if he could ltnvo a few word-* in private with him, and was accordingly invited into the study.

""Well, Mr P:ilm..|\" said his host affably, •' and what, icm I do for you." " I cams to ask you, sir, that is I mean," and hero he began to stammer hopelessly, and got very red. " I—l— want, sir, that is I think, I mean I want a wife."

" You lhink you mean you want a wiffi," said Mr Brown, trying not to lausrh, " but you must really tell me what you moan before I c:ui help you," inwardly thinking that the young man was not quite right in his head. " Oh, but I really mean it, sir," said Peter, recovering his temporary confusion, " I really do mean that. I have come to you iu que*t of a wife, that is if any of vour school girls nre fit to be married."

"Yes," said Mr Brown, " there are two old enough, and if either of them will have you, I will offer no objection, as I havo always hoard a good character of you and your brother, though wo have not met before, but I don't hold out hopes that you will bo successful, as none of the gills know you. "That does not matter," said Peter, confidently. "If I can only sec one I like, and you inform her of ray offer, I can manage the re«t." " Very good," said Mrsß., " to-morrow you can come into the schoolroom at 9 o'clock with me, and you will have an opportunity of seeing the two girls, who will be giving , the children a singing lesson."

" Thai will ho just the thing, sir. You might sMy I f huuld like to heir them sing , (whi.;h I should very much)." " Yea, I can ilo that," said Mrs Brown, so it was settled. The next morning Peter was impatient for the .school hour to come. Mr B. was the schoolmaster as well as the minister, as the master had just left, and his place had not yet been supplied. A few minutes to 9 o'clock Mr Brown entered, and asked Peter to come with him to the schoolroom, which was close to the house. As they entered the children rose to their feet and said in good English, '' Good morning, sir." " Good morning, children," eaid the master, " this gentleman would like to hoar the children giving their singing lesson, Mary," he said, addressing the tallest of two girls who stood at a small table, books iu hand, ready to begin when the master had opened the school with prayer. "Very well, sir," said Mary, smiling. " That's my wife," thought Peter, as after a few minutes he watched her, putting the children through their exercise (and very sweetly and correctly they sang), Anyone who has been into the native schools have generally remarked how quick the children are at learning singing.) The lesson over, Peter went up to Mary, and told her how the children sang very nicely, and it had been a pleasure to him to hear them, though, to tell the truth, he was thinking rather more of Mary than the singing. When Mr Brown came out, Peter told him he would like to have Mary, so he said he would tell her that evening, which he accordingly did. After a little demur, Peter beiuc; a perfect stranger to her, she said she did not object to be married. "Well, I'll tell Mr Palmer so then," said Mr Brown. "Yes, sir," said Mary, though a little hesitatingly. On Peter being informed of what Mary had sain, ho was quite satisfied. I daresay she feels a little shy, just at first, having had such an unexpected good offer. I knew the girl would only be too glad of the oliance, (though Bobwnsof a different opinion), but I flatter myself that 1 know a little what womeu are; pretend they don't want to bo married, but just give them a chance and see how sotou they snap up the first man that offers, and Mary is the same no doubt, as the rest of her sex.

Thus mused the vain youth, but his pride was doomed to fall, as will be seen later o:i.

Nnxfc day Pot.cv asked Mary to take a walk with him, as he wished to havo a quiet talk with her, so I think sho consented, on condition Unit her little sister Annie should come too, for as i-he whispered to her, " I'm a little afraid Mr P. might want to kiss me, and ho won't if you are by," but fhe need not have had any foars on that score, for Peter looked ou it iis a business transaction. Hβ wiinted a wife to keep house for him, and hero whs a girl apparently willing to bo that wife, anil ho had no present intention or desire of doing , :>ny love-making. He told Mary what ho was going to do for her, and tried to make it appear what a favour ho was conferring on her, all of which Mary intoned to without remark,

" and now, my dear girl," said Peter, " I want to ask you a few questions." " Can you make bread." "Yes I can," replied Mary. "And wash and sew," said Peter. " Yes," she said laughing, "lean do both. I suppose that is what you want me for. "Yes," he said," "it is. You see my brother and I live by ourselves, and we can't manage these things, so you are just the kind of a wife I want." " Oh, indeed !" said Mary, not much relishing her lover's manner of wooing. " I'll go to town nuxt week and get you a new dress and things, then in a month I'll come back to be married ; you can be ready to by then I hope. ' "I suppose I can," said Mary. Peter set off the next day for home. He wanted to say good-bye to Mary, but she was nowhere to be found. J 1 Have you made it all right with her tlo yon think," said Mr Brown, a little wondering at Mary's absence. "Right, oh yes! Sht: was only too glad of tho chance. I have promised to send her a wedding dress, and here is £5 for anything else that she may want. I should like a good big cake Mrs Brown, if it can be managed." " Yes," said Mrs Brown; "I will attend to that.' " Thank you," said Peter ; " I shall be back in a month from now, and I hope Mary will be ready, and the cake too, he added, in an undertone, I haven t tasted any for six months or more), I do believe said Mrs Brown to her husband that evening that Mr Palmer thinks all will be right at his wedding, if there is only a good big cake." ''He made a point of that anyway" said Mr Brown. " I half wonder at Mary giving in so quietly to be married, ,loe Palmer evidently only wants her as a convenience, there's no love in the matter whatever." " I have my doubts," said Mrs Brown, " if it will ever come to be a wedding, but time will tell. The man is right enough if lie only was not so conceited, this kind of courting wou'd not suit most girla, I'm sure." A fortnight passes away, when there arrives a large parcel for Miss Mary Barker, and a note for Mrs Brown. " Will you give the parcel to Mary, he said, iu his letter, and tell her I hope she will like her dress and shawl." " Mary," said Mrs Brown, " Here's a parcel of things Mr Palmer has sent you, " Thank you ma'am," said Mary," I will open it now if you will wait. The parcel was opened, and Mrs B. could hardly refrain from laughing, as she saw the things. A bright red dress, a flaming red, blue and yellow shawl. Some white satin ribbon, and a pair of whito cotton gloves. " I suppose he thought ho would get a dress as near the colour of his hair as he could," said Mary, disdainfully tossing the articles on to a shelf, I'll never wear one of them."

" The dress won't look so bad made up Mary, especially if you put some bows of this nice ribbon to it, said Mrs Brown in a conciliatory manner.

All Peter had thought of was bright colours, they please Maoris, so I daresay Mary likes gay things, he also had a hazy idea that white satin ribbon aud white gloves were worn at weddings—the parcel lay on Mary's shelf, and she never so much as looked at it agaiu, she said nothing to Mr or Mrs Brown, but she had pretty •well settled in her own mind that she would not marry Peter, and her companions delighted in teasing her about her red-headed lover who only wanted her to wash his clothes, aud cook for him, that by the end of the mouth Mary hated the sound of his name—they used to call her "Peter's conk" and " Peter's washerwoman," till slio vowed she would never be anything to him, and (the felt a mischievous delight at seeing , tho cako made and other preparations for tho wedding. " I'll lot him see I'm not going to be his cook. Ho evidently thinks he's such a bargain one ought to bo delighted to got. him. I did not like him much at first, but now I almost hato him,"

Peter had written to say that ho and his brother would bo at Mr Brown'e on tho Wednesday, and fixed the wedding for tho next day. The needful additions had been made to the whare, and a few little articles of furnituro added.

" We'll put up with this for the present," said Peter; " next year we musl get a better h'ju. u e."

" Do you think your wife will be satis iied with this," said Bob.

" Satisfied ! yes; sho's only too glad to get rno, I can tell you. She never inquired about tho house."

" Or anything else," thought Bob, for ho had asked Peter several questions about Mary, and had always jyot the same answer—"Oh! I never told her," or " She never asked mo." So Bob was very anxious to soe tho girl who had agreed to marry his brother on so short an acquaintance, and evidently know little about his affairs.

{To be Cvi'linnerl.)