Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1879 — Miss Julia Smith’s “Courtin’.” [ARTICLE]

Miss Julia Smith’s “Courtin’.”

The “ courtin’ ” of Miss Julia Smith, of Glastonbury, Conn., began in a literary correspondence. “Last summer,” said the venerable bridegroom at the wedding reoeption, “ when I read that her sister had departed, I wanted to express my sympathy in some way, but knew not now to do it exactly, but finally sent her a volume of my poems, having written on the margin, ‘ With deep sympathies of the author.’ Thereupon she sent me a pamphlet, entitled ‘Abbjr Smith and Her Cows.’ On the c6ver of that pamphlet I saw an advertisement saying that Miss Julia Smith, unaided, had translated the entire Bible, and that it was fox sale at Hartford. I immediately sent for it, and found that it was unlike the usual version, or King James’ Bible, as it is called. I then began reviewing the Bible, and the first thing that frtofiSHT Wt£stirtrtetfSc^— HOW different they were from those in the common version. I then wrote to the translator, and she .replied. Then I wrote again and got another reply; and finally J wrote to her that such a large book the Bible could not be foue over by correspondence, and said would like to visit her Sho then

cordially and frankly irfvited me to come. I came, and we chatted together. I think on the first visit we chatted three hours at one sitting. I did not expect to call again. And at last, when I got ready with iny sachet in my hand to walk down to take the stage, l found a carriage at the door. I asked her who was to, drive? She said, * I must, as you would not know to go.’ From that time I found her acquaintance so pleasant that I asked leave to call again. She thought it not advisable to marry at all; that she had better wend her way through the remainder of her life alone. But at last 1 convinced her that 1 was a man of honor and somewhat of a scholar, and not a tramp; and so she iinally said: • Upon the whole, if, wo can live happier together, I don’t know why wc should not. The houseis large enough for both ofus.’ And so she put the case into my hands, and, by the help of Dr. Scudder, she is my wife.” An enormous cake was presented to the married pair by divers friends, who ornamented it with this genial inscription: “ Goidl wishes and toy to the new married pair, M im J ill in. the brare and A. l’arlcer. Esq.”