Australian Tales - Setis

all vind out whether her be's a fit wife for ye; doantie judge by her pretty
face merely, but just notice if her be's clean and tidy about her house, as
well as about her person; if her knows how to cook a poor man's dinner,
and how to wash and mend his clothes. Ye'll soon vind that out, if ye
keep your eyes open; and ye may tell, too, by the way her treats her
parents, and brothers, and sisters, if her be's a good-tempered, soundprincipled
girl. If her be's all that, and thee has the favour of feyther and
mother, pluck up courage and pop the question at once. Speak out like a
man. ‘Lass, I love thee,’ that's enough, if thee can't say any more; her
will understand thee, I'll engage; and if her doesn't answer thee all at
once — which it is not reasonable to expect — thee will know what her
means, by the look of her eyes. Of course I don't advise ye to get married
right off; I know ye have too much good sense, lads, to think of doing
that, until you have a comfortable home in prospect; take my word for it,
that sort of love which is in such a hurry, is too hot to last long. Get a
good home before thee get yer wife; but doantee go and spend all yer
money in filling yer house with jimcracks that you doant want; because a
little ready money may be handy for extras by and by. Then I advise each
one of ye to do as I did last week. Insure your life, so that if ye should
die, your wife would not be left destitute. Some pumpkin-headed
sawneys choose a wife with as little study and forethought as they would
buy a ready-made monkey-jacket. The fit beant of much consequence say
they: but they soon find out their mistake, and if they are misfitted with a
wife, they are as plaguey uneasy all their days, as a carthorse in chafing
harness. Look well, my lads, before you leap into matrimony; in justice
to yourselves, as well as in justice to the lasses of your choice: and if ye
all vind such a jewel of a wife as I've got, ye'll be nation lucky fellows:
that's all I've got to say.” Jonathan then sat down, amid the loud applause
and congratulations of the company.
* * * * *
Jonathan had taken the neglected farm adjoining Mr. Skimmer's; and,
by dint of hard labour and skill, turned it into a profitable market garden.
His home was the abode of health and happiness; of smiles, and kind
words; not a note of discord was ever heard within its walls. “He and his
house served the Lord,” humbly and faithfully, and they abode in peace.
Twelve months after their marriage, they were blessed with a little
daughter, to complete their joys; and in the overflow of his heart,
Jonathan wished to name it Sweet-brier. Phoebe, however, objected to
the “brier” in her baby, but by way of compromise, called the little
darling Eglantine, and their homestead Sweetbrier Lodge; in happy
remembrance of “Kissing Point.”
In a few years Mr. Skimmer died, when Jonathan let his market garden