The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1830-11-13

c,ous youth. He Was ninetesn years Of
oae. had been IN the practices Of shaving
for above six months, OF chewing tobacco
for above two years. Considering Theses
early advances in gentlemany acquire
ments. Barnabas began to think Il Was
high time to show some particularly atten-
ton to the softer sex--or, m his own ian~
guage, to 60 . counting.
He had succeeded to his hearts con-
tent in the weekly operation Of scrap'ng
his chin--and well he might, for there
was no obstacle in the way-and as It .RH-
swersd equally well, and was much the
safer mode, he Usually preferred shaving
with the back Of the razor. In chewing
TOBACCO he found it rather more difficult
to succeed, for the nauseating effect OF the
drug made him wish more than once ne
had never acquired the accomplishment;
but perseverance overcarne every difficult :
ty, and at the d,te of~ur story, he could
take in at one quid the full halt OF three
penny plug. As for the accomplishments
of swearing, having natural turn that
way he succeeded without the least diffis
Guilty.
But it is one thing to be q proficient in
these every day matters, and another to
come off with flying colours in the grand
affair of courting. Besides i generally
so happens, that In proportion tothe diiii~
Guilty Of success, is the disgrace Of defeat
the SCOTS and jeers of the young men,
and the aversion and contempt of the
young women. $50
1t Is not however so much on account
| Of the ultimate consequences as il regards
obtaining wife, as on account ofthe pre-.
sent modification attending it that de-
feat is usually dreaded. Young men in
this republican country take the liberty Of
going a courting oftentimes merely for
the sake of courting; and some country
coxcomhs aro known to boast of having
STAYED with every gal'' in the town
where they reside-which means nothing
more than that they have ssat up alone
with them from some nine or ten o'clock
at night to three or foui in the morning.
1t was to CRAFTY this sort of staying
vanity, that Barnabas Butterfeld resolved
on going courting. There being no
! love in the case, Il was not so much
matter of consequence with whom he
should stay as to be able to say that he
had stayed with some one. OF course he
would be likely to select some one for his
first essay, with whom he thought the
chance of success the most promising.
i. Such one, in the opinion of Barnabas,
was Patty Keeler. He judged by the
general freedom of her manners. Patty
was gay, laughing, romping lass Of sew
, enteen-ful of frolic and fun, ready for
game at snow-balling, or sliding on the
ice, with the youngsters-and, ever as
. her humour happened to lead her, dispos.
, ed to give kiss or a boaxed- ear to for
, ward swains.
Fl But to be gay and free and frolicksome,
was one thing, and to be easily "stayed
with,n was another. And Barnabas But
, terfield reckoned without his host, when
/ he thought of achieving an easy victory
! with Patty Keeler Had he been better
, acquainted with the caprices of the little
. god Cupid, he might have known that the
; most forward seeming lass is ofentimes
less easily wooed, and won, than the bash
ful and demure damsel, in whose mouth
you would verify suppose lump of snow
would not melt
Be this as II may, Barnabas Butter
!, field resolved to go a courting to Patty
: Kceler. He was strengthened at his re-
: solution, by meeting her at church, and
: observing that she laughed outright, as
n she saw HIM after the sermon holding tip
: one side ofthe meeting house. That very
D Sunday night having put upon his boots
: an extra coat ofblackball made from the
: darkest side ofthe great iron pot-and
having rubbed his hair over with the spoils
/, of newly caught mink, to give Il the n
q greeable smell of the musk--he sat out
, for neighbor Keeler's on this most impor-
! tant expedition.
When he urrised, Patty had just done
!, milking. He saw het coming from the
! Ibarn with two brlming pals, and thought
" It would be no detriment 10 his suit to
meet her half way and offer his services
at carrying the milk. But she prevented
his ofIet by saying as soon as she beheld
hini--" Barney, how glad ] am to see
vou-roh have come Just in time to carry
in this milk for the. Oh nv! how tired /