The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1845-04-03
ALMOST AN ELOPEMENT.

"John," said we in the course Of cOnyer
sation with him. "why don't you &C
mrrrlcd and settle down somewhere"
Get married and settle down, you said,
John repeated with emphasis.
eyes"
81 came very near settling dorm with
out getting married, awhile ago."
BLOWS that"
"No mat,er-l don't like to tell secrets
to an editor"
"But in confidence, you know, Join
Come, out with it,"
"Wont you tell"
ono"
"Now know you will; but pledge me
thrt my name shall not 60 with it, and you
shall have the story, and may tell it a:
mucL as you please"
We pledged our sacred honor, and John
threw away his cigar aud commenced.
Here same two or three months ago,
happened into one of the preltieSt villages
you ever set your eyes upon--"
'What was It's name?
That's my concern, and I'll manage it
without your assistance. 1t was indeed Il
beautiful village, with pretty gardens, pretty
fences, pretty every thing-and among 9TH
er things pretty momcn The latter, you
know. | naturally take liking to; and Of
course ] was not dlspleasod when a kind
of fifteenth cousin, whom / called on dn-
ring short stay thereon business strict.
y-invited me TO make his house my
home for fortnight or so, while | went
over the sporting grounds in the neigh
borhood, and killed all the beasts, birds
and witches that ran wild there.-lIang
me if ! did'n, thank the fellow with ful
heart; and | removed my little bundle Of
clothes and ether rubbish to his house in
double quick time. Well, | had been there
three or four days, and had been cunning
every day without even killing a woodpeck-
er or trec-toad, when one day, in crossing
a piece of open ground, surrounded entire
ly with woods, | discovered, not a little to
my surprise, the pretliesi girl | had ever
seen in my whole life. From her appear
ance, | judged at once she had lost her
way, and prepared myself Immediately to
perform 4 piece oftrue galIantry, So walk
ing straight, up to her, | communicated
my suspicious, very politely, and inquired
if | could render any assistance.
She replied iha, she had lost her way
in attempting TO get through the wood by
an obscure path, and would be very much
obliged if | led her into the main road.
or pointed ont to her the direction in
which it lay. Away we started together.
On way the we chal,ed about everything
We could think Of, except her pretty self,
which was thinking Of continually, for
she WAS as sociabIe as an old schoo-mae.
and even told ne her name, the name Of
her father, and the names of half a dozen
brothers and sisters whom had never seen
aud did not care to see. When we got in.
to the road she pointed out her fathers
house, which was in sight, and was going
to thank me for my services but | stopped
her by saying that it would be very little
cut of my way to see her home, and |
would prefer to do so. All the way we
chattcd and laughed and told stories, and
even Jokes, and by the time we parted a,
the gate of old Deacon BIS farm
house, could have sworn that we were
old acquainianccs, left her, Hoping to
see her again sometime and she left me,
hoping 70 learn ofmy safe arrival at home.
TIE next Sabbath met at church-the
next Monday evening at a village party,
ana escorted her home-thc next Friday |
called on her 'accideniIy'-thc next Sun
day evening by permission-in two weeks
| was in oye-in three had told my
Ioye'-and in four l was on the move to
the biggest fool that ever grew out Of nat
uraI philosophy. The fourth time she look
ed very grave, hung down her head, sighed,
and even, miStrustcd, shed tears. Shall
ask the consent of your father!' said | af.
ter waiting half an hour for an answer to
the question on which hung my hopes.
'Tha, would never do she answered with
assign; he would not consent to my mar
riage with you; | knOw he would not
| misrusted from this that she herself
had preached the subject to the Deacon,
aud Lad got a flat refusal OF his consent to
the match. walked home that evening
in much distress, passed restless night at
my Cousins house, and rose the next morn
ING with my head full off pains and lorebo-
dlngs. My cousin rallied me on my dull
appearance, and determined at once to
tell him the secret of my troubles and
ask his advice. | accordingly accomPa-
MED him to his little grocery, and
when there, unravelled the whole matter
as to a brother. That Ellen B. said
he, when had concluded, is the greatest
coquett in the country, or any country
in the world, and | advise you to keep
your love matters yourself, when You
are in her company. I'll had mistrusted
that you were at al! tead,r, should have
told YOU of this before, but as it turns out
advise YOU now to let her alone. | did
not make any reply, but really thought
my cousin the biggest fool in Chrlsten-
dom. Had she not kept my company
ond said soft things to me-had blushed,
and greyed and sighed, when popped
the question for the fourth time?
The next evening called on Ellen
arain-she was alone, and seemed twice
as beautiful as ever. For the fifth time,