The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1845-02-28


despondehcy. 1t seemed that all the world
knew the object of his visit, and had come
to gaze upon his defeat. Though he had
travelled the same road almost every evening
for the last year, without deigning thought
to those whom he might meet or pass on the
way,yet now as the ploughmen came whistling
from their fields, he several times detected his
legs bearing his recreant heart to place of
seclusion. But the Rubicon was past-there
was no retreatng with honor
'None but the brave deserve the fair''
exclaimed Sam; and summoning all his re-
solution he placed himself right before the
door Of old Surley'S house; when, o crackey
o Jehoiakim! o blood and wounds there
stood old Surley, old mother Surley, and all
the young Surleys gazing right at him with
looks surley enough to have frightened old
Nicholas himself, had he occupied Sans
place, which he most devoutly wished was
the case. The world swung blind and black
ening around him, and all for the moment
seemed to be lost. But mortal man should
never despair, for just then he cast mad
dened glance at the broad side of the house,
And she who was his destiny came back,
And thrust herself between him and'' madness.
AT window in the second story sat Miss
Susan, with Heaven of smiles playing on
her face, and oceans of beauty swimming
in her eyes. o how few! how passing few
are the moments Of ecstatic pleasure such
as Sam then reveled in that are allotted TO
mortal man in this sublunary world 1t
would be worse than useless 10 attompt
description of his feelings; Imagination must
fall far short of reality. In the rapture of
the moment, the sigh, and the graceful mo-
ton of the hand o the heart, were forgotten,
and every thing else that he had planned
His second nature thrust itself upon him,
and on the instant he seated himself flat up
on the ground-placed his legs tailor-wise
and began pressing, (not Miss Susan,) but
an imagined pair of incxpressibles, singing,
in the mean time, with great gusto-
40 Kitty Clover she bothers me so o! O!'
and gazing at Miss Susan who still sat rivet-
ed at the window, with one hand upon her
heart, and with the other chasing away the
forbidden tears from her precious eyes.
Old Surley could no longer endure the lu-
dcrous scene, and thinking this a fitting
time to pay off old scores, called his dogs
and set forward at the head of the pack, to
punish Sans tcmerity. OF course the fear
full odds against him caused him to scratch
gravel like ichu; nor did he think whittier
he was going until he found himself crawl
ing from a creek laying between squire Sur
: ley's and the village.
1t would be as curious as it is impossible
to analize the thoughts that crowded on him
when once more in his native element, and
seated on the board; first indignation and
the sickening sense of degradation hung
upon him like night mare, and then the
loss of her who was
1.-The ocean 10 the river of his thoughts
made his brain reel-and then hope, " love-
" charmer," showed him Susan as he last be-
held her, gazing after him like Eve when she
babe adeu to Paradise, pressing one hand
upon her beating heart as though she would
prevent it from bursting its clay tenement,
!, and with the other drying her streaming eyes.
Thus did Sam resign himself into the arms
! of Morpheus, huggng fond phantasy to his
! breast; Susan loved him, and what cared
he for all the world besides. Scarcely how
ever, had he taken his exit from squire Sur
ley's house, when, o shame! o shower and
sunshine! and o woman kind! scarcely had
, he disappeared, when the laugh of Miss Su-
san was distinctly heard above the barking
of dogs, the squalling of children, and the
) shouting of the whole Surley tribe! and in
:, five minutes after, her pretty fingers were
busly weaving boquet of flowers for Tim
Totle, to be bestowed that very night
That night Timothy Tottle and Miss Susan
Surlsy seated cheek by jowl, in little arbor
of honey suckles, through which the NOON
beams stole sufficiently to shew the rose
tinge on her cheek, discussed at length the
) miseries of Peepers the result of all of
which was that Sam should enjoy personal
interview with the dear idol Of his thoughts,
on the subsequent night, in the orchard be-
hind the house, and there be permitted to