The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1845-03-20

that's his step, 1t is! he's comln! | wonder
how | look, and running to her little glass,
Nelly, with very paadonable vanity, thought
those. features could not well be improved,
and the most curious part of the matter, she
was right.
He's a long time coming,' thought she, as
stealing a glance through the white window
curtain she saw Ned slowly approach the gar
den gate; gladly would she have flown to
meet him, but ~maidenly modesiy restrained
her; now he h~esitates a moment, takes a full
gulp of breath and nesas the house; at every
approaching step Nefiy's pulse beat higher,
at last she bethoughi herself that it would be
more prudent to be employed; SO, hastily
takingup her nettings which was twisted and
raveiiedgiAto inextricable confusion, with a
seeming caIm face she mechanically piled
efsnsedies, her heart giving one lille shiv-
ler-as Nea fapped a sinalLchicken fveredm rap
al The door. Nelly opened il with a most
d~isiDgenious.- sAh! Ned, is that you, who
sUould have thought il. Come in, do
The thermometer of Nelly's feelings was
about fever heat, yet she forced The index TO
remain at freezing point. Take a chair
won't your
Aud there sal those two beings, whose
hearts y%earned for each other, looking as fiji
gid as a pair oficicles, gazing on the wall,
the floor, pussy OF the lark. Ned suddenly
discovered something that wanted a deal Of
acknowledgement the band of his hat; whilst
Nelly, atthe same time, evinced an extraor-
binary increase of affection FOR the cat. To
IsaY the truth fiey'vere both very far from
lcomlonable. Ned had thoroughly made. up
his mind to speak this time il ruin followed
and had even gone so far as 10 have settled
upon his opening speech, but Nelly's cold
and Indifferent take a chair frightened ev-
cry word out Of his head; ii was essentially
necessary that he should try 10 recover him
iseff, and he seemed TO think that twisting ms
bat INTO every possible form and tugging at
the band were the only means by which II
could be accomplished. Once more all was
arranged and he had just cleared his throat
to begin, when the ~rascally cat turned sharp
ly round and stared him straight in the face,
and in all his life he thought he never saw
the countenance of a dumb creature express
such thorough contempt.
I'll we'll becomes me- thought he, 80 be
demeanin' myself before the CAT and away
flew his thoughts again.
OF course all this was very p%erplexing 10
NELLY, who, in the expectation OF hearing
something Interesting, remained patiently 81
lent. There was another considerable pause
at last, remembering his friend Mixes adj
vice, and moreover ebeered by a most en-
coufaging smile from the rapidly Having
Nell, Ned wound up his feelings for one des-
perate effort and bolted out
sIs'nt it fine to-day, Miss Malone?-
Breaking the silence so suddenly, that
Nelly started from her chair, the lark fintter-
ed in the cage, and puss made one jump
bang into the garden,
Amazed and terrified, by the results Of his
first essay, fast 10 the roofof his mouth Ned's
tongue stuck once more, and finding itof no
earthly use trying TO overcome his embaFrass-
ment, that the more he foundered about the
deeper he got into the mud, be gathered
himself up, made one dash through the door,
and was off like lightning, Nelly sighed as
she resumed her knitting, and this time she
was sad in earnest.
Well what luck?' SAID Nike, as nearly
out of breath from running, Ned rejoined
him in the meadow. Have you broke the
lce?'
'Bedad | have said Ned, sand more be-
token, we fell into the wather through the
lhole.'
sWhy wouldn't she listen to your
.Yes, fast enough, but | didn't give her a
chance, my ould complaint came strong up
on me. Ora! what's the use in hayin' a
tongue at all, if ii won't wag the words out
of a fellows head. I'm "a purity speciment
of an omadhaun; there she sot, Mike, look
in out of the corners OF her eyes at me, rs
much as 10 say, spake out like a man, with a
soft smile runnin' about all over her face and
playing among her beautiful dimples, like the
merry moon bame dancin' on the lake. Oh
murtherl Mike, what the mischief am | to
do? Icanl live without her, AMI hay'nt the
heart TO tell her So
well ii is disgraceful,' replied Mike, Ito
see a good lookin' man disparage his coun-
try, by Ginchin' from a purity girl; may be il
might do you good TO 60 an kiss the BLAIR
NEY STONE
That's it, exclaimed Ned, j%oyously clap
ping his hands together and cutting an IN
stinctive caper, 'thal's it. | wonderI niver
; thought of it before: III walk every stitch
of the way, though my legs should drop of
before | got half there, do you think it 'ud
do me good to kiss it?'
sDivil a doubt oft snre it never was known
TO fail yet,' said Mike oracularly.
why then, may | niver ale a males Wit
! ties. if there's any vartue in the stone, if !
, don't have it out of it. And that very night,
so eager was Ned 10 get cured of his bash
~fulness, off he started for Killarney. 1t was
! a long and tedious journey, but the thought
OF being able to speak TO Nelly when he re-
, turned, was sufficient 10 drive away fatigue