The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-10-31

IN all the affairs oil earth--rapture
and wretchedness are neighbors !;
the presence Of the first proves the
vicinity of the latter.
Meanwhile, as we drew near to
the Cove, the atmosphere ceased to
be an invisible fluid and became a
dense mass Of animated life. Every
breath was suffocation.-Every
time attempted to make profess
tation of my love, and opened my
mouth for that purpose, the accurs-
I'd creatures thronged into my throat
and choked my utterance. Every
sigh intended to relieve my over
charged bosom, opened passage
for them into my very lungs. They
usurpcd all my faculties of sensation.
saw mosquitoes, felt mosquitoes,
TASTED mosquitoes, heard musqui-
toes, and | smelt musqoitoes /; and
if ] had possessed the sixth sense
that Mesmerizeis speak of, that too
would have been monopolized by
mosquitoes; felt the truth of Ban
yolia's observation:
'Oue fire puts out nnother's burning,
One pain Is lrssened by anoihsr's anguish"
just in proportion as my flesh be-
gan to burn, as it were with the
venom of the musquitoes,- my i'm
promptu passion began to grow
more and more moderate.
My'lovely companion was either
favored and spared by the musqui-
toes on the score of old acquain-
lance, or she was so habituated TO
their assaults that they seemed to
give her very little concern. This
apparent invulnerability caused me
some uneasiness, for | had much
reason to fear thatif the mosquitoes
failed to make any impression up
on her, might be equally unsuc-
cessful. The event will show
whether this apprehension was well
founded or otherwise.
But to declare what follows
what idea will the ladies form of my
gallantry? Will they not repeat to
my shame and confusion how other
lovers have passed through fire and
water for the sake of their sweet
hearts ? Well; | might have swan
across two or three Tablespoons and
endured brisk shower of boiling
tallow for the sake of the bearfooted
eastern shore angel who led me into
the very torments of Tartarus, but
not even for her sake could | endure
the horrors and agonies of Musqui-
10 Cove. Let me herocally confess
my defeat; my discontinue and
eyes, the truth must out, my re-
treat
We had reached the edge Of the
Cove and entered path which led
along the banks thereof to the door
of the cottage. My respiration had
been Observation-Disclosures suspended
for about fifteen minutes, and my
whole animal economy so far inter
rupted, that | felt on the point of
swooning away.-Every fibre in my
body seemed to be the seat Of an
guish intolerable. | felt that ! !
could stand it oslonger, and, Just
at the moment that he countless in
sect army which lowered over the !
water put itself into motion, evident.
ly with the design to make a gener
al onslaught on the invader Of its
domain, yielded to the necessities
of the case and fed.
For several minutes | thought of
nothing but making my escape; but,
having reached an eminence. and
finding that the enemy, except few
scouting parties, had given over the
pursuit, turned TO give farewell
glance at the divine creature whom
| had so basely abandoned, | doubt
ed not that | should behold her like
an image of despair or Queen Di-
do, straining her eye-balls in an
agonizing effort to hold her fugitive
lover in sight. She was standing
there indeed, and looking after me,
but not in an attitude of despair nor
with gesture of wretchcdness.
No, compassionate reader, she was
laughing to the peril of her very
ribs. | turned away Indignantly
and made good speed back to the
village where purchased of an
apothecary box of soothing ONT
ment for my musquito-gallc skin,
and the remembrance of the suffer-
ings | had endured that day was
equally mcdicinable to my love-fret-
ted bosom. Since that time, | have
been love-strickcn and musquito-
bitten on various occasions, but
have had prudence enough to avoid
the combination of those two mise
ries, satisfied by melancholy expe-
rience that no human fortitude or
philosophy can withstand their CO.
operative assaults.
Pery Truc-Our MechGaics.-They