Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1846-04-30
MISCELLANE OUS.
From the Illinois State Gazette.
LOVE IN A PRINTING OFFICE.


once heard an old Jour. remark, that
a printing office was no place for love-mak-
ing, and have since experienced the truth
of his observation being now perfectly
convinced that the flower of love can never
bloom in the midst of types, stands and
printing ink.
1t was my fortune once to sojourn for a
few days in the village of -. Directly
opposite the office was pretty white cot
tage, with rose bush clambering around
the easement, and was not long in making
the discovery that the aforesaid white cot
tage with the rose-shaded window, contain
ed fair inmate-a flower whose beauty far
outshone the roses that clustered around
the window. She was Titled blue eyed,
saucy looking creature of some sixteen sum-
mers. She was the belle of the village
Her name was Mary-sweet, poetic Mary.
81 have poetic passion for the name of Mary"
1t was beautiful summer morning, and
had raised the window to admit the cool
breeze from the fower-decked fields, and it
was not long before | perceived that the
cottage window was also hoisted, and that
sweet little Mary was seated near it, busilv
engaged with her needle. | worked but lit
tie that morning. My eyes constantly wan
dered towards the cottage window, where
little Mary sat, and all sorts of strange and
fantastic notions whirled through my fam
cy-lighted brain, and began to think felt
ia slight touch of what the poets call lone,
sliding in at the corner of my heart.
A few days passed away, and chance
made me acquainted with Mary. Heavens!
she was a sweet creature-she had form
that would have shamed the famous Venus
de Medici-a cheek that outblushed the
richest peach-and lip that would have
tempted a bee from his hive on frosty
morning. | thought, as gazed on her in
mute admiration, that had never looked
upon one so exquisitely beautiful. She
seemed the embodiment of all that is lovely
and beWitching.
Well, time passed on, and one day Mary
expressed a desire to visit the printing Of
ice. Cad! thought !, what chance! I'll
do it there-yes, there in the very midst of
the implements Of mine art-Why shouldn't
i? Lore IN q printing oGce-eh! There
was something original in that, and ! re-
solved to try it at all hazards.
Well, Mary came to the office, and ex-
planned to her the uses of the various i'm
Iplements of the 'black art''-the press and
the roller-the ink and the stands, and the
boxes Of the A, B, C7s. took an oppor-
tunity to snatch her pretty lilly-whte hand,
and she drew it back, knocking a stick full
of matter into pi!
II must have kiss for that, my pretty
one" said |, and at it | went. managed
to twist my arm around her waist, and in
struggling to free herself, she upset galley
of editorial, long article on the Oregon
question. Nothing daunted, made at her
again. This time was more successful,
for obtained kiss. By St. Paul it was
sweet one-and the little witch bore it
like martyr-she never screamed once !;
but as raised my lips from hers, she lifted
her delicate little hand, and gave me box
on the ear that made me see more stars
than ever were viewed by Herschel thro'
his big telescope. Somewhat nettled, and
with my cheek smarting with pain, again
seized her waist and said g Well, if you
don't like it, just take back the kiss'' She
made desperate struggle, and as she jerk
ed herself from my arms, her foot struck
the lye-pot, and over it went! Another
galley of editorial matter was sprinkled over
the floor, and in her efforts to reach the
door her foot slipped and she fell, and in
the effort to sustain herself, her hand-her
| lily-white hand-the same little hand that
had come in contact with my ears-oh, hor-
rible-was stuck up to the elbow in the ink
key! Shade of Franklin what a change
came over the beauty of that hand! She
slowly drew it from the keg dripping with
Ii ink, and asked me what use made of that
tar! began to be seriously alarmed, and
apologised in the best manner ] could, and
to my surprise, she seemed rather pleased
than angry; but there was ''lurking devil
in her eye" that told me there was mischief
aAoat. As stood surveying the black CO.
vering of her hand, scarcely able to suppress
a laugh at its strange metamorphosis, she
quickly raised it on high, and brought it
down ''ker slap'' upon my cheek? Before
could recover from my surprise, the same
little hand had again descended, and again
left its inky imprint on my cheek.
"Why, Nary | exclaimed, 'what are
you about?"
81 think YOU told me you rolled ink On