The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-01-15
Lie has despised expressive eyes
ever since.

NJ IehGtl JACK oDlalnfd an intro
duction through his sister, and with
her he called several times; but she
was obliged to leave the city for a
; season, and as each interview had
only increased his ardor, lie finally
determined upon "going it alone
Long before the hour fixed upon BY
custom for an evening visit, he found
himself arrayed in lis best. Blue
coat, metal buttons; black cassi-
mere pants, (said pants being ''lee-
tie" tighter than the skim and q
sPotless vest. The journals of the
day state as an item Of information
that the thermometer ranged from
rs to so degrees. Jack swcars it
was a hundred! As the hour Dire w
gradually near, Jack found his cour-
age and pcrspiration oozing out to-
gether, and he almost determined to
pull off and stay at home. He con-
cluded, however, he'd take walk
past the house and see how lie felt.
By the time he reached the mansion,
lie firmly concluded not to 60 in ;
but on casting an eye towards the
parlor window, and pcrceiving no
signs of life there, he thought it
probable that no one was "at homc;''
and since lie had proceeded so far,
he'd proceed farther, and leave
his card. No sooner determined
than concluded. In reckless mo-
mcnt he pulled the bell-the darned
thing needn't make such "cussed'
noise. The door was opened as if
by magic, and the servant politely
asked him TO walk in. "Nliss Emily
was all alone in the parlor, and
would be delighted to see him.
Oh Lord, here was fix, Go in
a dark parlor with a pretty girl A.
lone. 1t was too late to retreat
the girl had closed the parlor door
where "Miss Emily was sitting all
alone" Being perfectly convinced
that no choice was left him, into the
dark room lie walked, or rather sill
ded.
All was perfect chaos to his eyes
for moment, but only for a mo-
mcnt; then from the deepest gloom
came forth an angel voice "bidding
him welcome, and TO draw near"
To obey the order was but the wor!.
Of moment, as lie supposed; he
dreampt of the obstacle Fate had
thrown in his way. He knew full
well the stream Of love had many
ripples, but full grown snags enter
cd not into lis calculation. Judge,
therefore, Of his establishment at be-
ing tripped up, almost at the fair
ones feet, by fiat stool with pie
thoric legs, which chance or care
less servant lad placed exactly on
his way to happiness. Over he
went, and as the tailor had not al
lowed for an extra tension of mus
cies and sinews, he not only "pro-
cured" tumble, but also a "com-
pound fracture" of the black pants
aforesaid, said fracture extending
all across that point which came in
closest contact with chair. Hav-
ing picked himself up as carefully as
circumstances would allow, the
smothcred laugh of Miss Emily "not
setting him forward any," he at last
succeeded in reaching chair, and
drawing his coat tails forward to
prevent disagrecable exposure, sat
himself down with as much grace as
bear woald be expected to exhibit
when requested to dance on ncttlcs
The young lady, who was almost
sufocated with laughter at the sad
mishap of the bashiul lover, felt tru-
ly sorry for him, and used all her
powers Of fascination to drive it from
his mind, and eventually succeeded
so far as to induce him to make re-
mark. And on this rock he split
for Just at the moment she discover
ed that she had lost her handker-
chief. "What had become Of it ?
She was snre she had it when she
came in. Haven't You got it under
you, Mr.. Danphule ?" Jack said
sure that couldn't be so; but poor
Jack, in venturing an answer, could
not possibly get along without rails
ing his hands, and of course he must
drop the coat-tail. In his anxiety
to receive the missing "viper," he
even ventured to incline his body So
as to get glance on the floor. As
he did so the fracture opened, and
behold there lay, as the lady sup
posed, her property, 1t was the
work of an instant TO seize the cor.
ncr, and eXclaim, "IIcre it is, sir
you needn't trouble yourself. Rcisc
a little, it's under you." Alas tho
iaH was told; no escape; nothing
short of a special intcrposition o.
Providence could save his shirt
But what should he do? Another
and another, stronger pull, cvia.
cling on the part Of the lady praise.
worthy determination TO obtain the