The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-10-30

train al proud beauty, who has more suitors
than she can count, and, after wasting my time
in idle dreams and delusive hopes, the greatest
fool among my rivals would, probably, be the
happy man. Besides it will not do for me to
fall in love for many years TO come not until
have finished my college course, studied a
profession, and become settled in life noun
tain Of work still before me y
But all this wisdom was theoretical His re-
soulntions began to fail, and the invitation offer
ed an excellent compromise. I" / cannot escape
from this, argued he. "To refuse under the
circumstances would be rude. An evening s
relaxation will do me good and with a single
visit afterwards, can fall back into my former
retirement.
When he saw the object of his secret admira-
tlon in all the glory of full evening dress,
he surrendered at discretion. His whole soul
became absorbed in the single thought of gain
ing her acquaintance, and striving to win her
heart But he was afraid to display anxiety,
lest his secret should leak out. He was almost
afraid to pronounce her name, lest his voice
should tremble. At length he managed to get
up an Indifferent look, and remarked that "Miss
Mathews was very good-looking girl, and he
would like to dance with her. He saw that
his hint had been taken, and that the object of
his admiration was about to be asked whether
she would accept of his acquaintance. The
suspense of single moment was terrible; and
when he saw plainly that Kate had pursued
the unusual course Of Directing to the ntroduc-
ton, he became literally sick with vexation.
But, why this refusal. Here he was at fault.
The groups around Kate had laughed very
heartily when his friend began to speak. All
now he saw it all He had, by some means,
become an object of rdcule! and what reign
ing belle would tolerate man with brand OF
contempt upon his brow 1t was all over with
him. He had better be dead and as there was
no chance of dying very soon by ordinary means
lie might as well drown himself at once. In
this train of thought he took /" French leave,
rushed down the street towards the stream that
wound around the village, in which, however
lowing to the dry weatherO there did not hap
pen to be pint Of water. After the disappoint
ment occasioned by the discovery of this fact
came calm enough to walk to his lodging, ant
60 to bed.
Let no incredulous reader doubt the truth o.
my story, because my sensible hero acts in this
scnseless manner. man in love is fool ca
Oficio. Were it otherwise, the tender passion
could never become the subject Of song and ro
nance. Thus, if my friend, Fitzgerald, hat
retained his reason with his love, he would have
spoiled my story. An Indifferent exercise Of
his perceptive powers would have led him to
conclusion much more fatterng to his vanity
DuI IAc iutd llidL uc was Tic ViCtIiu vi IlulCu!C
suited his desparing fancy best and he cluna
to it, and nursed it carefully He knew that, in
small towns, the slightest novelty in dress OF
manner, becomes matter of comment, and he
imagined that it was from something of this
kind that he suffered This led hun to ute,
anathemas against all villages, particularly
B, and all country girls, not excepting
Kate Mathews, concerning whom he made q
vow, that, as she had refused his acquaintance
che shop1I Ma bnyo
ity to repeat the slight.
This was very rash vow, indeed, for lover
to make. He repented it before week, ant
probably would not have failed to break it, haC
not pride interfered His first resolution, how
ever, was forgotten. He went into the socict,
of the town as much as possible, in the hope OF
getting an impromptu Introduction to the beau
tiful Kate, and thus get over his last rash VOW
but here he failed. 1t became known that Kate
did not wish his acquaintance, and her tact pre-
vented any accidental meeting by fire side cir
cles. Fitzgerald was theoretically in despair
but practically he kept a tight hold upon hope
Kate had brother, plain spoken, straigh
forward young man, with whom our hero sool
became very intimate. This acquaintance
commenced for the sake of the sister, was con
tnued from real friendship. Mr.. Richard Ma
thews, however, never suspected that his frien
cared anything for Kate, but he was vexed a
her wlfulness in avoiding Fitzgerald, and h
frequently demonstrated with her, but his elo
quence was thrown away.
What reason have you for acting so ? - wa
the home question to which he resortcd.
"Because | dislike him."
g. But what have you for dislikn
him /"
Reason reason must / give n reason 70
everything'"
'sYou have no reason to give in this instance.
eyes, have
"What is it, ~
"Just because
81 thought So said Richard, quietly {"
defy you to find any fault with him
Why you are as extravagant about thl
young man as the girls, and they are all dy'n!
in love with him..
$50 they should be-
"And l presume, Master Dick, should be
also. One would think the man sutton, VIII
had appointed you proxy to set forth his viz
tues"
Master Dick (" called this "school- gil
retort, small quarrel ensued, and the subjec
was dropped.
Blu: Kate had, in her heart, fully repentc'
her rash vow. Mr.. Fitzgerald had become thu
lion Of fashionable society of b. Hi
noble and brilliant qualities were praised by all
both young and old. She felt that he
man whose friendship would be worth having
She drew comparisons between him and all he
suitors, which were very unfavorablc to the lat
ter. She heard his name mentioned and hi
sayings quoted, fifty times a day. Her singu
lar position towards one with whom everybod
else was Familiarity acquainted, led her Il
think of him very often, dangerous thing 70
young lady's heart. Several times, in com
pany, and in public assemblies, she caught hin
gazing at her, with peculiarly melancholy ex
preston. This was very singular, she thought
she could not account for it. There was a dasl
OF romance in the matter, which had its influ
ence upon the young lady's imagination an
when she was informed that MIR. Fitzgerald wa
about to leave the college, she became angr
with herself, and began to wonder whether he
nerves were not getting weak.
And why was MIR. Fitzgerald going to lcav
the college? Poor fellow he had begun to de:
pair in good earnest. His popularity and Unfit
ence gave proof that he had come to wron
conclusion in seeking the of Hates d
like. He could think of nothing else, save
mere whimsical aversion, maintained in oppos
ton to the opinion of all her friends and,
fact, Of the whole town. Sometimes he woul
imagine that she had taken a pque, because Il
did not show any anxiety to become acquainte
with her. Every time this idea came into h