Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1852-07-10
SELECT TALE.
BY +. II. DEWEES.

AT SEVENTEEN YEARS OF AGE, ! was
more of man than | have ever been
since. wore long coat and boots,
TO which the appurtcnance of spurs
was generally addcd) mustachc was
quite visible on my upper lip, and Il
consciousness ofripe maturity never
loft my mind. was studying for the
legal profession, but at the time oil
which l write, was spending my sum-
mcr vacation at my fathers house i'll
the country.
Though so manly, (almost soldier
like us | fancicd) in my appearance
my inner man was by no means so
stern as my outer man. | loved my
mother with childish tenderness, and
sooner than pain her pious heart,
unmurmuringly accompanied her ev'
cry Sunday to the village church. to
listen to long sermons of which l
could not hear word, for the trcmu-
lous accents of the very aged minister,
who conducted the services, were so
flint ms to be inautliblc where we sat!
Though melted by love aud duty to
subject myself to this wecklyp"nancc'
twcll deserved by my weekly sins) my
conscience yet did not prevent me
from willing away the time by such
amusement as lay at hand--'hat,
namely, of observing and specializing
on the countcnanccs ofmy ncighbors,
m occasion of which Twas extremely
fond.
The physiognomy which Interested
me more than all others, was that ol n
young girl who sat not far from u.s.
and who was accompanied by an aged
lady, probably her grandmn'her-lhc
object other ever watclfnl care. This
girls face, from first cliciting my care
less admiration, gradually absorbed
my whole attention. It was very hcau-
Itiful but apart from that, il, possessed
the greatest possible interest for me.
Neverhad | seen countenance which
denoted so much scnsibili'y to me ;
each emotion of her mind was plainly
written upon it, by its quick, delicate
changes; nothing was wanted but tho
key of corresponding degree of SEN
sibiliry in the bcholdor, to read her
tender, innocent soul, like an open
book. For hours | gazcd and specu-
lated on that fair ones iacc-t thought
how sad would be the lot Of so scnsi-
tive being, should fate unite her to
one who would not know how to read
Alright what was so delicately written
TO whom the varying expression of
that sweet countenance would he but
Il blank-who should be able to see in
it only its coarscr part-bcanty of
feature. There was no end to the
rcvcrics into which those swilt-coming
hlushes led me.
Sometimes, by chance. tho fair oh
icct Of my busy tancics would catch
my eye, or, without looking at me,
seem to know or feel that was gnz-
ing at her, and / wickedly delighted in
noting the blush which decpencd on
her check till Withdrew my eyes.
One Sunday, happened, in coming
out of church, to be close to my love-
ly ncighbor-immcdiately behind her
my hand actually touched her un-
conscious garments. Iftltan irrcsist-
iblc desire to force hor in some way
to notice mc-to speak to lcr-to oc-
casion one of those charming bushes
anything; Iknow not what. In short
like an impcrtincnt coxcomb as was,
1 stopped forward, and with an insnf'
fcrable insolcnce, which blush now
to remember, | whispered in her car,
"You arc very pretty!'
Never was more surprised than