Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-02-24

/
ne,te and Jeannot." | had heard The
same song played and sung a hundred
times before by female organ grinders:
but Dolly lent freshness TO il that vas
perfectly bewitching.
called The next night and found the
old lady just gong out To spend the even
10y with ncighbOr.
told her was sorry she was going.
but ldiG'nt tell The truth. She gave
Dolly glance on passing ohi, that seem
ed To say sake care OF yourself;" but
Dolly answered With her speaking eyes.
"all right"
was. for the frs, time alone with my
charmer.
A cheerful woodfire was burning in
the hearth. aud the room was just light
ed sufficiently 10 distinguish her features
As II by common consent we both be-
came quiet. as soon as Mrs. Marygold
lett The room. This silence was as
awkward as il was embarrassing To me.
1 began to feel nervous. cleared my
throat, moved nearer Dolly on the Sofa
and looked at the fire. Il was compns
ed OF gruG, honest looking back log.
two niddling sized sticks with rough
bark. and a dapper. raklsh looking litlle
tnggot with nice smooth coat. don,
know why ] observed the fire so close
| ly, but secretly mistrusled The litlle
stick and wished it had not been placed
on The hearth.
What cheerful warmth wood fire
Creates" | said. making desperate At
tempt to commence a conversation. She
merely answered "yes," aud were m,,re
quiet than before. Hooked at the fire a.
gain, and the li,,le dandytied stick shot
out blue fame into one Of the rougi,
barked sticks, which seemed TO intimate
that il was s'no CO." tie rough stick re-
proved il. and the little blue flame ceas.
ed. made another slight move towards
Dolly, which brought us so close ,ogelh-
er that began to fear that if each word
were to be followed by move. our con.
versalion would'ni bevery long. Her Ii,
tie hand was lying on her handkerchief
which rested ON her knee. "What a
pretty style of border" said |, making
,ungc for the handkerchief, and awk,
wardIy enough taking hold OF the hand.
The liptle stick fairly winked, and the
back log nudged il to be quiet. | made
an apaIogy for my clumsiness, aud blpn,
dered out something about both being SO
white | could ut distinguish one from
the other, when the handkerchief fell 10
The ground. She made move as If 10
pick it up. | galanlly in.erposed, bu,
diew up without il supposing that she
had il. We both said "oh!" simultane
ously. and both ducked again. aud struck
our heads together. The little iagsot
giggled convulsivelv, aud the two midiug
sized sticks laughed together. and cven
the back log smiled.
! begged thousand pardons, inwardly
cursed my awkwardness. and hoped she
was no, hurt. On the spur OF The mo.
ment, pressed my hand upon her head.
the locality of the bruise. She did no,
remove my hand, was afraid she had
hurt me, and ,irDdlv placed her little hand
on my cheek. and asked if j, paiued. 10
be candid, ! think got the worst Of The
concusssion, but would have submitted
To twenty times tie pain to have that LII.
le hand placed on the wounded part.
looked once more at the fire, now almost
forgotten, and had the gratlfcation to
see The liule faggo, completely burn. in
twain. and the rough sticks composing
themselves to sleep ia the ashes. had
nothing to fear from the back log. for
knew IL was AN honest fellow. aud
wouid'n. .peach."
And now really was alone with Dol
ily! We had broken the ice. | took she
little hand in mine without resistance: |
told her lha, her eyes were like vicleis.
her cheeks like ripe peaches. and her
hair like silk of young corn. She blush.
ed a, the violets and peaches. aud said |
fialtered, bui she didn't acknowledge the
.'corn." ] sighed. She inaocen,ly lean
ed over and again placed her hand ON my
cheek, and asked NE il !. panied. re
tanned her as gently as could. and gave
her reply that said nothing, bat meant
every thing. She blushed deeply. al least
| felt that she did, although | did not see
it, She said "don't." although she was
as ,Auch a party TO the transaction as my
self
! was now almost sorry that the lille
stick was burned. should have liked
him To have seen me triumphant.
Was ! wrong, charitable reader!--
What would 81 thou have done in such
case? / remembered the prudential
glancing Of the widow ON leaving. and feli
some slight computations, and ihongh,
would rather not have owed my happi.
ness to all accidental absence aud wood
FIRE. ~
mentioned my misgivings to Doro.
thea, who innocenily told me 10 have no
uneasness on that score, as her mamma
has lei, us alone on purpose!
Gracious powers! So the maternal
glance that annoyed my concience SD
much only meant "be sure You tran
him. and The kind neighbor with WHOM,
the dear old lady was spending the even
ing was neither more nor less an the
next room. There was a large key hole
in the door. Left US on purpose! Then