The Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1852-1853, 1853-04-06
.saIly's Love Story.

Wei. IL was 4 Saturday night, and I'd
my baize apron on. and the tails al nv bed
gown pinned together behind. down on my
knees pipe elaying the kitchen. when q
Snoek comes TO the back-door. ''Come ini''
says i; but it knocked again, as if it we're
TOO stately TO open the door for itself; so l
got up, rather cross. and opened The door,
and there stood Jerry DIXON, Mr.. Hollis
head-clerk; only he was not head clerk then.
50 stood, stopping up the door, fancring
ne wanted 10 speak TO master; but he kind
OF pushed past me, and telling me, and tel
llng me something about the weather las ii
l could not see for myself) he took a chair
and sat down b%ytheove "Cool and easyn'
thought |; meaning his-self, not his place.
which ! knew must be pretty hot. Well!
1t seemed no use standing waiting for my
gentleman to 90; not that he had much to
say either: but he kepttwirling his hat round
and round, and smoothing the nan out with
the back Of his hand. So at last / %suuatted
down tQ my work, and thinks /, ! shall be
on my knees all ready if he puts up a pray
er, for l know he was a Methodee by bring
ing up, and had only lately turned to master's
way OF thinking; and them M~ethodees are
terrible hands at unexpected prayers when
one least looks for EN-. ] can't say | liked
their way Of taking us by surprise, as it
were; but then I'm a parish-clerk's daugh-
ter, and could never damean myself to dis
sentn9 fashions, always save and except
Master Thurlan $ b'ess him. However, I'd
been caught once or twice unwares, so this
time | thought Id lie up to it, and | moved
n dry buster wherever | went, to kneel up
on III case he began when | were in a wet
place -. But 10 come back 10 lerry. First
tried always to be cleaning at his back;
but when he wheeled round so as always to
face me, | thought I'd try a different game.
So says |, "Master Dixon l ak yonr pardon,
but | must pipe-clay under your chair
VIII, be moved; and by-aud-by l was at
hlM again with the same words, and at him
otter that, again, ill he were always NOV
ing about wi Ills char behind him, like a
snail as carries its house on its back. And
the great gauPer never seed | was pipc-clay-
ing the same places twice over.
AT last | got desperate cross, he were so
IN my way; so | made two bycroSses on the
tails of his brown coat; for you see wherev-
or he went, up or down, he drew out the
tails of his coat under him, and struck them
through the bars of the chair; and flesh and
blood could not resist pipe-claying them for
him; and a pretty brushing he'd have, l
reckon, to get off again. Well! al length he
clears his throat uncommon loud; so l
spreads my buster, and shuts my eyes all
ready; but nnught coined of it. | opened
my eyes a little bit to see what he was
about,
My word! if there he wasn't down on his
knees right facing me, staring as hard as he
could. A. last he says, says he, "Sally!
will you oblige me with your hand?"
So thought !: were: uay be, Mcthodcc
fashion to pray hand in hand; and III not
deny | wished I'd washed it better after
black-leading the kitchen fire. ! thought
I'd better tell him it were not so clean as
could wish, so says |, "Minister DIXON,
you shall have it, and welcome, if | may
90 and wash 'em first" Gut" says he,
my dear Sally, dirty Or clean its all the
same to me, seeing I'm only speaking in a
figuring way. What | am asking on my
Bonded knees is. that you'd please to be so
kind as to be my welded Wifter next will
suit me, ii it's agreeable toyou?" Ny word
| were up on my feet in an instant! "Sir,"
says |. tryingto look shame-faced as become
the occasion, but for all that, feeling a twit-
tering round my mouth that l were afraid
might end in a laugh-"Master Dixon, l am
obliged to you for the compliment and thank
!e all the same, but l think I'd prefer a sin
gle life?."