Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1853-11-18

tempted But this courting business know
nothing about, you see. | could not think ofput-
ting on dickey every Sunday night and sitting
up straight till midnight No, no. That would
be paying too dearly for thing in advance.
Well, Jonas 1 think on the whole that you
are too lazy to live, if the truth was known. :"
said Otis as he turned on his heels to go.
g You do. eh? Wen, stop moment. I am
up for bargain. Come show me one of these
nice girls who you seem to think are so plenty"
q Go and find them for yourself other men
DO. If you are pleased TO visit my family, you
viii have the opportunity of seeing great many
/ young ladies. We have great deal ofcompany.
I VIII introduce you to my sister, for one, and
she viii introduce you to others, and"
Enough. I will spend the evening with you
this very night"
Thank you. I shall be very glad to see you. y
TIE friends parted, and Jonas thick head was
full ofnew ideas througcut the day.
At six o'clock he stood before his mirror-a
triangular piece of broken looking glass-adjust-
ing his dress for the anticipated visit He II ed
already tried on several dickies, had parted his
hair four different lines, besides having scraped
nearly all the enamel from his tobacco stained
teeth, and cutting isnails down to the quick.
The cut of his garments was rather old fash
ioned, to be sure, but by letting his pants down
little and hatt2ninc, l,is oc2t IN front &c cover
the vacancies that was lef5 between them and his
very short vest, he fancied himselfquite dandy.
By exercising more patience and perseverance
than he had ever had occasion for before in his
life, he was armed and equipped at half past sew
en- o'clock, and on his way 10 his friend, Otis
Barker.
Fortunately for his diflidcncc and awkwardness
in company, there were none bat the members Of
The family present, and he was introduced to
Mrs and Miss Barker, and enjoyed very pleas
ant chat with them during the evening, Every
movement Of the young ladywas watched by The
bachelor; and before The evening spent. he
had made up his mind to seek no farther for .
wife, provided the charming Miss 3. could by
any means be induced to be made the wife Of Jo-
mas jerks.
she was just the model, just the style of beau
ty that he most admired She was pleasing in
conversation, free and graceful in her manners.
and seemed to be in every way suited to make up
for the sad deficiency Of those qualifications in
himself. That was the woman for him, thought
Jonas, as he bade them good night" at ten,
with hearty promise that he would certainty
call again soon.
Had the night not be very dark, 1t would no
doubt have been q cause Of much querying and
wonder to have The clumsy old bachelor
tripping along upon the tees of his boots, and
springing across the cutters with The agility Of
q lark" but no one saw Jonas return to his lone
some home. lie was blessed with pleasant
dreams for the two succeeding nights. and on the
third evening he a. gain found himself in the soc
civ of his admired At the close Of his second
visit. be went home even happier than from tho
first for in addition TO his increasing admirar.
ton of the lady-NIss Barker-he felt assured
by her evident exertions to entertain him pleas
an.Iv, that his feelings were rcciprocatcd. Mrs.
Barker was no less attentive, and he could not
but believe that his motives werr ANTICIPATED
with pleasure to all concerned.
One unfortunate circumstance, however to
which parties were az yet strangers-must be
named before going farther with the courtship
Owing partly TO Mr.. Barker's carelessnCss in IN
PRODUCING the ladies as his wife and sister, mere
ly: and partly to the bachelors confusion in
confronting two women at a time, he had most
unwittinalv mistaken one for the other As
there appeared tn be but little difference in their
ages. and each seemed alike at home apd familiar
with the husband and brother, it would have
been no easy matter for stranger, at first ac
ouaintance, to distinguish between them. They
had the habit, too, of addressing each other by
their Christian names, and tie titles OF Mrs. and
Miss were not used for once in his presence.
The truth was, Jonas had been deeply snitten
with Mrs. Barker, who was rather the prettiest
of the two, and who. not susrcr ing the bachc-
lor's error, strove with unusual interest to make
matters agreeable in behalf of her sister in law
Week after week passed away, during which
time Jonas performed penance for his past negli-
eence by dressing up'' every Sunday night, and
endeavoring to make himsclfagrecable to the Ia
dies and when two months had elapsed he had
formed q never to be got over attachment to
Mrs. Barker.
L was cruel deception, but no one 10 blame,
for no one knew of it. Mrs. Barker noticed that
he of,en addressed her as Miss B., but knowing
him to be rather illiterate, and unskilled in The
rules of etiquette she thought it might be slip
of the tongue merely. and considered 1t unlady-
like to correct him.
Jonas began to feel that suspense was unplea-
SAINT and set his wits at work to frame propo-
sal to his lady love- At every previous visit 1t
had happened that the family were all present
and no opportunity had presented when he might
q free his mind"
This last time, however, he was more fortu-
nate. Mrs. Barker was alone, and infcrme him
that Otis and sister had gone out to make a call,
but would soon return. Jonas did express much
sorrow at their absence, but smiled pleasantly as
II !