The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-06-15
HOW I LOST MY FIRST LOVE


HOW I LOST MY FIRST LOVE.
/ BY J. H. A. BONE.
l was in NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. in love
1t was my first plunge, and it was a deep one
| The l0vely-the enchanting-the recrless A
manda Louisa Smthers had conunerred m
virgin affections and made them the slaves O
| her will
| l was not rich in the worlds Foods; nv in
come was inconvenently limited; blu, | wa
rich in Hope. Like MIR. Micawber, | felt c. n
hdent that "something would turn up and i.
anticipation III this somifhihg | determined 81
the first opportunity to propose to the obiec, o
my alteration, that she should share with me il
| the enjoyment of my expected good fortune
The opportunity at length Offered itself
II was on 4 cold frosty evening, that brush
ed my carefully preserved dress coat, and par
tiCularly tight "unwhispersbles and then gen.
tly busted my hat with my own handkerchief
then studied my appearance in the cracked
mirror, W tn considerable anxiety, pulling up
my vest collar and twichng my neck tie around
ia order to conceal the fact that wore that
much ridiculed article of attire-a dickey.
1t must not be supposed that only boosted
of one shirt. Far from it. The fact was, the
laundress and myself having had some Difficult
ty about the payment of some washing money
alleged 10 De her due-she had tor the last
fortnight kept my other shirt as a pledge for ia.
ture payment; so was fain to hide the dubious
hue of my linen under the aforesaid dickey
Al length | was satisfied as to the integrity of
my breas..work; so gently strokine my nous,
tache, purchased few days previously at a
hair dressers) | strutted out to meet my A
manda.
Ga that very night had determined to edo,
die - and the hapless swain who has at
length made up his mind to "pop" the fatal
question, can alone appreciate the excessive
nervousness I felt as approached the place of
meeting-her fathers garden door
She was there awaiting me, and with sink
ing at my heart that had never before expert
enced, offered her my arm AS we strolled
along, cast about in my mind for some means
to declare my love to her: but as often as the
words came in my mouth, | equipped and
swallowed them, once or twice nearly strangling
my self in the effort.
At last, jus. as had almost decided on post
ponng it to some other time, she stopped alb
ruptly and asked me if was i'll.
plucked up my remaining courage for the
attack
"My-my dear Amanda am not sick
thank ye," | replied-abrupty breaking down
in the speech had commenced making, and
feeling all over very much as if | was a con.
founded goose.
"You certainly must be sick" persisted a
manda.
"The fact u.s." said with desperate energy,
'sthat III lore you !"
| felt now rs if | was still goose, but with
the added sensation of roasting before very
hot fire. Finding she made no reply. | deter
mined to go through with il if died in the at
tempt.
ayes, my dearest Amanda Louisa-l love
you-passio ately-devo,edy-" was abont
dropping on one knee, bat a reflection on the
tghtness of my dress at that point deferred me
without your blessed society, should die.
Shall | have the-can | hope ,oM you be
NINE!
As with a huge eff trt jerked forth the awful
question felt as ii | had been plunged into an
icy BATH and that the cold liz id was running
through me from the top Of my head to the toe
of my boots. 1t was the decisive "splurge'
of my life-and it almost took away my breath
Amanda Louisa blushed, and leaned rather
heavily on my arm. At length she whispered
that she would "see Tomorrow.
The ice being now broken, my old bodness
returned, together with my confidence in the
future l ratified away where could get a
first rate house; specuated on the ACCESSIBILITY
of keeping carriage promised Amanda an
of dresses and jeweIry consulted to
the best place for tour during the honey moon,
and in fact talked her and myself into the be.
lief that l was a man of property.
had got so far as to arrange who should be
present at the ceremony, ald what should
wear, when-confound all cy paths and heed.
lie walking-l suddenly found myself seated
on the lap Of mother Earth, and as was as sud-
denly conscious of the acail contact of q
sen sitve portion Of my frame with the frozen
ground. Those tight pants
sprung up, and hastily eadeavored to con.
ceal my mishap by grasping my scanty coat
tails aud keeping them together. The iates
were dgains. me. In the expressive language
of the multitude "t was no g."
The too sympathizing Amand. insisted on it that
was hurt, and lhen could bush the dust from
my coat declined The otfe', but she was
so.ute. Il
81 will take your pocka handkerchief TO
brush the dirt off. You nuglf not to wear it So
far out of your pocket, some lay it will be sto-
len
"Oh!" exclaimed as klt twitch, "oh,
don't -
s.Dear me-" she remarked as she made an.
other tug, "do yom Keep ,our Handkerchief
pinned to your pocket9'
Just then the moon, which had been playing
bo- peep behind cloud, shon Out to thorough
ly expose my misery. The rue state Of the
case at once flashed across her mind. The con
trast between the lower part and the supposed
upper part of the same articl' of dress also re
vealed another unpleasant truth. With the dig
My of an offended queen she remarked cut
tingly-
sslf your heart is as false your shirt bosom,
sir, it would be folly for me n repose confidence
in you. can find my way home alone"
turned to her with an inploring look and
was about to commence dprecatory speech,
when the anger Of the faithess Amanda gave
way to a sudden explosion # merriment, and
she skinned homeward like a swallow.
Startled at her behavior lgazed after her like
one petrlfied.
Another suspicion quickl' crossed my brain,
leaving burning flush as itpassed. clapped
my hand to my upper lip.
1t was even So With tie shock of my fall
one side of nv moustache lad fallen off.
fled from the village, aid did not return un-
til heard that Amanda Lolisa had married
military officer, whose wah robe included %
ru1le Losomed shirts Of mipeaehdbfe integri-
ty, and who spurteda splendid mous'ache-of