Demoine courier., 1854-11-09
Short Skrttb.
STORY OF A COURTSHIP.

have been moring there long enough,
nephew. forgetting manners and every.
hing else. Here are the apples waiting,
and on one to hand them round, for when
| once gel into this easy chair'-here
The good woman gave a smiling survey
OF her ample person. which certainly
overlooked The chair a, every point,
leaving all but ridge Of The back and
tho cprvins arms quite invisib'e-.it
isn't a very easy thing TO get up again
Now hustle about, and while we old
folks rest ourselves. you and Julia. there,
can try your luck with apple seeds.
81 remember the FIRST time | ever sur
missed Ina, Mr.. Gray had taken a notion
Il me, was once when we were at an
apple cut ing iogethe; down in MAJ e.
Somehow Mr.. Gray GO, into my neigh
borhoot when we ranged round the great
basket Of apples. feh my cheeks burn
the minute he drew his sea. so very close
to mine. and took on, his jsckknife to
begin work. lie pared and | quar,ered.
| u escr looked up but once, then lis
Gu ek was redder than mine. and he held
the jack knife very unsteady. BY. and
by nc got a noble grea, apple, yellow as
gold, and smooth as a baby's check.
was locking at his hand side ways from
under my lashes, and saw hat he was
pairing il very carefully, as II every
round Of the skin wasa strip of gnld.-
Al last he cut j, of al. The seed end, and
the sof. rings Tell down over his wrist,
and | iook The apple f,om his fingers.
"a Now said he, in a whisper, bend
ing his head a lit,Ie. and raising the peel
carefully with his right hand. "l',n just
as sure this will be- the first letter of the
name love, as am that are alive
Tie began swiftly ,wirling the apple peel
round his head: The company were all
busy with n another, and | was the
only person who saw the yellow links
quivering around his head, once. twice,
three times. Then he held ii still q mo-
ment. and sat looking right, into my eyes.
! held my breath, and SO did he.
Now, says he. aud his brea.l,
came CIT with a,qnirer, .wha, if it shorId
DE yOur name! e.t ~
81 did not nswe and We both lacked
back al the same time. Sure enough, i,
was a letter s. No pen ever made one
mure beautifully.
".Juss as expected said he. and
his eyes grew bright as diamonds. .ius,
as ! expectel!' Tha, was all he said."
"And what answer did you make him,
aunt" asked ROBBERS Olis. who had been
listening with a flushed face. .Wha'
did you sayl"'a
Il didn't speak a word. but quarlered
on just ss fast as | could. As Tor Mr..
Gray, he kept pairing, and pairing. like
all possessed. though, he never would
stop pairing. or speak a word more. By.
and by no struck the point Of his knife
into an apple. and unwinding the Skin
from around it. he handed i. over to me.
|. was a red skin, l remember, and Gu
as smooth as a ribbon.
al shouldn't wonder a bi, il III a,
dropped into a letter G. says MI. Gray.
Suppose you try IT,
"Well. I took The red apple skin, and
whirled il three times round nv head
and il went on the floor. curled up into
the incest capital G that you ever ser
your eyes on.
"Mr. Gray. he looked at the letter
and then sort Of sideways into nv face.
5. Gu says he. taking up the apple skin
and ealing il q . IL i, had been the frs
moulhful ofa Thanksgiving dinner
How woold you like to see them two
letters on a new set of silver tea spoons!
II really believe You could have liz q
candle at my face, it burned so; bu, !
could not speak more than il I'D been
born tongue tied" a.
"But did you neyer answer about The
spoons!" asked Julia"
"Well-yes-I believe | did, the Q
Sunday night said tho old lady de.
mprsly. smoothing her apron.-Mrs.
Stephens. ~