Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-10-07
STORY OF A COURT SHIP.

"Come-.come," said Mrs. Gray
"you have been moping there long
enough, nephew, forgetting manners
and everything else. Here are the ap'
pies waiting and no one to hand them
round, for when ouco | get into this
easy chair'-here the good old woman
gave smiling survey Of her ample per.
son, which certainly overlooked the
chair at every point, leaving all but a
ridge of the back and a curving arms
quito invisibe--"it isn't very easy
thing to get up again. Now hustle a.
bout, and while we old folks rest our
selves you and Julia there, can try your
luck with apple seeds.
al remember the first time ever sur.
missed that Mr.. Gray had taken notion
to me was once when we were al an ap.
plecuttiug together down in Maine
Somehow Mr.. Gray got into my neigh.
borhood when we ranged round the
great basket of apples. felt my cheeks
burn the very moment he drew his chair
80 very close to mine, and took out his
jack knife to begin work. He pared
aud quartered. / never looked up
bu. once-then his cheek was redder
than mine and he held the jack knife
terribly unsteady. By and by he go,
a noble great apple, yellow as gold and
smooth as baby's cheek. ! was look.
ing at his hands sideways from under
my lashes, and saw that he was pairing
it very carefully, as if every round of
the skin was a strip of gold. At last
he cut it off at the seed end, and the soft
rings fell down over his wrist, and |
took the apple from bis fingers.
SNOW" said he, in whisper, bend.
ing his head little and raising the peel
carefully with his right hand, Pm just
rs sure this will he the first letter of the
name love. as am that we are alive"
He began swiftly twirling the apple
peel round his head ; the company were
all busy with one another and ! was the
only person who saw the yellow links
quivering round his head, once, twice,
three times. Then he held it still a.
a moment and sat looking right into my
eyes. held my breath and so did he.
Now" says he, and his breath came
swithasadiyeEi' .whatif 5should be-
your namol"g
l did not answer, and we both look.
ed back a, the same time. Sure enough
it was letter S. No pen, ever made
ono more beautifully.
"Just as expected" said he, and
his eyes grew bright as diamonds, "jnst
as expected" That was all hs said.
"And what answer did you make him;
aun,l' asked Robert Otis. who had
been listening with flushed face
"What did you say!"
al didn't speak word, but guar.
tered on just as fast as could. AS for
Mr.. Gray he kept pairing and pairing
like all possessed. | thought he would
never stop pairing or speak word more.
BY and by he stuck the point Of his
knife into an apple and unwinding the
skin from around il, he handed it over
to me. 1t was red skin, | remember,
and cut as smooth us ribbon.
IL shouldn't bit wonder if that
dropped into letter G." said Mr.. Gray.
" Suppose you try it,"
"Well, ] took the red apple skin and
whirled ii three times around my head
and down it went upon the floor aud
curled up into the incest capital G that
you ever set your eyes on.
"Mr. Gray, he looked at the letter
and then sort of sideways into my face.
rs G." says he, taking up the apple
skin and eating it, as if it had been the
first mouthfll at Thanksgiving dinner.
" How would you like to see them two
letters on new set ofsiver tea spoons!"
& al really believe you could have lit
n candle ut my face, it burned so; bu,
couldn't speak more than ifsl had
been born tongue tied"
But did you never answer ahou,
the tea spoonsl" asked Julia.
"Well--yes-l believe did the next
Sunday night" said the old lady de-
murely smoothing her apron.-.irs.
Stephens.
D,.;5sDv D,ol Rocen,lv near pp.