Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-08-31
Early Courtship in Ohio.

| It's sent ANYHOW, and the harder chap loves
gal, the poorer chance he stands of gitten
her the thing is just here the more he loves
her, the more she and trembling he is, and he
can't half tell his feeling to her if he tries
while the careless and unfeeling chap that's
got no more love in him than hoss, can have
dozen gals after him at once.
/ have thought the heart is like mud turtles
eggs, You dent the shell at one side-a dent
on the other side, made in the same manner,
will bring all smooth again.
So with the heart one gal makes a dent
it remains bruised till some other gal presses
it, pushing out the old bruise and carving
new one.
Well, accidents will happen, folks will
laugh, the world is more fond of fun than
logic-and they might as well laugh at me as
any body.
So I agreed to tell you about my courtship.
1t wasn't Pasty, but my first sweetheart was
a proper handsome gal l worked for her
father. Ohio was all in the woods then, and
everybody lived in log houses. Down in Cleve-
land there was store or two. And my three
hundred acres that is worth now one hundred
and fifty dollars an acre, wasn't worth when
[ bought it only three dollars. Pshaw, pshawl
/ how times is changed. Glad to get corn bread
and common gravy then-had to go thirty
miles down TO Chagrin to mill. always used
to 90 up for boss instead Of himself, for l on
ly shefted ninety pounds in weight, and made
a lighter load over bag Of corn on horseback.
Let me see, / weigh one hundred and eighty
now
Wei, was twenty-five years old justabout
and love with boss's doughter, but always
thought she felt little above me, for l was
not quite as tall as she was anyhow, and work
ing for eight dollars month and had to dress
in tow linen at that.
You never see one of them logging frocks
made like shirt, out of fax tow, did yer?
Well, l bought this blue coat, when mar
aied Patsy, thirty and Eve years ago. never
wore any but that, and if it was Sunday, to-
day, / should have it on, for ] despise extra
| yarance and new tangled fummcries and
thinrumbob noodles round y'r houses
| was in love thirty-fye years ago, head
heels, and never dared to say word about
it. Her name was Jerusha.
! I longed to tell her how my heart swelled
and burnt for her as it thumped again my
chest but I could never screw my courage
I'M to the pint-but thought | would some
! dav: I'd been alone with her many times, and
! had resolved and re resolved on popping 1t
RIGHT out, but the stiffness was as awful on
them occasions as the roar Of the Niagara, and
my heart would feel all over like your little
| finger when you hit your elbow'gin a thing
accidental, a tarnal tingling fullness.
Cuss ,ay luck, said 1 to myself. One Sun
dav nirht | cum hum from mill after three
days' ride and Jerusha had beau, dressed as
| s,nart-as dancing master My heart jump
| ed into my gullet the very moment l see him.
| | felt down in the mouth for l knew l was
= gone fellow. He had on broadcloth. Talk
! of your new tangled Gossop and Greshon
! houses now, but folks in them days didn't
have but one room down stairs, and ladder
! to 90 up stairs ; puncheon floor was good
| eDough below and oak shanker split out by
| hand, kivered the chamber floor. 1t was so
| in boss's house, and | slept up chamber |
want YOU to remember MY tow shirt, ana L
want YOU to imagine my feelings that night
| aftor want to bed, for Jerusha and the dam
dy chan had the hull room below to them
| selves with rousing bright fire to spark. L
| couldn't stand the temptation TO want to hear
what tbey had to say for themselves. Whisper.
| whisper! whisper!
! Won may laugh at it. but it is the naked
| trpth am going to tell you. have laugh
! cd myself at the same thing. When [ heard
! something pop like a kiss, by ginger l could
! stand nv heartthumps no longer. Curiosity
and jealousy got the upper hand on me L
,ranfed to see for myself, so L slid out of bed
s;tting fae Ike a tailor on the floor, determin-
! cd 10 hitch up Just as | sol, inch at time, to
| the onening over the hearth where the beams
and gun hooks were.
4 cat couldn't been no stiller arter mouse
but nv heart thumped louder every hitch,
inst as it Will when a man goes to do what
ain't right. Well, just as L had gained the
r;,ht mint TO look over at 'em Just tilted the
a6or down went, tow shirt to gnn hook
and there [ hung blindfold, like squirrel
half skinned, right over my rival and sweet
Lgart-ready for bathing. l couldn't see EN-
~ all arter that. and 1t was more than ten
minutes before the old boss awoke to tear me
loose: dangling round the fire.
What. what, said he; got spare rlb Ha'
lot me down. said l. l got pretty well baked
onvboyv. and hain't been quite SO raw III love
natter I never looked Jerusha IN the tac'
from that dav, nor a g.rl in the neigh6orhood
for could swear she told 'em all. That ac
c;dent cot nv grit up to make fortin. wen
off = few miles, and married the first ehanc
cot lust out of spite-and Patsy Is worth al
'em arter all-and marrying Is lottery ousi
ness ,e I;d ho.ors
Won can't get q particular girl-but remember
, that your heart is like rubber, 1t Will stretc
, a GOOD wavs and not break.