The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1854-10-25
Angling for a Husband.

/ Angling for Husband.
Nine D., who resided at Chaton, was a
lady of the strictest character and Of heart
proof against all allurement. She prided her
self upoa her. great insensibity, and her pro-
found indifference had repulsed all those gal
lants who had ventured to offer their addresses.
The country was for her veritabe retreat, she
Stunned reunions and was only happy in soll-
tude The charms of pleasant circle, the
pleasures of the world had for her no attrac-
tion and her favorite recreation was angling
an amusement worthy of an unteellng woman.
She was accustomed every pleasant day to
station herself at the extremity of the lonely
island of Chatoa, and there with g book in one
hand and her line in the other, her time was
passed in fishing, reading OF dreaming.
A lover who had always been intimidated by
her GOODNESS, and who had never ventured on
spoken or written declaration, surprised her
at her favorite pursuit, one day, when he had
come to the islandofor the purpose of enjoying
swimming bath. He observed her for a long
time without discovery, and busted himself with
thinking how he might turn to ohis advantage
this lonely amusement of angling. His reve-
ries were so deep and so fortunate, that he at
last hit upoh the desired plan, a povel expedi-
ent indeed-yet they are always most success
full with such women as pretend to be lnvulne-
rabies
The next day our amorous hero returned to
the island, studied the grouno2 made his ar
rangemcnts, and when Nine D had re-
sumed her accustomed place, he slipped away
to remote and retired shelter, and after having
dvested himself of his clothing he entered the
stream. An excellent swimmer and skllful
diver, he trusted to his aquatic talents fon the
success of his experiment. He swan to the
end of the island with the greatest procautlon,
faveped by the chances of the bank and the
bushes which hung their dense foliage above
the waters. In his lips was note folded and
sealed, and on arriving near the spot where
Mnse. D. was sitting he made a dive, and
lightly seizisg the hook he attached to his
letter.
Nine. D., perceiving the movement OF
her line, supposed that fish was biting,
The Young man had returned as he came. he
had doubled the cape which, extending out into
the water separated tbem from each other, and
had regained his post without the least noise in
his passage under the willows. The deed was
DONE
Nine. D., pulled in her line, and what
was her surprise to observe dangling upon the
barb of her hook, not the expected sinner, but
an unexpected letter!
This was, however, trifing, and her surprise
became stupefaction, when on detaching the
trans6xed billet, she read upon the envelop--
her name
So then, this letter which she had ished up,
was addressed to her!
This was somewhat miraculous. She was
afraid Her troubled glance scrutinized the
surrounding space, but there was nothing to be
seen Or heard, all was still both on land and
water.
She quilted her seat but took away her letter
As soon as she was alone, aud closeted witt
herself, and as soon as the paper was dry-a
paper perfectly waterproof, and written upon
with indelible ink-she unscaed the letter and
commenced its perusal.
"a declaration Of love" cried she, at the frs
words "What insolence!"
q Still, the insoence had come to her in such
an extraordinary manner that her curiosity
would not suffer her to treat this letter, as she
had SO many others-pitilessly burn it withou
, a reading.
No, she read it quite Though TIE love'
who dated his note from the bottom of the river
had skillfuoy adopted the allegory, and intro
duced hmselbas grotesque inhabltant Of the
waters. The fable was gracefully managed ,and
with the jesting tone which he had adopted was
mingled true, serious, ardent sentiment, ex
pressed with beauty and eloquence.
The next day Nine. D--returned to the
island, not without emotion and some trace O
fear. She threw her line with a trembling hanc
and shuddered as, moment after, she perceived
the movement of the hook. o.
"Is it fish? Isit a letter?'
It was a1letter
Nine. D-was no believer in magic still
;, there was something STANCE and. Unnatural II
all this.
She had an idea of throwing back the letter
into the stream, but relinquishedi it. The mos
stubborn and naughty woman is always dis
: armed in face of that strange mystery which
captivates her imagination.
The second letter was more tender, more
} passionate, more charming than the first Nine
D. reread it several times and could no
} help thinking about the delightful norman who
WROTE such bewitchng letters.
On the subsequent day she attached herlint
to the bank, and left it swimming in the stream
, while she withdrew to hiding place upon the
: extremity of the island She watched for
long time, but saw nothing. She returned te
3 the place, withdrew the line-and there was ths
letter!
This time an answer was requested. 1t wa:
, peshaps, premature yet the audaclous reques
, obtained full success. The reply was writer
t after some hesitation, and the hook dropped
into the stream. charged with aletser which wa
intended to say nothing, and affected sort o
| badinage, which was nevertheless bulletin o
t a victory gained over the harsh severity Of ;
5 woman until then inapproachable.
Nine. D-had too much shrewdness no
! to guess that her mysterious spondent,em
t ployed instead of magic, the art of skllfu
: diver. scruples easily under stood restrained
2 her from that portion of the bank where she
was sure the diver would emerge from the water
] But this game of letters pleased her. First
e it pleased her intellect, and then her heart Wa
f interested, finally her feelings and her curiosit
= became so lively that she wrote:
7 'Let us give up this jesting, which ha
S pleased me for moment, but which shoult