The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-07-18
I" Passable," I replied very coldly.

side of the bench on which we were seat
ed, just to show him how Indifferent was.
"Bob," said he, looking more soberly,
az had an idea you were man of taste,
but I see you are as likely to fall in love
with one of my black wenches as with the
prettiest girl in South Carolina"
"Who's that, Uncle Ned?"
This remark was called forth by the
sudden appearance, on the gravel walk, of
the loveliest creature 1 ever beheld, and
that, considering l have firted with the
bellies of Paris Naples and Rome, is say
| ing great deal. I was confounded by
the sudden apparition, and springing from
my seat as if an electric shock had reused
the slumbering blood in my veins, stood
bolt upright before her.
Shades of Venus! did any one ever see
such loveliness! such graceful move
ment! such divine expression!
] could neither speak nor move, so
completely was paralyzed by the glori-
Gus beauty of the nymph.
al didn't know there was any one here" "
stammered she, with such delectable
blush on her cheek, that nearly went
mad with enthusiasm.
Before could recall my scattered senses
the beauty bounded away as lightly as a
fawn. -
"What ails you, Bob? What are you
staring at?" said uncle Ned.
"Who is she?" asked 1, clasping my
hands in the rapturous excitement of the
| moment.
"That? Why that's little Sylphie
Howard, one of Rosalie's friends, who is
spending few weeks with her." he re-
piled indinerently. r.e.s
| Beautiful" said T.
"She! Passable!"
| "She is divine!,'
| "Tolerably good looking, but she is
nothing to be compared to my Rosalie. y
l was about to say something saucy;
but thought since uncle Ned really be-
lieved what he said, I would not hurt his
feelings by denying it. At dinner met
both ladies, and was formally introduced
to little Sylphie Howard" I was pro-
voked with uncle when he assigned me 9
seat next to Rosalie could hardly be
civil to her, with such a pair of beautiful
eyes before me, and I hardly ceased te
gaze upon Sylphie during the hour We
spent at the table.
After dinner we went out to ride horse
back. Uncle Ned annoyed me again by
contriving it so that could help Rosalie
mount her horse, and ride by her side
and he, the provoking old fool, did those
Offices of gallantry for Sylphie.
"No use, old chap, you shall lose YOU
bet," thought /, and tried to be civil te
my cousin. 49, .fss
I don't think I succeeded very well.
am very sure I did not fall in love witt
her. My eyes rested all the time upor
the fair and graceful horse-woman wht
rode before me. ~
. And thus it was for week. Uncl,
Ned managed to keep me by the side o
Rosalie nearly all the time. If we played
whist she was my partner; if we rode il
the carriage she sat by my side; if w
walked, he monopolized Sylphie and lef
Rosalie to me-and more than once tn
old fellow left us alone together as thougl
he thought was all ready to pop tn
question, and hand him over the thousand
But I was discreet. I gave her wide
+ berth, and sighed for the love of the beau
!. tiful Sylphie Howard. was head owe
heels in love-would have eloped with he
|, in moment, if she would have consented
j In spite of my uncle's vigilance, how
ever, I found opportunities to flirt littl
with Sylphie, and one day lured her in
, to a grove of palmettoes in the rear o
the mansion house.
j Time was precious. I was the hero o
, a novel. Cruel uncles in bob-tail wig
J sought to crush out the affections of m
, heart. In short, threw myself at he
, feet, and with all the eloquence that Har
| ward College had been able to crowd int,
, my composition, declared my love,
used classic terms, I quoted Milton, By
ron and Shakespeare, and called on all tn
gods in the calendar of Greece aud Rome
Did she accept me? Of course she did
f she couldn't help accepting mel am no
an Unlocking fellow, let me say, in exten
! uation of her weakness, and I had poppe,
the question in decidedly original man
ner. To be sure she accepted me.
! I printed twenty-four kisses on each O
, her pretty cheeks, and she blushed till
thought her eye lashes would take fire an,
cheat me of my prize.
!, We kept our counsel for two or thre
weeks, and one morning, when we wer
: riding out, we got away from uncle Me-
: and Rosalie, and clipped it away about te
4 miles to clergyman, who was so obliginI
l as to supply us with marriage certificate
We rode back more leisurely. was i
? my element. An elopement was just tn
i kind of excitement to suit me.
| We got back to uncle Ned's about din
, ner time
Where have you been!" asked unnl
: Ned.
cover to Rev. Mr.. ---'s. Allow m
to present my wife," said I. with perfec
lnonchalance. "a s. g @,
, HThA dip '@ 81 H 50