True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-03-12
r. Raglan, Editor and Proprietor.


duce them to my readers. Indeed they
were more than usually vehement in their
denunciations of any treason to their code.
Margaret's eyes had flashed Indignantly at
the very thoughtof such reachery-Sophie
had painted most touchingly the lonely
state of the other two-should one be base
enough to desert-and little Rose had de-
clared, 90
"That even if Prince Charming himself
should come iving into the room in gold
en- chariot, aud were to fall at her feet, all
crowned with diamonds, she would not a.
yer the least mite--but should just say very
coldly, 'Rse, Prince Charming, you can't
have me. ] have promised my sisters nev-
er to marry s-
Margaret and Sophie laughed at little
Roses sally, and the greatest unanimity of
opinion appeared to prevail.
While they sat over the fire discussing
this subject, Kitty Cork entered with a
basket of chestnuts, saying, rs...
"If ye plase, leddies, Thomas bids me
give yees the nuts. He's afther picking
them hissel; andhe says as it's Hallow-Ave
yell be thryin' yer fortunes, good or bad
and it's wishin' ye good luck and good h us.
bands he is."
"Does not Thomas knoW?" began Mar
garet, with frown. '5 ...' ''-
"Ohay he knows, interrupted Kitty with
a slight toss of her head but ilnmed atey
repenting this imprudent gesture, she ad
ded, with roguish occurrences. r,o
! "Och, but Thomas is quare, headstrong
ould body. Purr, ould sowl, he has ay his
cranks and Withstand one is, yell al
three O. yees be married before the years
out. Unfortunate, demented craythur tina
he is, to take sic an crazy fancy"
i Crazy, indeed!" said Margaret with dig
sInityi bat yet when Kitty was gone, tn,
! girls began "just for fun" to try the nut
on the hot shovel in the good old-fashione,
manner. True, nc names were mentioned
aloud, but that did not prevent each maid
en- from mentally designating her nuts al
| she pleased-and certainly the most in
tense interest glowed in each youthful fac,
as it watched the antic maneuvres o
the lovers in the symbolical pantomime.
Kitty returned to find them engaged il
this most inconsistent amusement; but lik,
a wise damsel she took no note of trifin!
discrepancies. She, on the contrary, pro
posed that as they we're trying Hallow. Ev,
games, they shouldn't a later hour, ibefor,
going to bed, try the famous old one of SOW
ing hemp seed by moonlight. etv
"What is it! how do you do it," criet
the sisters, and Kitty went on to explain
how that the girl who would look into tn,
future as to her fate, must 60 by night
alone, and beyondthe hearing of herfriend
and scattering hemp-seed in the mconigh
must say, '' H "'i ''n ~
: 'Hemp-seed SOW, ..a Sc .' 4.,'7 o-
Hemp-secd must grow; ..,. ...s..q ...
, Whoever will be my true-love, come afte
me and now
And then, on looking over her right shoul
der, she should see the man she was t
marry coming after her, with a grea
scythe, ,mowing-and who would most sure
ly overtake her and cut off her heels wit
that weapon if she paused too long to look
"You forget, Kitty, we are never goins
to have any husbands" remarked Sophie
when Kitty paused in her explanations.
"Oh, well, then, no harm done," was th'
response--"if yees to have no husbands
no husbands will come and yell no risk ye
heels"
The sisters were in the humor for a ffol
ic, and would have adventured trial OF
the spot, but the all Important Kitty stop
ped thom,rg -m al"s al gm.H 20
"What an time is this fol. such a thing
it's no yet eight o'clock and the mune's Mt
up--the earliest hour ever ! seen it triet
was ten O'clock, and the midnight hour il
better still" -" u "' 's''~ - ''A'
The girls consented to wait a more pro
pitious hour, and, returned, to their fire
side chat. Kitty retired to the kitchen
where she whispered long tale in Thom
as ear. The latter listened nodded hi
: head saguciously-took up his hat an
went out. j1Hs u l1 ''' r
Ten o'clock at length struck, and the sis
: ters, us eager as ever for the frolic, calle,
Kitty. She appeared after little delay
bringing with her three baskets of hemp
} seed, one of which she gave to eachfair ad
vepturer, with renewed Instructions. Mis-
. Margaret was desired to issue from tn
front .door-Rose from the back, and Soph
: from the side. They were about to set of
when Thomas, who stood silently observ
+ ing all, said grufiy, M = ls
"Thht's wrong, Kltty--Miss Rose is I
! ,golby the side bnd Miss Sophie from TIN
back. mi, d ..,a I al.,.,Ri n n !,
"Thrue Tor 70, Thomas, SRGme hsaxt|
M