Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-04-18
4n Eattrsstina Storp.
From IEarpers msgazIne.l
SALLY JONES.

| Nathan Jones, small farmer in our
vicinity. had daughter. as pretty
and buxom lass as ever thumped but
Itcr.milk in churn; and whether you
saw her carrying eggs TO market on
the fea-bitten mare. or helping 10 stir
lapple-butter at boiling frolic, or ma
king & long reach at quilting. or sit
ting demurely in the log meeting house
on Sunday--in short. wherever you
sa~ her. she always looked as pretty.
liz not prettier, than she had ever done
before.
Notwithstanding her attractions. il
will scarcely be credited that Sally bad
reached the mature nge Of eighteen
without an avowed suitor. Admirers.
nay. lovers. she had BY the score; and
whenever liquor was convenient, many
a sober youth got drunk because Of
her. and many signing bachelor
would have given his riding horse. or
Ievcn his share in dads iarm for her.
There was. indeed. no lack Of will
on their part; the difficulty was in mus.
tering mp courage 10 make the propo-
SAL Mankind seemed for once to be
Impressed with proper sense OF their
own unwor,hiness.
Now. Gar be il from any one 10 infer
from this that Sally was prudish or
unapproachable. On the contrary,
she was as good humored. as comely.
and disposed to be as loving as she
was loveable.
| Poor SALLY Il Is q great misfortune
for girl to be too handsome; almost
as great as to be too ugly.
There she was. as socinble and warm
hearted ms q pigeon. amiable as tur-
tle-dove. looking soft encouragement.
as plainly as maiden mcdesty permit.
ted. to her bashful company OF admir-.
ers. who dawdled about her. twidding
their thumbs. biting the bark of their
riding switches. and playing number
Of other sheepish tricks. but never say.
ing a word to the purpose.
Sally was entering on her nineteenth
year. when she was one day heard TO
observe that men were tbs meanest,
slowest. cowardliest. or nariest crea-
lures: in short. good for nothing but
to lay under an apple tree with their
mouths open and wait until the apples
drop into them.
This observation was circulated from
mouth 10 mouth. and. like the riddle
Of the sphinx. was deeply pondered by
Sally's lovers. II any of them had
wit enough to solve its meaning. Ger.
tainly no one had pluck enough to
prove the answer.
Not Of this poor crowd was Sam
Bates, a stalwart youth. who stood. in
winter, six feet two inches In his stock.
ings; (in summer he didn't wear any. J
Sam was not handsome, in the or
dinary sense OF the term. He was
freckIed. had n big mouth and carroty
hair. His feet--but no matter--he
usually bought number fourteen and
a-half boots. because they ct him bet
ter than sevens or eights.
Sam was wagon maker by trade.
owned fourishing shop and several
hundred acres Of unimproved land.
which secured 10 him the reputation OF
independence. For the rest. he was
a registering blade. a good rider. a
crack shot with rife. and an accom-.
plished fiddler. Bold to the confines
of impudence. he was favorite OF the
fair; with heart Ms big as his foot. and
a fs, like sledge hammer. he was
acknowledged the cock of the walk.
and prsur eh,volisr OF the pinehill
country.
Mr.. Bates met Sally Jones for the
6rst time at quilting. and in sixty
seconds after sight he had determined
to court Der. lie sat beside her rs
she stitched. and even hid the audac-
ity to squeeze her hand under the
quilt. Truth is mighty and must be
told.
| Although Sally did not resent his
imperlinsnce by stitch with her nee
die. she was not half so indignant us
she ought to have been. / dare not
say she was pleased. but perhaps |
should not be FAR from the truth if l
did. 1t Is undeniable that the more
gentle and modest woman Is. the
more she admires courage and bold
ness in other sex.
i Sally blushed every time her eyes
met those Of her new beau, and that
vas as often rs she looked up.
i AS for Sam, the longer he gazed,
the deeper he sunk in the mire OF love,
and by the end Of the evening his
heart and his confidence were both
completely overwhelmed.
AS he undertook to see Sally home.
he felt numbness in his joints that
was entirely new to him, and when he
tried 10 make known his sentiments as
he had previously determined, he
found his heart was so swelled up that
Il closed his throat and he couldn't Ut
ter word.
"what darned. cussed sneak
wasl' groaned Sam, as he turned that
night on his sleepless pillow. Whats
come over me, that cant speak my
mind to pretty girl without a cho-
kin? o Lord! but she Is too pretty
for this earth. Well. I'm - goin' to
church with her tomorrow: and II l
don't dx matters afore I 20 back. then
drst me-"
| Il Is probable Sam Bates had never
hearkcned to the story Of "Rasselas.
Prince Of Abyssinia. or he would
have been less credulors while thus
listening 10 the whispers Of fancy. aud
less ready 10 take !. for granted that
the deficiency Of tho day would be
supplied by The morrow.
Tomorrow came, and In due time
Mr.. Bates. tricksd of In a bran new
twenty.doIlar suit OF Jews clothes.
WAS on his way u meeting beside the
beautiful Sally. His horse. bedccked
with fair. new leather bride. and n
new saddle with brass s.irrups. looked
- gay ~ his master.
AZ they rode up 10 tho meeting