The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-06-11

sport.
The subject of my late conversatio
continued to occupy my thoughts. I h
truth is, my mother was not more anz
ious to see me married than 1 was to b
SO. I had always regarded the Marie
state as the happiest; my heart gloweC
as much as any mans ever did, at tt,
picture my fancy drew of a loving fami
ly and happy house. But the mischie
of it was, I could not find any one t.
please me- I did not consider myself
nor mean to be, over-fastidious bu
among all the fat, futteriDg, furbelowec
fine ladies 1 met in society, found Sc
little nature, so little goodness, so little
heart, that could not fall in love with
them, let me try as would.
1t was truly lamentable case. Here
was I, a really clever enough fellow
| we'll to do in the world-considered, as
knew well enough, something of catch
willing and anxious to be caught, and
nobody skillful enough to do it. ..
Pondering this gloomy thought, wan
dered on quite beyond my usual bounds,
and at last, rather tired, clambered up
a steep rock which overhung the brook
1 had been following, and sat down to
rest.
Il ives true summer scene-quiet
and warm and bright-nicely shaded,
However, where I lay, and the cool
sound of the ripling water AIDED just the
only charm possible, where all was SC
charming
listened with delight, but in doing
so became sensible that besides the reg
ular monotonous babbling of the brook
let, there mingled other sounds of splash
ing water, which occurred at irregular
intervals, and which seemed to proceed
from below the rock on which I reclincd.
My curiosity led me to explore the
mystery. clambered to the top of the
rock and looked down over its furthcst
edge.
Cupid God of Love! how was 1 re-
warded The rock on the side over
which looked: descended sheer some
fifteen or twenty fe t, when pro
jecting ledge formed kind of natural
seat, below which the water rippled
The spot was Qnite overhung and shaded
by trees and thick shrubs 1t was
complete sylvan grotto, and within it, as
seemed most meek and fitting, was its
nymph.
A young girl, apparently about nine
teen, sat on the rocky ledge bathing her
feet. Her attitude and occupation re-
minded me strongly of the pretty pic
ture we have seen in old fashioned an
nuals of Dorothea-except that my little
beauty was evidently gay, and fresh, and
lively, while Dorothea in the picture is
weary and sad.
1 could not make up my mind for
time to disturb so charming scene,
and therefore continued to gaze in silence
from my lurking place.
All those dainty little white feet, with
their pink-tipped toes, which cleaned SO
fair through the clear water-or flashed |
for moment above its surface, finging
lbout the bright glittering drops, and
hen plugging again beneath the cool
shall [ forget them The
gracefully bent head with its bright,
!olden curls and braids, against which
low and then the sun sparkled from
hink in the leafy screen-the lovely
Ieck and arm-the cheek delicately tint
ID with pink, of which 1 now and then
'aught glimpse, formed picture more
than anything l had ever i'm
lgined. More than all the perfect in
locence and modesty which accompa-
lied all the movements of my sweet
Dina charmed me even more than her
beauty. - ..--- ---..
My heart of ice suddenly burst into a
lame, Heavens p cried 1 to myself, as
felt it humping against my side
what is this new sensation ? Bob
Brown, your hour has come. You're in
owe ~ - -5 a.-l..s - .-r.
At the moment came to this cog
lusion, the float on my fishing line
ropped at the feet of my charmer, and
nmediately-well I'm not going to lay
efore my confidential public an account
f all my delicate and skiilful maneuv-
ing-enough that within half an hour
was seated socially by my water fai- ]
Us side, trying to look as much like ,
Ieptune or Massaniello, or any other 8
-ater-hero, I did not care which, as I I
ould. gave sly tweak or two to &
~ shirt collar to make it lie down, sal {
IF fashion; turned back my wris: bands, l
nd kept my hat carefully on, so that
ne little spot on my crown which was s
rowing thin might not be observed, and
altered myself I should do very well in I
y new role. /
Moral soon discovered her sweet g
ame-was most charmingly gay and
natty. No prudery, or thoughts of
VII rufled the current of her childlike, n
lnocent thoughts. She was careless e
hild at Dlav Glad of n n1avfeiIou n