M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-11-27

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early next morning to secure good
seats in the center aisle. could
hardly close my eyes that night for
thinking how should "pop the ques.
ton :" and when / did get a short
slumber, was awakened on a sudden
by some one starting behind the hedge
Just as | was disclosing the soft secret.
Sometimes, when had fancied my
self sitting by the lovely Mary in a
bower of jessamine and roses, and had
Just concluded a beautiful rhapsody
about loves and doves, myrtles and
turtles, raised my blushing head and
found myself tete-d-tete with her pa.
pa! At another moment she would
slip beautiful pink, hot,presSed bill
let doux into my hand, which, when |
uniolded it would turn out to be a
challenge from some favored lover, de-
string the satisfaction Of meeting me
at half past six o'clock in the morn
ing, and concluded, as usual, with an
indirect allusion to hoBe-whip.-
Morning dreams, they say, always
come true. 1t is a gross falsehood,
mine never come true. But had a
pleasant vision that morning and |
iondly believed it would be verified.
Methought had ventured to "pop the
question" to my dear Dulcinca, and
was accepted. jumped out Of bed
in tremor. Eyes" | cried, 81 aoilt
pop the question; ere this nightcap
again envelope this unhappy head,
the trial shall be made!" And | sha.
we'd and brushed the hair over the bald
place on my crown, and tied my era
vat with unprecedented care and
made my appearance in the breakfast
parlor just as the servant maid had
begun to dust the table and chairs.
Breakfast time at length arrived
But | shall pass over the blunders |
committed during its progress, how |
salted Mary Roses muffin instead Of
my own, poured the cream into the
sugar basin and took a bite at the tea.
pot lid. "Pop the question:" haunted
me continually, and l feared to speak
even on the most ordinary topic, lest
| should in some way betray myself. :
Pop-pop-pop! everything seemed
to go off with pop! and at length
when Mr.. Morton hinted to Mary and
her motlor tlfat- 10 wac tino- eor -tl,essl
to "pop" on their bonnets, | thought
he laid a peculiar stress on the horri-
bic monosylable, and almost expected
him to accuse me of some sinister de-
sign upon his daughter. 1t passed of
however;and we set out for the church.
Mary Rose leaned upon my arm, and
complained how dull | was. /, OF
course, protested against it, and tried
to rally; vivacity, indeed, was one Of
my characteristics, and was just be-
ginning to make myself extremely
agreeable, when little urchin, in the
thick gloom Of the dark entry, let of a
pop.gun close to my ear. The sound,
simple as it may seem, made me start
as if a ghost had stood before me; and
when Mary observed that I was ''very
nervous this morning" felt as if |
could have throttled the lad; and in
Wardly cursed the inventor of pop
guns.
We had now arrived in the middle
aisle, when my fair companion whis-
ipered me-"My dear Mr.. ,
won't you take off your hat9" This
was only prelude to still greater blum
ders. | posted myself at the head of
the seat, sang part of the hundredth
;. Psalm while the organist was playing
thesymphony, sat down when should
have stood up, knelt when ought to
have been standing, and just at the
end ofthe creed found myself pointed
due west, the gaze and wonder of the
whole congregation.
The sermon at length commenced ;
and the quietness that enSued, broken
only by the perambulat;ons Of the bea-
die and b-schoolmaster, and the col
Ilision ever and anon of their off cial
wands with the heads of refractory stu
dents, guilty Of the enormous crime Of
gaping Or twirling their thumbs, gave
me no opportunity of collecting my
scattered thoughts. just as the rest
of the congregation were going to
sleep, l began to awake from my
mental lethargy; and by the time the
worthy parson had discussed three or
four heads of his text, felt myself com.
petent to make speech in parliament.
Just at this moment, too, a thought
struck me as beautiful as it was sud
den-a plan by which l might make
the desirable tender of my person, and
display an abundant share of wit into
the bargain. 81.
To this end | seized Mary Roses
pray book, and turning over the pa.
ges till came to Matrimony. marked
the passage, "Witt Mou haze this
man to be thy aOedded husban0S" with
two emphatic dashes; and confidently
noint;n0 Significantly to myself hand