Volcano weekly ledger., 1857-03-07

her feet But when | became more expert
enced in California life, and knew Lizzie bet
ter, ceased to consider her in fault. Her
mothers guests it was her duty to treat kind
ly; and her natural goodness of heartpr
ted her to render the.society at her mothers
agreeable to all with whom she assoclated.-
But smile on a young man here, and you
have, in his estimation, invited his addresses,
and unless thereafter you treat him wit
marked rudeness he is added to your list z
victims.
Now, | consider myself rather an adept in
the art of pumping" In fact, have man
aged to become possessed of the secrets of at
least nine-tenths Of the persons in the Dig
gings; but with all my acuteness / was not
able to obtain from Lizzie the state Of her
heart nor her ultimate intentions in regard to
matrimony.
From one of her younger sisters learned
that Lizzie had once been in love when she
was mere girl, just entering her teens, in
the Atlantic States The object Of her
young affections at that time was a harum-
scarum orphan, who had been so uncared for
tits true, he was not very promising youth.
Lizze's father discovered the intimacy, and
in no complimentary terms forbid the young
ster his premises, and gave Lizzie to under
stand that she must turn her thoughts on diff
ferent things if she would go unpunished-
But as this affair had blown over long before
they started for this country, in coming to
which Mr.. Anthon died. it was not consider
ed as reason for her adhering so closely to
her maiden name.
had finally arrived at the conclusion that
Lizzie was really proof against love, and that
she had determined to enrol herself among
the ancient and honorable society of cold
maidsn
But, somehow or another / never could
maintain one opinion for any great length of
time are all women alike in this respect?-
and in the spring of '56 my faith in Lizzie's
keeping the citadel of her heart against the
assaults Of the forces of the fat, chubby, ma
ked little god, Cupid, began to give way, as
| observed the marked pleasure with which
she received the attentions of newcomer to
Texas Diggings, from the Atlantic side.
His appearance was not very prepossessing,
but he improved on acquaintance and his in
tellectual beauties made up for his deficiencies
in looks He appeared to me to be just the
man to win Lizzie's mature affections. And
when | beheld her in conversation with him
drinking in his words Of eloquence as they
fell from his lips-and saw the marked inter-
est he felt in her, settled the point, to my
own satisfaction, that wedding was not far
distant in the future, and wondered how /
would advise the bride to dress on that occa-
sion, in order to meet the deficiencies in my
own wardrobe, provided l were entreated to
perform the responsible duties of the brides
maid.
was not alone in ascribing hymenial in
tent to Lizzie and her emgrant beau They
we're soon the talk of the camp; and it was
difficult to tell which sentiment predominated
whether chagrin at the success of one, after
so many had failed, or exultation that the
bird which had scared beyond their efforts
had at last been cnsnared
Whatever we're Lizzie's engagements, she
certainly had the faculty of keeping them to
herself and was thereby placed in the hu-
initiating position of saying, in answer to the
numerous inquiries made of me, that | knew
nothing at all Of the matter
The summer was passing away, and yet no
wedding at Mrs Anthons. 1t was too bad
for Lizzie to keep her friends in such sus-
pense. One afternoon | was sitting at the
front window-it is always coolest at the
front window in the summer time-when in
bounded Lizze's younger sister, all out of
breath, and l could plainly see, full of news
So | made her comfortable as soon as posi-
bic, and sitting down in front of her and
crossing my hands in my lap, started her by
saving "well," aud in five minutes Ihad learn
cd it all.
Lizzies boy beau had just arrived from the
Atlantic States, he was a doctor and real
handsome and Lizzie was going to be married
- liz, and +bev were foing hack tn his home