The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-08-19

The kindly tone and the caress took away
from the comparison any idea Of disrespect
and the girls laughed at the odd conceit, 3
Lizzy, at least, not little proud of the implied
compliment. Mr.. Afford left them, to attend
to his affairs, and they went on with their romr
running on the top Of the smooth wall besid.
the meadow, gathering. clusters of lilac bios.
blossoms from the fatherly great posy that
grew on the sunny side Of the house, and ad.
miring the solitary state Of the peacock, as
With dainty step, he trailed his royal robe ovel
the sward. Soon they heard voices at thu
house, and, going round the corner Of the shed
saw Uncle Ralph and Mark Davenport talk.
ing with Mr.. Afford at'ths door.
Not to make mystery Of simple matter
the blacksmith had come to borrow of Mr.
Afford the money necessary to make up the
amount owing by Mark to the Kinloeh es-
tate.
The young man had shown great readines.
to accompany his uncle; prsiseworty, certain
ly; but am inclined to think he had somehow
got an intimation that the girls had preceded
him.
Fortunately, the farmer was able to lend the
sum wanted, and as he had an errand in town,
he took Mr.. Hardwick with him in his wag.
on.
Mark was left, nothing loath, to walk home
with the girls. Do not think he was wanting
in affection for his cousin Lizzy, if he wished
that she were. just for one hour, hundred
miles away. They took path that led over
the plain to the river, intending to cross upon
a foot-br,dge, short distance above the wi.
lage. But though Mark was obliged to be si-
lent on the matter he had most at heart, Mil
dred was not unaware of his feelings. A tone
look, grasp Of the hand serves for an in
dex, quite as well as the most fervent speech.
The river makes beautiful bend near the
foot-bridge, and its bank is covered with a
young growth Of white pines. They sat down
on hillock, under the trees, whose spicy per-
fnme filled the air, and looked down the rtream
towards tie village How fair it lay in the
soft air of that June day! The water was
deep and blue, with reflected heaven. The
mills that cluster about the dam, a mile below
were partially concealed by young elms, s,l-
ver-poplars, and water-maples. Gardens sloped
on either bank to the waters edge. Neat
white houses cleaned through the trees and
shrubbery around the bases of the hills thai
hem in the valley; and the tall, slender spire OF
the Westinghouse showed fairly against its
densely-wooded background. Verify, If were
painter, should desire no lovelier scene FOR
my canvass than that on which Mark and Mil.
dred looked. Lizyy walked away, and began
hunting checkerberries with an unusual ardor
She did understand; she would not be MAIDEN.
oiselle de Trop any longer. Kind SOUL so un.
like young women in general, who won't ste;
aside gracefully, when they should! Further
l can vouch, that she neither hemmed, nor
made eyes, nor yet repeated the well-worn
proverb, "Two's company, but three's none d
No, she gathered berries and sang snatches Of
songs as though she were qaite alone.
Now those of my readers who have the
good-fortune still to linger in teens are ex-
pecting that shall treat them to report Of
this delightful tete-a-tete. But it must not be
told. The older people would skip it, or say
"Pshaw!" And besides If it were set down
faithfully, you would be sadly disappointed
the cleverest men, even, are quite sure TO ap.
pear silly Ito other people) when in love. The
speeches Of the Romeos and Claude Melnottes,
with which you have been so enchanted,
would be commonplace enough, il translated
into the actual prose in which they were de.
livered. When Shakespeare wooed Anne Hath.
away. it might have been different; but consid.
er, you will wait long before you find a lover
like him. No, when your time comes, it will
be soon enough. You will see your hero in
his velvet cloak and plumed hat, with the
splender Of scenery and the intoxication of the
music. don't choose to show him to you in
morning dress at rehearsal, under daubed can.
vass and dagling machinery.
However full Of poetry and passion Mark.
declaration was for Mildred, to him it wal
tame and hesitating enough. It seemed ia
him that he could not force into the cold for,
mula Of words the emotion that agitated him
But with quickening breath he poured out his
love, his hopes, and his fears ,-the old burden
She trembied, her eyelids fell; but at length
reused by his pleading tones, she looked up
Their eyes met; one look was enough; it was
Q reciprocal electric flash. With sudden en-
ergy he clasped her In his arms; and it was q
very pretty tablau they made! But in the
quick movement his needless foot chanced t.
touch stone, which rolled down the bank ant
fell into the stream with splash. The charm
was broken.
"What's that?" cried Lizzy from distance
forgetting her discretion. "Did . pickere
Jump"
s.No," replied Mark, s'the pickerel know
mo Of old, and don't come about for fear tha
I have hook and line in my pocket. 1t wa!
only stone rolling into the river.''
"You csmaaere moment" continued th,
untho'tful Lizzy: sshere's beautiful sassafra.
sapling, and can't pull it up by the root
alone"
"Send for the dentist, them"
eco and help her" said Mildred, softly.
"Well," said Mark, with . look Of enforced
resignation,-ssif must"
The sapling grew on the steep bank, per
haps fifty yards from where he had been sit
ting. He did not use sufficient care to brace
himself, a. he pulled with all his might. and