Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1859-05-19
(From the Home Journsl.)
COurting in New England.
FROM MR.EzsKIEL BENTON TO MR.ABaAHAx FITCH

My DEAR ABE Since | last writ pve
been putin climax on my life, by gttin'
married Now, you needn't hoist your eye
browS, and whisSel-cause it's all over When
| look back aud kinder think Of it coolly, |
lay it all to my going into the quire. Ned and
Bill Sims, and Joe Preston, aud half dozen
of 'em, had been at me more nor d month,
wantin' me to come up and help 'em in the
base, but fought shy, ten 'em never could
sing in meetin'; but the truth was, knOw'd
I'd feel plaguy queer up among all them gals,
for female 'ciety always did take the starch
starch out of me wondrous and aunt Barbara,
you remember, used to say that | was the awG-
ardeSt feller among the young women that she
ever did see. Well, they pestered me so about
! gon', that what did | do at last but 90. I'd
rather had a double tooth out twice over, but
| then | was ashaped to say no" any more
| So, on the next Sunday mornin' after promised
'em, dressed somethin' smarter than ordinary
and scented my handkerchief with peppermint,
and when got to the church. had half mind
to give it MP, but juss then Bill Sims come up
and clapped me on the back, and sez he,
Come Zeke, we're going to have prelude
/ this mornin'. We must turn out strong on
that :" and so | had nothin' else to do but just
to 90 along up. Somehow or mother we went
up the gals side, and when / got to the top of
the stairs, there, sure enough, was the hull of
'em. and hearin' my new creaky boots, what
did they all do but turn clear around and look
straight at me. ! tell you, felt s'reaked, and
my lead begun to go round as if I'd been
drukn'. | couldn't 'xackly see which way TO
go, but | tried somehow TO git over where the
fellers was when the fust thing | know'd |
miSs'd the step, and went sprawling head fore
must, and would have been down in the middle
aisle, if it hadn't been for the front of the gal
lery. | got up as quick as | could, but my
pantaloOnS was all dust, my coat was torn up
the back, and the gals was a snickering as if
they'd bust This made me kinder desperate :;
so | sat down and began to look at music
book awful hard, just as if nothin' had happen
ed. But didn't sing note that mOrnin',
and never was so glad as when meetin' was
over. When the folks began to go out, hung
back little, so as to get away unbeknown !;
but the rest Of them in the qurc seemed to be
awaitin' for something. had to push ahead,
when I'll be bound if there was one Of them
gals there was dozen that sez, SO provokin' :,
"Why, Mr. Benton, your coat is all torn, juss
as if | didn't know that. | didn't say nothn
back, but hurried out, and slipped round under
the shed till the folks was gone. Well, Abe
it was three sundays after that fore | went
into the qure agen for by that time, gues
Sed it had all blown over and Joe and the rest
of 'em were at me all the while That time
tux partickler pains to be on hand as soon as
the church doors were open, and got in the
qure seats fust, SO tux the gals, you see, one
at time, and not all in mess like before
Well | got along fust rate that day, and be-
gun after a few weeks to get used to 1t, when
something new turued up. One Sunday even
ing had taken my place at the end of the
seat towards the gals and jusS across the lit
tie aisle at the end Of the gals seat towards us
sat Hetty Burroughs. Now you recollect Iet
ty-you know you cant skeer up many pretter
faces than she's got any way. Well that day
her ribbon lxins set her off astonishen'. We
were short of music books, and So when we
was standen up to sing the fust hymn, Hetty
sez to me- sez she, "Mister Benton will you
look over me ?' | kinder started but tux hold.
Well, when | begun to sing found that my
voice was little fusticated, and that made
Hetty lux straight at me, and then l was fius-
ticated wuss. aud then I looked at her and
then she got to shakin', and down went the
book clean over the front Re chunk" it
went and made everybody jump. When Hetty
grabbed my arnl-not purpose, you know,
but kinder accidental Well Abe, it was that
what did it. For you see, when meetin was
over, Hetty Sez to me, as we was going out.
sez she, Mr. Benton, | was so confused /
didn't know what was about. | beg pardon
: for taken hold of your arm" "Lor, maam,' y
sez l. "why liked it," And then Hetty
4 blushed, and didn't say nuthin' And then
I az 10 boll oF
arm and let me see you home" Well, do you
believe it, there was Hetty and me walking
home that evening arm in arm. When left
her and got to our house, | set down, and it
was for all the world like dream. | set up
\ all night rubbing my eyes, aud thinking and
then I'd guess it wasn't me but some other fel-
ler Well the folks in the honse didn't know
q what to make OF me for | went on mighty
! curious, and not as | used to. ! was consid-
erabe stracted and couldn't eat nutbin', and !
broke tumbler, meat dish, and two cups
all in one day AS this was being rather eX,
pensive, the folks couldn't stand it any better
7 nor me.
: Next day. after our walk home, went to
see Hetty, thnkin I'd have glorious time
l. but when got 10 the house | set like mum
0 n.y. and could't get up steam to say nuthin
y nice You see there was nothing there like &
!. music book to start u.s. Well, see Hetty of
), and on for fortnight longer. and all the towr
J got talkin' how / was sparkling Hetty Bur
roughs, and then | made up my mind that
% what was to be was to be, and so calculated
on maxim the thing sartin as soon as possible
| seed that Hetty wasn't vexed at my stoppin
r in so often and when gal amt vexed at yor
e in such circumstances, you may be sure she'
e rather taken with you. That's my aosophy-
}, you may want to use it sometimes, Abe. 81
!" one evenn' as was sittin' by Hetty, anc
It had worked myself up TO the sticking pint, SCI
/ In ell hn,ld ncH "a OIL