The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-04-23
MY FIRST LOVE.

person in love; looked Ikea person in love
and felt like 4 person in love. Th affecto
that had taken possession of my youthful
heart was no every day one; was also sur
OF that. There weren't words enough in th
English language to describe the height
depth, length and breadth of its grandeur
1t Was destined to be a grand accompani
ment Of the ages yet to be: a fixed principl
throughout eternity; a planet of surpassin
beauty in the broad heavens Of home atlec
tions. My love was returned-the stron,
yearnings of my nineteen year old hear
went out in the direction of the most beau
tiful maiden in all shire, and the nos
beautiful maiden in all l---shire, in return
| sent the yearnings of her heart out to NEE
inihe. Twice week, as often as the weei
came around, ! went up to the old brown
home Of DR.. Stoddard to tell his daughte
my love, and as regularly listened to a reel
tai OF its return from the red lips of III,
charming Janet. The good doctor mad
merry at our expense, and his jolly wifi
took wicked pleasure in constantly remind
lug Us Of our youth. Janet was tortured b,
sly references to her play house in the shed
her long -sleeved pinafores and pantaletts o
SIX months before; while was offered
while the doctors wife wore face of i'm
movable sobr!ety, an old coat Of the doctors
for my mother to make into dressing -cowr
for me. .r -sfs = ..-
We were, nevertheless, determined to b,
married. We would steal slyly away from
the house while our cruel friends reposed il
the arms of Morpheus; HE Us, on .the wing,
Of Iove,' to the nearest city: Janet woult
become III n moments time, Mrs Jason
Brown, and Mrs. jason Browns husband
AT once we set about making preparation.
Tor this Important journey. Everything OF
course, must be conducted with the greates
secresy. AT twelve O'Clock was leave to
my home steathly, get NY father's grey nag
noiselessly out of the barn and harness her
and to proceed to Janet. Janet was to be
waiting for me at her chamber window.
was to place Il ladder at that same window;
she was to descend chat ladder; we were to
hy down the road through the old lane, to
the spot where the horse was fastened, and
and then the wind should not outrun US.
There was but one difficulty in the wny.
Jlnet's room was shared by her sister Fan.
ny, Il title, mischicyouS, wicked creature of
eleven summers, Nho,to use janct's words.
was awake at all hours of the night There
was but one way for u, if Fanny was
aroused; she must he bribed into silence.
For that purpose PLACED in Janet's hand q
round, shining silver dollar. But Janet
needed assistance, SO she concluded to make
Fanny her confident the very afternoon be-
fore we started, and in that ease prevent all
possibility Of her raising tba house by Il
sudden outcry.
Well, the long looked for, hoped for. an,
vet dreaded night arrived Il, last. How
slow its lcad"n feet Carried away the hours,
and what strange hcartfail Of emotions
bore up, as | sat by my chan'cr window
looking out, as thought for the last time,
upon the horn" Of my futhrr. The moO,
wns out IN all her spendor; she WAS kind
to me-, lighting up, with her silver touches,
all the spots my eyes might wish to rest upon
before went on; into the world Il wany!erer
The broad fields lay out smooth aud shining
before my guze; the fields in which had
worked by nv fathers side since
was 4 ETH" hov-ah, dear, kind father he
has been. (it this iuncturc my throat be
gan to swell.) I,urncd away from the win
dow.
'If could bu, sec my mother oroo m OF al
| exclaimed: rubbing my eyes with ny coat
sleeve. NO one ever uuI Il hetICf mQther
tIlan have
sat down in chair and subbc3 outright.
looked around f,r something TO take with
nc that nv ,nothcr's hand blessed with her
touch. There was a spinning heel in the
room where had slept: at the end of the
spindle hung wooden roll. With my knife |
half cut and half tore it off, pressed itfervent
!y to my lips, and then placed it tenderly in
my vest pocket. hadnot time to do more;
the old clock in the kitchen warned me
solemuly that my appointed time had arrlv-
cd: and witha slow, sad, yet noise!esS step
efi the house. Once out in the open air,
my wonted lightness Of spirits returned.
c0Dsoled myself with the thought that in a
few wears should return ngain, Il strong,
healthy, wealthy, and influential man, ar
honor to my parents, a blessing to my
friends, and the husband Of Janet.
have often wondered since, how | sue
ccclcd in getting away from my home Wit!
nly horse and cart without arousing any ono
But as good luck would have it, made g
triumphant exit from the old place, and in +
few moments was jogging feariesSly along
towards the home Of Janet. Ny only drcac
VA. Of the little sIrte Fan; if after all sh'
should bctray us. what dreHdful, drcful
desperate N mschirf it would be what ;
wrctchrd predicament affairs would be in
| grOanrd aloud ut the thought: yet pu
u brave face upon the matter: snid that j
il ,~as right thai we should 60, we shoult
go. il it wasn't right, in atl probability W
ehnpll tay at home; vet, right or not right
# tha, n,;ser; able little Fan did hctray US. IL
snrnd all nv davs in nvenging the wroUc-
that WAS certain. Was in earnest dit
mean it? But We shaIl see.
How earnestly and mnq iHnsiy gazed TO
wards the chamber window ~ Janet, ms
after fastening my horse by the rOndside'
walked cautiously up the long lane tina. Ic
to the doctors house. Oh ioy-incxprrS~lhie
the waving of white handkerchief in th
moonlight told me that everything was right
! that in few moments should clasp Jane
to nv breast, mine forever All, how hap
ry was so happy, indeed that st"o'
there in the moonlight, with my two hand
pressed firmly to my left side, for fear N
overloaded heart would burst way from m
ontlrelv. What a figure must have eu
then! What an Apollo must have locke
with nv fine proportions, wrapped up IN IN
wedding suit! was slender; | was tall;
was eaunt; | am sure was ugly-looking n
! that moment. .~ '...... '.
What possessed mo cannot tell, bu
! from an old chest had taken IL blue broad
cloth swallow-tailed coat, that had belonge
| to nv grandfather in the time Of the wars
and in the pride of my youth had got int
it. The tails came nearly to my heels. Will
thewais was nearly up to my arm-piss.-
| The sleeves reached down to the tips Of m
fingers, hiding entirely from view the luxu
RANT pair of white silk gloves, which ha
allowed myself for the important occasio,
Above this uncouth pile Of broadcloth W;
perched hat. Oh We stars and moon thu
looked upon it, testify with me that i. W;
II hat "a hat and not stove-pipe. n hi
aud not Il boot.legi That hat!-lookir
back as through the mist of twenty h'
wears, it seems to have arisen to the stat,
of two full feet, while its brim appears lit
wider than my thumb nail. My eyvesig
. isn't quite as perfect now as il used to b
aad so may not see quite nightly. Nal
due allowance, dear reader. s...-F e-ss .,
I say that must have looked ugly at tn
moment. Be that as it may thought
was looking splendidly; Thought the fsar'
cut, was an honor to the name OF Brown, al
was proud of it-proud rs sta !ked up
Janet's window, and placed carefully the
1.