Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1859-05-07
4 Dumorous shtttb.
From the Home Journal.
Courting in New England.
FROM MR.. EZEKIEL BENTON TO Mr.. ABRAHAM
FITCH.
!SmiMville, n. H., March %. 1859.


FITCH.
SmithUiNe, n. H., March %. 1859.
My DEAR ABE - Since ! last writ, I've
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 and kinder think of it
coolly, lay it all TO my going into the quire.
Ned and Bill Sims, and Joe Preston, and
half dozen Of 'em, had been at me more
nor q month, wantin' me- me to come up and
bel p em in the base, but fought shy, tein'
'em | never could sing in meetin' but the
truth was, know'd I'd feel plaguy queer up
among oil them gals, for female 'cety always
did tahe the starch out of me wondrous ;
and aunt Barbara, yon remember, used 10 say
that | was the awkardest feler among the
young women that she ever did see. Well,
they pestered me so about gCin', that what
did | do ut last bit go. I'd rather had a
double tooth out twice over, out then | wus
ashamed TO say mo any more. So, on the
next Sunday moruin after ! promised 'em,
dressed somGthu' smarter than ordinary, and
secuted my handkerchief with peppermint
aud when | got to the ch1rch, had hulf u
mind to give it up but juss then Bill Sims
come up and clapped me on the back, and
prelude this mornin'. We must turn out
strong on that" and so had nothin' else to
do but Just to 60 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 crenky boots, what did they all do but
turn clean around and look straight at me.
tell you, felt streak ed, and my head be.
gun to 20 round as if I'd been dFnkin'
couldn't 'xackly see which way to 20, bat ]
tried somehow to git over where the fellers
was: when the fust thing | knowd | miss'd
the step, and went sprawliug head foremost
aud would have been down in the middle
aisle, if it hadn't been for the front Of the
gallery. | got up as quick as | could, but
my 2antaloons was oil dust, my coat was
torn up the back, and the gals was snicker-
ing as if they'd bust. This made me kinder
, desperate SO | sat down and began to look
at a music book awful hard, just as if nothin
had happened. But didn't sing note that
m0ruin', aud never was so glad as when
meetn' was over. When the folks began 70
go ont, | hung back q little, so as TO get
away unbeknOwn; but the rest OF th-m in
the qaire seemed TO be awatin' for something,
| had to push ahead, when I'll be bound il
there was one of them gals there was a
dozen that sez, so provokin', "Why, Sir.
Benton, your coat is all torn" juss as if !
didn't know that didn't say uothn' back,
but hurried out, and slipped round under the
shed till the folks was gone. Well, Abe, it
was three Sundays after that fore J went
into the quire agen for, 10y that time, |
guessed it had all blown over, aud Joe aud
the rest of 'em were at me all the while
That ;ime TUX partickler pains 10 be on
tI Il NOR
and got in tho qrre seats fast, so tnk the
gals, you see, one at time, aud not all IN n
mess like before. Well, got along fast
rate that day, and begun after few weeks to
get quite used 10 il, when something new
turned up One Sunday evening had taken
nv place at the end OF the seat towards the
gals and iuss across the little aisle at the
end Of the gals seat towards Us sat iIeuy
Burroughs. Now you recOlect Het'y--yon
know you can't skeer up many prettier faces
than she's got any way. Well that day her
ribbon fxins set her of astolshen, We
were short of music books, and so, when We
was staudin' up TO sing the Gust hymn, lletty
see to me, seq she, "Mister Benton, will y0n
look over me 7" ] kinder started, bat tux
hold. Well, when l begun to sing, ] fonud
that my voice was a little lnstiSaied. and
that made Hetty LUX straight at me, and then
was flusticated wuss, and then | looked at
ber, and then she got to shakin', and down
went the book clean over the front. Ike
chunk" it went, and made everybody jump.
When Hetty saw the book fall, che came
ngh fainting. aud grabbed my arm not
pdrpose. you know, but kinder accidental
Well Abe il was that what did il. For you
see, when mestin' was over. Hstty seq to ne,
a. We was goiog opi, sea she. MIR. Benton, !