Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-05-06

ing about there, than down she came,
and pcrching herself on the fence,
wanted to know "whcn he was going
to appoint that afternoon to teach her
to milk, as he had so faithfully prom
iscd." OF course this promise only
existed in the imagination Of the re-
lentless tease. Nathan's patience was
sorcly tried.
Now, Notwithstanding all have ad-
mittcd, he was u good, sturdy, manly
fellow. Most men, even the bravest,
have their cowardly points. will
even venture to say there is something
every man is afraid Of, and l am sure
there is more sense in being afraid Of
woman than many other things, for,
there is nothing more dangerous, as
too many Of us have found out; but,
. in time, Nathan's timidity waned be-
fore his righteous wrath, at Nellic's
audacious persecution. lie mentally
passed Il series Of spirited resolutions.
lie would let this bold, forward girl
know that he admired, as little as he
respected her. He would give her to
understand that his personal freedom
was not to be thus interfcrcd with. lie
would endure her saucy insolcnce no
longer. Such his valorous resolves.
Ills tirnid practice continued to be pre-
cipitatc flight at the least rustic Of a
sllkcn pctticoat, whenever flight was
possible. | am ashamed of such in
consistency IN hero, but people SCI
dom carry out rcsolut. ons any better,
SO | trust they will be lcnient to fell
low sinner.
Meanwhile, Nellie, unaware Of the
revolution that was progressing in the
mind Of her victim, was gathering
more and more audacity frcm his ap-
parent total submission. Like a little
poodle at sight of flying foe, her
yalor rose in exact pi oportion to her
security, and she grew so saucy and
aggressive, as to be almost unbearable.
Not content with routing the enemy at
pleasure, she sometimes amused her
self by cutting off his retreat, and
/. many forced parlcy, where the talk
ing, however, was all on one side, was
20 II Nathan obliged to hold in some
narrow, exposed pass, Of entry OF
stairway. r.. .......H
One evening, just before dark, the
young man was engaged in the homely,
but useful Office Of driving COWS home
from pasture, when Nellie and Ma
than's sister, Priscilla, who had been
taking walk together, encountered
him at the cross roads not far from
the house. t....
Miss Priscilla stepped forward an
joined her brother and Nellie, no.
thing loath, followed. There could
| be little continued conversation between
the brother and sister, as the extreme
deaf css Of the latter required too vi
olcrt efforts on the part Of the person
ambitious Of reaching her tympauum,
to be long Of duration, or often re-
pcated. So, in little while, the
whole party marched on behind the
COWS in solemn silence. AT last, Mel
lie, overcome by the righteousness of
the situation, burst into a laugh in
which, to her surprise, she was joined
by Nathan, after afew moments in
ward struggle.
"Whatis it ?-yhat is it," inquired
Miss Priscilla, in the eager manner Of
deaf people; "what are you talking
about 20
"We have not said anything yet -
answered Nellie. 81 am laug Thing at
the good thing Mr.. Nathan was going
to say"
Nathan closed his lips firmly, as if
resolved no good thing should by any
chance slip through, a prudent precau-
ton, but apparently uncalled for.
"Well, MIR. Nathan,'' continued Mel
lie, after pause, "since you have de-
tcrmined not to say that good thing to
me, have great mind to say some
pretty thing to you. Do you KNOW"
pursued the incorrigible tease, as she
simpered with affected affectation, edo
you know, sir, that, ever since I first
saw you, have been determined to
make conquest Of your youthful af-
fections 2"
"And pray, Miss" exclaimed Ma
than, reused to righteous indignation,
chow do you propose to effect that
end 20
elbow? ?" drawled Nellie. "Why,
by assurance, to be sure assurance,
the most new fashioned of the virtues"
"Being plain man myself" re-
turned Nathan, sturdily, Il am so SIM
pie in my tastes as to prefer to all
others the fashioned virtue Of mod
esty."
A reproof so we'll timed and cutting
could not fail to be felt. A deep blush
Of modification flushed Nellie's check,
and, for once in her life, she had no
repartee ready. Indeed, I doubt
whether the totally dissimilar case Of
the unexpected development of the
powers Of speech recorded in Scripture,
astonished BALKAN as much as this
modern miracle astorished Nellie. She
was so taken aback, that she was glad
to escape to the house, with Miss Pris-
ella, who was inquiring, in an excited
manner, what they were saying.
From this time Nathan appeared to
Nellie in new light. That he should
have had the courage, in spite Of the
effort it cost him, to administer so very
sharp a reproof to her, increased her
respect for lin. She saw there was
something in him besides awkwardness