The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-10-13

fore sunset, chaise was seen to drive up to
Squire Johnson's door. OF course the eyes
Of the whole village were turned in that d.
rection. Sally Davis, who was just coming
in from milking, set her pail down on the
grass by the side of the road, as soon as the
chaise came in sight, and watched it till it
reached the squire's door, and the gentleman
and lady had got ont and gone into the house.
Patty Bean was doing up the ironing that
afternoon, and, she had just taken hot iron
from the Gre as the chaise passed the door,
and she ran with it in her hand and stood on
the door-steps till the whole ceremony of
alighting, greeting, and entering the house
was over.
Old Mrs, Been stood with her head out of
the window, iron-bowed spectacles resti lg
upon the top of her forehead, her shriveled
hand placed across her eyebrows, to defend
her eyes from the rays of the setting sun,
and her skinny chin protruding about three
inches in advance Of a couple Of stubs Of
teeth, which her open mouth exposed fairly
to view. 81
Seems to me they are dreadful loving" !"
said old Mrs Bean, as she saw Mrs. john
son descend the step and welcome her sister
with a kiss.
ia me, If there isn't the squire kissing Of
her tu.'' said Patty; "WelI l declare, I
would wait till got into the house, I'll die if
I wouldn't. 1t looks so vulgar to be kissing
afore folks, and ont of doors tu, should
think squire Johnson would be ashamed Of
himself"
"Well, shouldn't" said young John Bean
who came UP at. that moment, and who had
passed the ehaise just as the young lady
alighted from it. ~ shouldn't be ashamed
to kiss such pretty girl as that, any how =,
I'd kiss her wherever could catch her, if it
was in the meetin' house."
"Why, is she handsome, Jack?" said
Patty.
ayes, she's got the prettiest little puck
cred mouth I've seen these six months. Her
cheeks are red, and her eyes shine like new
buttons"
"Well," replied Patty, "if she'll only take
the shine off Susan Jones when she goes to
meetin' Sunday, shan't care"
While these observations were going on
at old Mr. Beans, Charles Robinson and a
group fyoung fellows with him, were stand
,prr ~, fopt nf P,b;,.o,,,. ,toro n It,lo r., ,xL
down the road, and watching the scene that
was passing at Squire Johnson,s. They
witnessed the whole with becoming decorum,
now and then making remark upon the
fine horse and handsome chaise, till they
saw the tall Squire bend his head and give
the young lady kiss, when they all burst
into loud laugh. In moment, being con-
scious that their laugh must he heard and
noticed at the Squire's, they, in order to do
away with the impression it must necessarily
make, at once turned their heads another
way, and Charles Robinson, who was quick
at an expedient, knocked off the hat Of the
lad who was standing next to him, and then
they all laughed louder than before
'Here comes Jack Bean," said Charles,
snow we shall hear something about her, for
Jack was coming by the Squire's when she
got out of the ehaise. How does she look
Jack?'' ~
"Handsome as picture said Jack: II
haint seen prettier gal since last Thanks
giving day, when Jane Ford was here TO vis-
1t Susan Jones'" -
."Black eyes or blue s'' said Charles.
"Rlue," said Jack, "but all-fired bright"
"Tall or short ?" said Stephen Jones, who
was rather short himself, and therefore felt
a peculiar interest on that point.
/" Rather Short SAID Jack, .but straight
and round as young colt" .., r,
,"Do you know what her name is?'' said
Charles. : . @ts $ $ J 81 v =
"They called her Lucy when she got out
of the chaise," said Jack, '.and as Mrs. John
sons name was Brown before she was mar
ried, s'pose hername must be Lucy Brown
"Just such name as like" said Charles
Robinson Lucy Brown sounds we'll. Now
suppose, in orderto get acquainted with her,
we all hands, take sail to-morrow night,
about this time, on the pond, and invite her
to go with u.s." - e ~az I'D .sg
Agreed said Stephen Jones.
agreed, y said Jack Beam 2 ~ "a g.
Agreed" said all hands - . ~ - s---'
az I ff j. i
The question then arose who should carry
the invitation to her and the, young men
being rather bashful on that score, it was
finally settled that Susan Jones should bear
the invitation and accompany her to the
boat, where they should all be waiting to re-
ceive her. =
The newt day was very long day, at
least to most Of the young men Of Pond vii
lage, and promptly an hour before sunset,
most Of them were assembled with half a
score Of their sisters and female cousins, by
a little stone wharf on the margin of the
pond, for the proposed sail. All the girls
in the village, of a suitable age, were there,
except! Patty Bean. She had undergone
good deal Of figeting and fissing during the
day, to prepare for the sail, but had been
Iicoppoiptad Har hoyvak -.