Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-05-06
FLIRTING IN EARNEST
By Z. W. DEVICES.

not many years ago, Nellie Maybcc, a
pretty, lively gin of eighteen, and the
somewhat spoiled, only daughter OF
widower Maybce, was summoned before
the paternal Judgment bar, and the vcr-
dict being equity Of palcncss, want of
appetite, and hard nirting," she was
sentenced to Punishment among the
green hills Of Vermont, for time en-
piring at the judges pleasure. In vain
the fair culprit plead for an cxtenua-
ton of the sentence, or even for u de-
lay in its it's execution in vain she
urged that important business required
her longer presence in Boston. For tins
business, on cross questioning by the
learned judge, proved to be only the
completion Of two llirtltions. "Onc at
such an interesting stagc-just got as
far as rosebud the other long past
forget me nots, and wi hin few days
of proposal point;" $50 this saucy lit lie
tlrt stated the case, )-''and she Oh |
not see how her dear, inlulgent p pa
could be so hard hearted as to destroy
all her innocent amuScmcutS so, indeed
she did not"
But the Judge was firm stern was
his rcitcra,ion of the charge Of hard
flirting, and his determination to send
her where this amusement would be I'M
possiblc--to the plain farm house OF
ore of his early friends.
Nellie was obliged to submit, but she
took her honest, feminine revenge in
sunlry spitcful speeches, such as
''She would like to know when the law
was made that girls should not hirt /;
for her part, she could not help flirting.
1t was pretty girls normal statc-it
was natural instinct, like hunting and
fishing with men. And he should sec
all his crossncss could not stop it she
would hirt still up in down East even
if it had to be with the bob links and
tomtits."
That Mir. Maybec was a man OF
nerve and indt mitablc firmness, is
proved by the fact that Nellie within a
week, was immured in the social desert
of Farmer Wilson's farm.
Mr.. Wilson, was, as | have said, an
early friend Of Mr.. Nlaybcc's, they
having been raised on ncighboring
farms but while the latter like most
New England boys had gone to the city,
and won himself a name and fortune
there, the former, with an old-fashion
ed easincss Of temper, very unusual
IOWA days, had settled down on the
old homestead after lie had got his
schooling.
1t will very naturally be concluded,
that Nellie found these good people,
though worthy, rather slow. She sad
ly missed the various excitements of
town-lifc, and found the only compli-
mcnt she had received, farmer Wilson's
we'll meant remark, that "She was a
fine, likely gal enough rather mea-
gre fare after the sweets to which her
pampered palate had been accustomed.
Besides, the sudden stoppagc Of all the
delicate and complicated machinery by
which tlirtations are carried on, (for
absolute want Of grist to put in the
mill, } occasioned a great jar among
the mental wheels, followed by fear
full vacuum. She found herself in
OthelIo's admired situation with regard
to occupation, but with no one to ad-
mire, or even pity her.
In time, however, being blessed with
a fine flow Of animal spirits, and being,
with all her vanities, not quite without
a soul, she was just learning to Ii t
her eyes in revercntial admiration to
the beautiful hills among which she
was dwelling-bcginning to acquire a
new sense, so to speak, that Of the ap
probation of the charms Of nature
when prcst.. all these newly acquired
faculties were dissipated, and tie nat
ural instincts reinstatcd, as in the case
Of the metamorphosed cat in the fable,
by the unexpected appearance Of le-
gitimatc object Of the chase-I mean,
that she one day CHANGED to catch a
glimpse Of a tall, handsome man as he
pounded over a fence at the back of
the house, and then entered rather
stealthiy by the side door. He was
sun-browncd, and clad in simple, coun-
try fashion; but, that he was no coun-
try clown, even the most hasty glance
attested. His features were delicate
and refined, and his noble brow bore
the stamp Of intellect. Nellie decided
at once that he was worthy to be look
cd after, and Immediately instituted
inquiries as to who, and what he was.
Judge Of her surprise on being told
that he was, and had been from the
FIRST, an inmate of the house with her
self. He was the son Of her host, but
from excessive timidity, or rather BASH
fulness, the country bred youth had
preferred to take all his meals by him
self, and to skulk in and out Of the
house by side doors, to encouLtering
that unknown and wonderful creature
"a young lady.
Perhaps it was an instructive feeling
that members Of this genus are as dam
geroas as they are beautiful, that filled
him with underlined dread of proximity
it might have been that, or might
have been simple rustic bashfulness
but at all events the only desire that he
evinced, with regard to Nellie, was to
keep out Of her way.
Of course the young lady was not
long in discovering this determination
on the youths part, and from that time
she did not want for amusement. Her
merriment was constantly excited, by
ohoory; fho burr;o1 ro+.oo+ III -