Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-08-10


new house, besides some money in the bank
1t certainly was not for the want of girls
for there were scores of them in the towr
where he lived. of all sorts and sizes, black
eyed, blue eyed, and grey eyed, and eye:
of no color at all No, Joshua Wheat re
mained unmarried merely because he had
not the moral courage to look any one Of
these girls in the face and say, Il love you
will you marry me?''
These words are very simple, and to the
uninitiated very easily spoken; yet have
knewn many man courage to fail him
at the thought of saying them, who would
have rode into the front of the ferccst and
hottest battle without the shadow Of fear.
At last all the girls of Joshua sacquaint-
ance were married to braver, if not better
men. All but one, Mary Dearborn, the
pretticst one among them all, and as good
and sensible as she was pretty. Mary had
plenty Of suitors, but she turned cold
shoulder to them all, being firmly detcrmin-
cd in her own mind that if she married at
all, she would have nobody but Joshua
Wheat
Joshua had taken great shine to Mary
ever since they were children, and used to
60 to school together in the little red school
house on the hill, drawing her to and from
school in the winter on his little sled, and
bringing her apples as red and shining as
her rosy checks.
When they grew older, he still exhibited
his preference for her. though in some
what different manner Every Sabbath,
after meeting was over, he would post him
self by the church door to escort her home:
and in the evening, ,arrayed in his Sundays
best" he might have been seen striking
bees line for Esq. Dearborn's. About
nine clock the old folks would GO off to
bed, leaving Joshua and Mary together
And there he would sit, looking straight
into the fire, scarcely daring to move or
breathe, with the momentuous question
trembling on the very tip of his tongue, yet
he never leaving it No nearer toward the
object of his visit when he left the house,
than when he entered it.
Things went on in this way z number
/ of months But at last an event occurred
which gave Joshua quite starte. A son
of Doctor Hale, the village physician came
home from college, where he had graduated,
it was said said with considerable distinc-
ton. He was a tall, lank, smooth-faced
fellow, with far more learning than brains.
and more brass than either He saw Mary
IN church the first Sabbath after his return.
and took a great fancy to her. and commen-
ced paying her considerable attention
Young Hale had always been Marys
particular aversion; she had disliked him
from his boyhood; but she did not scruplc
to flirt with him little, hoping to arouse
Joshua S jealousy, and bring him to the
point.
1t seemed to have It's effect; for learning
that Mr.. Lawrance, one of his ncighbors, a
thriving farmer, intended to give party. !
and having obtained an inkling. in some {
way, that that college chap ash he termed his !
rival, intended to take his Mary. he went |
over to Esquire her himself
Delighted at the success of her manonver ,
Mary gave smiling consent. And at the !;
time, much to the chagrin of the
young cOllcgian, who hid intended TO appro- i
pritae her to himself, she went, accompanied i
by Joshua. !
Alarmed at the bare possibility of losing
her, Joshua appeared ike new man: and i
instead of moping in some corner as was his r
wont, not daring to speak to her, or any one
else, he remained by her side nearly the i
whole evening, scarcely quitting her side f
or moment, and then only when she re- n
Iuested him to bring her some relreshnent q
Mr.. Hale, who had viewed Joshua at
entiOns to Mary with a jealous eye heard n,
his request, and being well aware of Josh .,
Ia S laundering propensities, worry malicious y
y placed stool directly in his way
Pretty soon Joshua came back, and instead =,
f walking around the stool. as anybody in
lse would have done, he stumbled over it, =,
nd sprawling full length upon the floor, h,
anded the contents of his hands, which f.
onsistcd Of a cup of coffee, and plate
eaped with doughnuts, pumpkin pic, and
ariOus other catables directly in Nary's St
N. th
This unexpected feat produced quite a &c
ensatiOn. Mary set up loud scream, and til
he rest of the company rushed toward her b;
, see what was the matter, and it was
ome time before order was restored. be
When the tunult had, in a measure, sub as
ded, Mary looked around for the unlucky
lusc of it, but he was 10 where to be found. tn
fortified at the ridiculous figure he cut. pli
nd the merriment of those who witnessed
, he had rushed from the house, and never co,
oppcd or slackencd his speed until he had tn,
,ached his room, and bolted the door, firm fir
resolving, as he did so, that he would su,
ever speak or even look at a girl again, so co,
ng as he lived
Poor Mary was much more annoyed at
oshua evident discontinue, than at the vo,
ss of her dress. which was nearly ruined, va
nd conceived stronger dislike than ever
the young COLLEGIATE, whom she was quiet