The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1859-01-20
WHAT A PRETTY LITTLE
HAND.

|
speaking;I am fully as confident and
forward as most of my sex. i dress
well, dance well, sing tolerable, don't
tread on ladies dresses when | make
my bow; and have no trick of color
ing to the roots of my hair when lam
spoken to. Yet, their was one period
of my life, when all my merits SEEM
ed to my own eyes magnificent, and
felt very modest, not to say bashlul.--
1t was when | was in love. Then,
sometimes did not know where to put
my hands and feet. Did ! mention
that in the said hands and feet con-
sists my greatest beauty! They are
both small. Three years ago | fell in
love. | did not walk into it quietly,
weighing my IDOLS perfects. | fell in,
head and ears, two seconds after the
introduction.
"Mr. Haynes, Miss Arnold" says a
mutual friend, and lol was desper-
ately in love. She was little fair
figure, with long brown curls floating
over snowy neck and shoulders, and
falling down on her waist of an en-
chanting sky-bluo dress. Her large,
dark blue eyes were full of saucy
light, yet, oh! how tender and loving
they could look. (This | found out
later.)
OF all the provoking, tantalizing lit
tie coqucttes that ever tcascd the
heart out of poor man, Susy Ar
mold was the most bcwitching.
would pass an evening with her,
and go home, certain, that one more
interview would make me the happi-
est of men; but the next time | met
her, cool nod, and Indifferent glance
threw down all my castles. She was
very cautious. Not word did she
drop to make me believe that she low
ed; and yet her hand would linger in
mine, her color rise if looked my feel
ing. and her eyes droop, to be raised
again in an instant, full of laughing
defiance. She declared her intention
to be an old maid emphatically, and
in the next sentence declared 81 never
did love, but if | should take q fancy
to anybody, | should love him like
like house a fire. Though she
would say carelcssly, 4 never saw
anybody yet worth setting my thoughts
upon
Itried a thousand ways to make
her betray some interest in myself
Propose outright | could not. She had
a way when ever tried it, of looking
in my face with an air Of grave at
tention, ofprofound interest, that was
equivalent in its effect to knocking
me down, it took all the breath out Of
me.
One evening, while there, | was
seized with q violent headache.
told her was subject to such attacks,
and the gypsy putting on a grave face,
gave me "a lecture on the subject of
health, winding up with,-
"l'he best thing you can do is to get
a wife to take care of you, and to
keep you from over study. advise
you to do it. if you can get anybody
to have YOU"
Indeed said, rather piqucd, there
are only too many. refrain from a
selection for fear of breaking others
hearts. How fond all the ladies are
of mep | added conceitedIy: though
| can't see that am particularly ias.
cinating.
Neither can l. said Susy, with an
air of perfect simplicity.
Cant your said |. 4 hoped-hoped
, Oh! that dreadful attentive
face of hers. That is, Miss Susy, |
thought, perhaps--ohl my head! my
head and | buried my head in the cush-
ion.
Does it ache very badlyr she ask
ed tender ly, and she put her cool lit
tie hand in among my curls. ] felt
the thrill her fingers gave me, all the
way to the toes of my boots. My
head being really very painful, was
obliged to leave; but, all the way home
the soft, cool touch, of those little fin
gers fingered upon my brow.
Soon after this it became necessary
for me to leave the city on business.
An offer of lucrative partnership in
the South in the Office of a lawyer
friend of mine, made me decide to ex.
tend my trip. and see how the land
laid. One thing was certain, could
not leave home for months, perhaps
years, without some answer from Su-
sy. Dressed in my most faultless cos
tune, and full of hope,I went to Mr..
Arnold's. Susy was in the parlor, at
,ho miami alone. She nodded paylv