Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-08-26
NV FRIEND JOSHUA.

YOU have. Won have seen one of the most awk-
ward, ungainly CT, q urs among the human
bipeds Now there may be something very
attractive and interesting in the shrinking
timidity of blushing girl, though confes
hat have my doubts in regard to it; but q
bsshfGl man, who ever pities him? Though
despised by one sex. and laughed at by the
other, always doing what he never ought to
have done, and saying what he never intended
TO say, he Is one Of the most pitiable objects in
existence.
To be sure, in these days of brass and assur-
ance, when everybody thinks himself as good
a his neighbOr, and a great deal better, thew
are very rare. But still they are to be met
With occasionally, though they are quickly dis.
appearing and probably in a few years there
viii be no trace of them left
My friend, Joshua Wheat was one of this
unfortunate class of people. say was for he
has wonderfully improved of late years. Bat
| will not anticipate.
No one could have seen Joshua enter a room
where there was company. especially ladies.
without being aware of this peculiarly of his
He generally either blundered along, looking
red and foolish, or shot hurriedly in, with a
white scared face, hiding himself as soon as
possible from observation behind door. or in a
corner If there was a chair or stool anywhere
iu the room, which was very apt to be the case.
ne generally managed to stumble over il. whic h
was not at all calculated to increase his self
possession, or add to the grace of his entrance
If pretty girl spoke to him, he stammered
and turned all sorts of colors looking as fright
ened and ashamed as if he had been convicted
Of sheep-stealing.
Poor Joshua, there certIinly never was a
man who had higher opinion Of the better
part Of creation, or was more capable of appre-
cialing the blessings of matrimOny; vet he had
reached the age Of twenty EIGHT without being
one step nearer towards realizing them than he
was eight years before.
He had five brothers; but though none of
them had half Of his good looks or sense, thew
possessed what he did not, plenty of assurance.
and tact of showing all they did know, and
we're all married and happily settled in life.
while he remained forlorn, disconsolate
bachelor.
II was not from the want of means to support
wife, for be had plenty of this worlds goods,
well stacked farm. nice new house bead ca
some NOR ey IN the bank. 1t certainly was not
for the want Of girls, for there were scores of
them in town where he lived of all sorts and
sizes, black-eyed, blue-eyed, and gray-eyed
and eyes OF no color al all No, Joshua Wheat
remained unmarried merely because he had
not the moral courage to look any one of the
marry me ln
These words are very simple, and to the un
initiated very easily spoken; yet have known
many mans courage fail him mt the Thought
ot saying them, who would have ridden into
the front of the fercest and hottest battle
without the shadow of fear
At last all the girls of Joshua's ACQUAINTANCE
were married to braver, if not better men-aII
but one, Mary Dearborn, the prettiest one
among them all, and as good and sensible as
she was pretty. Mary had plenty of suitors
put she turned a cold shoulder to them all
being firmly determined in her own mind that
Il Il sne msrrsd at all, she would have nobody
but Joshua Wheat.
Joshua had taken great shine to Mary ever
since they were children; they used to go to
school together in the little red schOol-bous
ca the hill, be drawing her TO and from school
IN the winter on his little sled, and bringing
her apples as red and shining as her rosy
cheeks 10y
When they grew older he still exhibited bis
preference for her, though in somewhat diff
ierent manner. Every Sabbath after meeting
was over, he would post himself by the church
door to escort her home; and in the evening, ar
rayed IN his Sunday best, he might have b cen
seen striking bee-line for Squire Dearborn's.
About nine O'Clock the old folks would 90 off
u bed. leaving Joshua and Mary together
And there he would sit, looking straight into
tie hre, scarcely daring to move or breathe.
win the momentOus question trembling on the
very TIP Of his tongue, yet never leaving il
No nearer toward the object of his visit when
ne left the house thsn when he entered it.
1hlngs went on in this way a number of
months. But at last an event occurred which
gave Joshua quite a start A son of DIR. Hale,
tne village physician, csme home from college.
where he had graduated. it is said, with CON
-lderaole distinction. He was a tall. lank
Smootn-faced fellow, with more learning than
nralns, and more brass than either He saw
Mary In church the first Sabbath after his re-
turI' ana took great fancy to her, and CON-
menced paying her considerable attention.
1oung Hale had always been Mary's partic
1lar aversion. She had dsIik ed him from his
ooyhood; but she did not scruple to iirt with
MN little. hoping to arouse JOshua's jealousy
and bring him to the point.
1t seemed to have its effect; for learning that
Mr. Lawrence, one of his neigh bors a thriving
farmer, intended to give a party, and HAVING
obtained an inkling In some way that that col.
lege chap, as be termed his rival intended IN
take his Mary, he went over to ESQUIRE Dear
born's early the next morning and asked her
himself
Delight at the success of her maneuver
M1ry gave smiling consent, and at the ap-
pointed time, much 10 the chayrin Of the Young
eoliegian, who had intended to appropriate her
20 himself, she went, accompanied by Joshua
alarmed at the bare possibility Of losing her.
Joshua appeared like u new man; and instead
OF moplng IN some corner, "a was his wont. not
uarlng 10 speak TO her or any one else, he re-
malned by her side nearly the whole EVENING
scarcely quitting her side for a moment and
theh oni when she requested him to bring her
some refreshments
Mr.. Hale, who had viewed Joshus's attain.
tions to Mary with jealous eve, heard this re-
quest and being we'll aware of Joshua's blum.
herlng proPensities, very maliciously pIseed a
s'ooI alrectly in his way. Pretty soon Joshua
came back, and instead Of walking around the
stool, as nybOdy else would have done he
stumbled over 1t, and, sprawling full length
upon the floor, landed the CONTENDER his hand.
yThi;h consisted Of cup Of coffee and . nIsto
heaped with doughnuts pumpkin pie. and ys-
nous other eatable, directly in Msry'. Ia',
This unexpected feat produced quite a sensa.
uon Mary set up loud scream, and the res.
OF the company rushed toward her to see what
was the matter; and il was some time befora
order was restored.
v hen the tumult had in a measure subsidsd
Mary looked around for the unluc " cause of II
bui he was nowhere 10 be found Mortified ni
the ridiculous figure he cut, and the merri-
inent OF those who witnessed it, he had rushed
lrom The house, and never stopped or slscken-
ei hIs speed until he had reached his own room
dnd oolted the door, firmly resolving, as he did
so that he would never speak to or even look
a' giri again, 50 long rs he lived
fOOr Mary was more ANNOYED Mt Jsshua's
evident discontinue than Mt the loss Of her