St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-06-07

: young lawyer in st. Louis, rcqucstin,
the privilege of becoming u boardc
ut our horse during a short sojOurn il
our romantic region, for the nurpos
Of restoring his health, which was SUI
iering from too close an application
to business and, as Aunt Becky Wa
one of the easiest, bcst-naturcd soul
in the world, Uncle Zckc declared that
although he didn't much like then
city chaps, he rcckoncd he'd let hin
come, as there didn't seem to be any
other place for him and so, two day,
after, the best room was given up t,
Mr. Merton.
| confess that | was considerably
interested in him at iirst--that is, BE-
fore he cane. | had drawn my owl
picture of him, and, with a naturally
! lively imagination, which had been
cultivated little by smattcring oi
novel reading, | had famcicd him pos
scsscd of my ideals of manly beauty
| was sure that he was tall, SLENDER
and graccful-that his hair and eyes
were as black as midnight, his smooth,
ly-shavcn check iaicrcHingiy pale,
his lips curlcd in fascinating smile,
and his teeth Of pcarly whitcmcss
" WoyIDN'r | make Jim Harris wish
he hadn't gone home from that sugar
party with my bluc,cycd Cousin Anna
-as | rode, and walked, and seemed
on very friendly terms with my town
acquaintance - and many were the
plans laid for flirting, or seeming TO
iiirt, with the expected stranger for,
if the truth must be told, | had had
my little dream Of schoolgirl love,
and Jim Harris, with his bright black
eyes, and merry voice, not to mention
the fine farm that his father had prom
iscd him, possessed many attractions
for me, and did not fancy his ap-
parent preference for Anna Fielding
But what all awakening from my
visions when their hero arrived. IHL
enough he was, surely. bat almost al
dcrmanic in breadth Of shoulders and
expansion Of chest. Mighty deli
cate he must bc TO need rest and
country air Aunt Becky said and
thought the same, for he ate our corn
bread, and drank milk, with rather
too much Of an appetite for an inva-
lid And then, his eyes were blue,
and his hair light brown, while the
lower part Of his facc-lipS, teeth, all
were concealed by horrM whskcrs,
and an ugly moustachc, most unpocti-
cally vcrgimG upon sandy shade
Bah could not tlirt with him, even
to tease Jim Harris.
Then, he invested himself with such
provoking dignity never laughing
at any of my gay sallics, never no.
ticing my kittens, but always gazing
at me with such look Of commiscra-
tion that fancicd he was thinking
"Iou poor, silly child you, how igno-
rant you arc" could hardly keep
from crying when | thought of my
folly in permitting myself to associate
him with anything like romance lie
twcnty-cight and scrcniccn, how ride
ulous . grew to dislike him, to an
swcr his kind, patronizingIy simple
questions pcttislly, and to shun the
gazc of his great blue eyes, that
seemed TO hant me at every turn.
could never look up, while at ta-
bic, without cncountcring their mel
ancholy look of dreamy absence, and
they were always pursuing me as
fed to my domestic duties. Jnst as
! sure as | went into the cellar with
sleeves rolled up and my chnrning
! itt.,t III I'n - l,,r
/ Lomglacc follow the there to get a
| class of milk, dish Of clabhcr, or
" little sweet cream to dip over sau-
Ger Of Strawberries and it was very
embarrassing to he obliged to hold a
conversation while engaged in skim
ming milk, turning the churn-crank,
or working over butter. | couldn't
irightcn him away hy spattcring
cream or buttcr-brinc over his broad
cloth, in my energetic application to
my tasks he persisted in carrying
up the pals of sour milk, though as
surcd that Diaah would come for them
he liked the exercise, he said, and not
until | had Informed him that no one
about the place was permitted to in
| tcrfurc with the buttcr-makiur, which
had undertaken to supcriutcnd for
the summer, would he believe that
matters. If | scwed, he watched me
ncrvously-as if fearful that | had not
sense enough to keep from pricking
my fingers if walked in the garden
he was there, always ready with his
knife to sever rose for me, aud
could not arrange tasteful bouquet
to save my life, under the supervision
of those criticising eyes. His digni
fled, fatherly watchfulncss had be
come perfect restraint upon me-
And now you know why | congratula-
ted myself upon the prospect of one
of my free forest ramblcs, as | set
forth with Flash after the cows.
Oh, that ride ! how | enjoyed it I.
My steed and | seemed one, a being
possessed of unseen wings, floating,
and rocking, and bounding along with
| thistle-down motion, as we sailed upon
the fragrant waves of air. | could
have ,oept in my excess of happiness,
as, wearied with talking and laughing,
and singing and shouting, my full
heart swellcd with its sense of beauty
and joy, till it actually ached with its
imprisoned ecstasy. ."Oh, if | could
only embody the beauty, the music,
the poetry of nature upon canvass,
and impart to kindred heart, 10y my
glowing touch, tithc of the rapture
| feel while gazing upon such scenes,
could indeed be happy !" | thought;
but banished the theme, for it always
brought vague dreams and discomfort;
and SO, shaking the reins, and patting
my pony's neck, | cheered him on,
conscious only of the enjoyment of a
most cXhilarating exercise.
We reached the bottoms" as the
river banks were called, and, seeing
at glance that among the drove of
! fulfilled, sleek cows before me were