Red Wing sentinel., 1861-01-02
KISSED BY MISTAKE.

"Will you be at home to nj ight, Het-
ty?" and tho speaker tall, muscular
well looking young farmer reddened
to the very roots Of his hair, as if he
had committed some very wicked act
instead of asking simple question.
Bashful, extremely so, was Josiah
Hawley, at least in the presence Of
young ladies most of all in the pres
ence Of the Girl he loved. No young
farmer in al the country possessed a
a better kept farm5 or talked with
more confidence among his compeers
of stock and crops and on kindred
subjects. But the glimpse Of some
pretty face or foot coming in his direc-
ton, affected him like flash of LIGHT
ming. On such occasions lie never
knew what to do with his hands and
eyes, and always felt like screwing
himself into a knot hole. How he
ever contrived to approach Hester
Thomas, Oh the subject of his prefer
ence for her, probably remains to this
day us much q mystery to himself as
it is to others.
But the young lady had quite an
amount of tact and clcverncss slowed
away somewhere, in that pretty little
head, albeit it acas set on the dimp!ed
inexperienced shoulders of seventeen.
Josiah was worth in a worldly
way much more than any Of the rest OF
her suitors /; good looking and intclli.
gent enough to satisfy any one but an
over fastidious person uncxceptiona
bic in short, which was a truitfu!
source Of mcrriment among the young
people in their circle. And so when
Josiah in his awkward blundering way;
began to exhibit his preference 70,
her, in various little ways, such as
waiting on her to and from singing
school, constituting himself her escort
on horseback to the solitary church in
the woods and singing her out a,
quilting parties, Hetty took it all il
the easiest coolest way possibl>. The
girls laughed and the young men crack
ed sly jokes at the expense of her tim
id suitor; but Hetty stood up for hin
very independently--encouragcd hin
ont Of his shyness, and very likel,
helped him along considerably whel
he reached 'the eliminating point
!, one moonlight evening as they wcr,
walking home together from praye
meeting.
That was a week ago. Hetty ha,
, said 'sYes'' and agreed to bring fathe
and mother "around on. the subject:
Josiah had not been to the house sine
probably feeling very much like
dog venturing on the premises of
man whose fold he has piundcred
As yet, neither had the courage t
speak to the ruling powers or the sub
jeCt and Hetty feeling as if she wish
ed to put off the ordeal as long a
possible, al any rate TO have one NOR
confidential talk with him on the sui
) ject said:
"Mother is going over to aunt Ruth
to spend the evening, and wants m
to go but I gres. I wont. I've bee
working on fathers shirts all day, be
sides doing the dairy work, and l'r
as tired as can be. So guess they
have to go without me. Don't com
! until eight o'clock. l shall be thrc
putting things to rights then and wi
let you in.''
\ OF course, Josiah was not too OF
tuse to understand that, and forgot hi
bashfulness so far as TO petition for
goodbye kiss, which was perempioril
refused, of course.
Nc, l shan t. Do take yourself OF
Think I didn't see YOU fgcttins aroun
Sarah Jones at Deacon Badgers las
night. ! have not forgotten thai
: sir! {"
'sNow Hetty-''
But the appeal was broken off by
ltantalizing laugh; and as he spran
forward to take pleasant reveng
on his tormentress, she slipped ava
and ran mp the path to the hous,
where he saw her wave her hand a
1 she disappeared within the kitche
porch aud then he turned from th