Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-02-28

sho !Vuh6 i"ihcit iCuucuCu W tuC ftiJ
roots ofhis hair. as though he had commit
ted some very wicked act instead of asking
q simple question 7a
lie was bashful, extremely SO was Josiah
Hawley; at least in the presence of young
ladies; most of all. in the presence of the
girl he loved. No young farmer in all the
country possessed better kept farm, or
talked with more confidence among his
compeers OF stock and crops. and on kim
dred subjects. But the glimpse of some
pretty face. or foot. coming in his direction.
affected him like fash of lightning. On
such occasions he never knew what to do
with his hands and eyes; and always felt
like screwing himself into mouse hole.-
How he ever contrived to approach Hester
Thomas on the subject of his preference for
her. probably remains to this day as much
a mystery to himself as it is to others.
But that young lady had quite an amount
of tact and cleverness slowed away some
where in her pretty little head, albeit it
,cas set on the dimplcl, inexperienced
shoulders of seventeen. Josiah was worth
in worldly way, much more than any Of
her otner suitors; good-looking and intelli
gent enough to satisfy any but an over-fas
tidious person; unexceptionable in short.
barring his excessive bashfulncss which
was fruitful source of merriment among
the young people in their little circle
And so when Josiah in his awkward. blum
dering way began to exhibit his preference
for her in various little ways, such as wait
ing on her to and from singing school, con-
stituting himself her escort when she rode
on horseback to the solitary church in the
woods. and singing her out at quilting
parties, Hetty took it all in the pleasantcst
manner possible. The girls laughed. and
the yong men cracked sly jokes at the
expense of her tinid suitor; but Hetty
stood up for him very indepcndently-en-
ccuraged him out of his shyness-never no.
ticei any unfortunate blundor-and very
likely helped him along considerably when
his feelings reached the eliminating point,
one moonlighted autumn evening as they
were walking home together from prayer
meeting.
That was just week ago. Hetty had
said Yes and agreed to bring father aud
mother around on the subject Josiah had
not been to the house since, probably feel
ing very much like dog venturing upon
the premises of the person whose sheep.
fold he has just plundcred. AS yet neither
had the courage to speak to the 're;gning
powers on the subject; and Hetty feel
ing as if she wished to put the ordeal of
as long as possible. at any rate to have
one more confidential talk with him on the
subject. said:
Mother is going orer to Aunt Ruth's to
spend the evening. and wants me to GO
But | guess i wont. I've been working
en- fathers shirts all day. besides doing the
dairy work, and I'm as tired as can be. So
I guess they'll have to 60 without me-
Don't come till 8 o'clock. / shall be
through putting things to rights then. and
will let you in
OF course. Josiah was not too obtuse to
understand that, and forgot his bashfulness
so far as to petition for goodbye kiss.
which was premtorialy refused of course.
NO. I shan't, Do take yourself off,
Think didn't see you fidgeting around
Sarah Jones at Deacon Badger yesterday
evening; I've not forgotten that, siri'
Now Hetty--'
But the appeal was broken off BY tan
talizing little laugh; and as he sprang for
ward to take pleasant revenge on his tor
mentrcss, she slipped away and ran up the
path to the house, where he saw her wave
her hand as she disappeared within the
kitchen porch; and then he turned from
the gate and took the road homcward.
The tea things had been carried out, the
table set back against the wall. the crumbs
brushed from the clean horne male carpet
and Hetty's work-stand was drawn up in
front of the blazing fire. A beautiful piled
waiter Of great red apples and plate Of
cracked walnuts were on it. in close prox-
Unity to Hctty's work basket.
On one side Of the fire sat Mrs. Thomas.
Eat and fair. and at peace with all the world,
rocking and knitting, and refreshing herself
at sundry intervals with a bite from half
eaten apple that lay on the corner of the
table and touching every now aud then in
a carressing maner with her foot sleek, la
zy-looking cat that purred and winked on
the rug before her.. iHetty sat on the 9TH
er side sewing. and busy thinking how she
should tell her mother that she expected q
visitor. She would have given the world
to be able 10 say in an of.hand manner
that she expected Mr.. HawIey to drop in
about eight. But she recolIected with a
twinge of conscience how hard she had
tried to get the old lady to accompany her
husband to Aunt Rath's spite of her fore
warnings OF a spell of neuralgia; how she
had also plead headache as an excuse for
not going herself. And she knew her
mother was quite sharp enough to draw her
own inferences from these facts and from
her being dressed with unusual care to
spend an evening at home.
Il shall not dare to tell her now. She'll
be sure to think / wanted to get her out of
the way so might have Josiah all to my
self. and should never hear the last of
it, And like wise little puss she was
silent 90 Z g ts4ias
I'll venture my word on it. yon would
not have wondered at our young farmer S
desperate enthralluent If you could have
seen Hctty Thomas rs she sat sewing by
the fresids that cold November night.
Under pretext of being ready to go to
her Uncle's. q thing she had no idea Of do
ing) she had. just before tea. indulged in
an indiscriminate fixing mp. "A neatly
fitting iarkscalico, with the store look still
on IL: fresh linen collar and tasteful bl All