The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-03-07

pest which he saw rapidly impending.
Gam / the sort of a man to make a
ninny of myself doing the polite to any
female creature :? Did you ever know
me to be conscious whether a woman
had shawl on or swallow tailed
coat ?"
Maria eclipsed the blue eyes behind
little blue pocket handkerchief, and
Henry, the sewage, banged the door
loud enough to give Betty in the kitch-
EN-, nervous start. -.
Raining again! / do believe we
are going to have second edition of
the deluge," said Mr.. Edge to himself
that evening as he esconced his six
feet of iniquity in the south west corner
of car at the City Hall. "Go ahead,
conductor, can't you? What are you
waiting for? Don't you see we're full,
and it's dark already? m Z
In a minute, sir" said the conduc
tor, as he helped little woman with
her basket on board. Now, sir, move
up a bit if you please"
MIR. Edge was exceedingly comforta-
BILE; didn't want to move up; but the
light of the lamp, just ignited, falling
full on the pearly forehead and shining
golden hair of the new conner, he
altered his mind and he did move mp.
"What lovely eyes!" quoth he men
tally, as he bestowed single acknowl-
edging smile.
Real violet blue! The very color
admire most. Bless me what bust
ness has an old married man like me
thinking about eyes? What would
Maria say, the jealous little mink
There-she's drawn confounded veil
over her face, and the light is as dim
as a tallow dip! But those were pretty
eyes!"
The fair possessor of the blue eyes
shiyered lightly and drew her mantle
closer around her shoulders.
"Are you cold, Miss Pray, honor
me by wearing my shawl. / don't
need it myself -.
She did not refuse. She murmured
some faint apology for troubling him,
but it was not refusal.
"NO trouble-not a bit % said he.
with alacrity arranging it on her taper
shoulders; andthen, as the young lady
handed her fare to the conductor, he
said to himself, what a slender, lovely
little hand If there's anything ad-
mire in woman it's pretty hand !;
Wonder what kind of mouth she's
got. 1t must be delightful if it cores
ponds with her hair and eyes. Plague
take the veil"
But "plague," whoever that mystical
power may be, did not take the posses
sion of the provoking veil, so Mr..
Edges curiosity about the mouth of
the blue eyed damsel remained ungrat-
flied.
Have you room enough, Miss?
fear you are crowded. Pray sit little
closer to me-"
!, Thank You, SIR" was the soft reply,
coming from behind the veil, as Mr..
; Edge rapturously Reflected like an
angel from the gloom of dark cloud.,''
And his heart gave loud thump as
the pretty shoulder touched his own
shaggy overcoat in a nesting sort of a
way. r.
Decidedly this is getting very ro-
mantic," thought he; and then with an
audible whisper, What would Maria
say ?" e.a
: The rest Of that long, dark, rainy
ride, was delicious with that shoulder
, against his own. How gallantly he
f jumped up to pull the strap for her.
/ Nv l. r. r. ..
happened to be at the very sire ct where
he intended to stop. And under all
the circumstances we can hardly blame
him, when the car stopped so suddenly
that she caught instinctively at bis
hand for support, for the squeeze he
gave the plump snowy palm ANY
man in his senses would have done the
same-it was such an inviting little
lilly foa =.
! Out in the rain and darkness our two
pilgrims Sided, scarcely more than able
to steer their course by the glimmering
reflection of the street lamps on the
Y pavements. r. b
5 " Allow me to carry your basket
} Miss, as long as our path lie in the same
direction. said Mr.. Edge, courteously
relieving her of her burden as he spoke
{ " And-and-maybe you'd find les.
difficulty in walking if you'd just take
' my arm!" n
"Well, wasn't it delightful? Mr.
Y Edge forgot the wet streets and pitch,
darkness-he thought he was walking
on roses! Only, as he approached his
own door, he began to feel little ner
!, vous, and wished that the lovely incog
: nito would not hold on quite so tight
o Suppose Maria should be at the window
u on the lookout for him, as she otter
K was, how would she interpret matters
He couldn't make he,. believe that ht
y only wanted to be polite to fair trav
: eler. Besides, his sweeping declara
tons Of the morning she would be sure
to recall them.
s AS he stopped at the right number
r and turned round to bid the blue eyet
!, a regretful adieu, he was astonished t.
| to see her run lightly up the steps tt
u enter likewise! Gracious Apollo h,
/! burst into chilly perspiration at th'
v idea of Maria's borrori e4Iaii