Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-03-29
MISCELLANY.
Kissed by Mistake.

'"i 9ou oe at Hoiic lo-hlSnt, 1etty
and the speaker a tall, muscular, wcll-look.
ing farmer, redeemed TO the roots of his hair,
as though he had committed some very
wicked act, instead of asking a simple ques-
tion. l
He 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 famer in all the
country possessed better kept farm, or
talked with more confidence among his COM
peers of stock and crop, and on kindred SUBJ
jects. Bu' the glimpse of some pretty face
or foot coming in his direction, affected him
like fash of lightning. On such occas-
ions he never knew what to do with his
hands and eyes, and always felt like screw
ing himself into mouse-hole. How he
ever contrived to approach Hester Thomas
on the subject Of his preference for her, pro-
badly remains as much mystery TO him.
self as il is to others.
But the young lady had quite an amount
of tact and cieverness slowed away some
where in her pretty little head, albeit it
was set on the dimpled, inexperienced
shoulders of seventeen. Josiah was worth.
in worldly way, more than any of her
suitors; good-looking and intelligent enough
to satisfy any one but an over fastidious
unexceptionable. in short, barring his ex-
cessive bashfuluess, which was fruitful
source of merriment to the young people in
their little circle. And so, when Josiah, in
his awkward, laundering way, began to ex-
hibit his preference for her in various littlt,
ways, such AS waiting on her 10 and from
singing school, constituting himself her es-
pecial escort when she rode on horseback to
to the solitary church in the woods, and
singing her out at quilting parties, Hetty
took il all in the easiest pleasantest manner
possible. The girls laughed. and the young
men cracked sly kes at the expense of hes
timid sutor; but Helty stood up for him
very independently tly--eneouraged him out o.
his shyness--uever noticed any unfortnnae
blunder--and very likely helped him along
considerably when his feelings reached rlhe
eliminating point" one moonlight autumn
evening, as they were walking hcme to
gether from meeting.
| That was week ago. Hetty had said
Yes" and agreed to "bring father am
mother round on the subject" Josiah had
not been to the house since likely feeling
very much like dog venturing upon tht
premises of person whose sheepfOld he hat
just plundered. As yet, neither had the
courage to speak to the "reigning powers
on the subject and Hetty, feeling as if she
wished to have one more confidential talk
\ on the subject with him, said:
/ Al. =,
spend The evening, and wants me to go--but
guess won't Eve been working or
fathers shirts all day, besides doing the
dairy work. and am as tired as can be
so guess they will have to go without me
Don't come until eight O'clock. l shall be
through putting things to rights then, and
will lei YOU in"
OF course Josiah was not too obtuse tc
understand, that, and so far forgot his bash
fulness as TO petition for good-by kiss, which
was perempto,ily refused.
mo. | shan't. Do take yourself of,
| Think didn't see you fidgetting around
Sarah Jones at Deacon Dangers yeste rday
EVENING" I've not forgotten that sir p
Now, Hetty"-
| But the appeal was broken off by tanta
izing little laugh ; and as he sprang for.
ward o take pleasant revenge On hls tor
meutress, she slipptd away aud ran up the
path 10 the house, where he saw her wave
her hand as she disappeared within the
kitchen porch; and then he turned from The
gate aud took The road homeward
The tea things had been carried out, the
table set back against the wall, the crumbs
brushed off from the clean. house-made
carpet, and Hetiy's worksIand drawn up in
| front of the blazing fire. A beautiful piled
plate of great red apples and plate OF
cracked walnuts were on it, in close prox-
unity to Heity's work-basket.
On one side of the fire sat Mrs. Thomas
fat aud fair, and at peace with all the world
I rocking and knitting, and refreshing her
| self at sundry intervals with bite from 3
| halfeaten apple that lay on the corner of
the table and touching every now and then
in caressing manner, with her foot, q
sleek, lazy looking cat that purred and
/ worked on the other side. lietty was sew
( ing and thi king how she should tell hei
mother she expected visitor. She wouo
have given the world to be able to say, II
an off-hand manner. that she expected MIR
( Hawley TO drop in about eight. But she
recollecied with twinge of conscience, how
hard she had tried to get the old lady TO ac'
company her husband TO Aunt Ruth's. spite
of her warnings of a spell oil neura gia; how
she had also plead heahache as an excuse
for not going herself And she knew hel
mother was quite sharp enough TO draw hel
own Inference from these facts, and from hel
being dressed with unusual care to spenC
an evening at home.
IL shall not dare to tell now. She'll b'
sure TO think wished to get her out of th'
way. 30 | might have Josiah all 10 myself
and | should never hear the last OF It..
And like a wise little pass she was silent.
Ill venture my word ON il. yoG would 10
have wondered at our young farmers en-
tl,ralment if you could have seen Hetiy
Thomas as she SAT by the freside thai col'
November evening
Under pre,ext of being ready to 90 to he
uncle's, "a thing she had no idea Of doing.
- lad ,us. h.toro tea indufged in an in