Red Wing sentinel. [volume] (Red Wing, M.T. [i.e. Minn.]) 1855-1861, 1861-01-02
KISSED BY MIS'rAK L..

III >ou w dtI AOulc ~ ulsHt, Ilct-
typ" 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 q simple question.
Bashfui, extremely SO, was Josiah
Hawley, at least in the presence of
young ladies'; most Of all in the pres
ence Of the oirl he loved. No young
farmer in I'LL the country possessed a
a better kept far,n5 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 he never
knew what to do with his hands and
eyes, and always felt like screw!nc
himself into knot hole. How he
ever contrived to approach Hester
Thomas, on the subject Of his prefer
ence for her, probably remains to this
day us much 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 qrus 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 tastldlous person uncXceptiona.
bic in short, which was a fruitful!
source Of mcrriment among the young
people in their circle. And so when
Josiah in his awkward laundering way:
began to exhibit his preference fo,
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,
quitting parties, Hetty took it all III
the easiest coolest way pos~ibl,. The
girls laughed and the young men crack
ed sly jokes at the expense Of her tim
id suitor; but llclty stood up for hin
very independently hin
ont Of his shyness, and very likel,
helped him along considerably whcl
he reached "thc eliminating point
one moonlight evening as they were
walking home together from prayer
meeting.
That was a week ago. Hetty hat
said Eyes 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 piundcrcd
As yet, neither had the courage t.
speak to the ruling powers OF the sub
Iject; and Hetty feeling as if she wish
led to put off the ordeal as long a
possible, at any rate TO have one NOR
lconfdential talk with him on the sub
Iject said:
"Mother is going over to aunt Ruth
to spend the evening, and wants m
to go but I g';es, wont. I've bee,
working on fathers shirts all day, he
sides doing the dairy work, and In
as tired as can be. So I guess they'll
have to go without me. Don't com
;lntil eight o'clock. l shall be tlro
putting things to rights then and vii
let YOU in"
/ Of course. Josiah was not too oh
Ituse to understand that, and forgot hi
bashfulness so far as TO petition for
goodbye kiss, which was peremp;oril,
refused, of course.
NJ, I Sis;sil t. Do take yourself OF
Think l didn't see You fgettin9 aroun,
Sarah Jones ae Deacon Badgers las
night. ! hsve not forgotten that
sir
Now Hetty-'
But the appeal was broken off by
Itantalizing laugh; and as he sprans
forward to take pleasant reveng,
on his tormentress, she slipped ava,
and ran mp the path to the house
where he saw her wave her hand a
she disappeared within the kitche,
porch and then lie turned from Ii,