The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-07-25
Kissed by Mistake.
Az AMUSING 7

" 80 - - - F1AN ~ 1873 AAeNN 1AA
the speaker, q tall, muscular, well-lOOking far
mer, redeemed To the roots of his hair. as though
he had committed some very wicked act, instead
of asking q simple question.
He was bashful extremely 50, was Josiah
Hawley at least, in the presence of ladies ana
most of all in the presence Of the girl he loved.
NJ young farmer in the country Possessed u
better-kept farm, or talked with more confidence
among his eompeers, Of stock and crops, and on
kindred subjects. But the glimpse of some pref
" face or foot coming in his direction, affected
him like n fash OF lightning. On such Occa-
sions he never knew what. TODD with his hands
and eyes, and always felt like screwing himself
into u mouse-hole. How he cOntriyed to ap-
proech Hester Thomas ON the subject Of his
preference for her, probably remains as much a
mystery To herself as IL is TO others.
But the young lady had quite an amount Of
tact and cleverness away somewhere in her pref
ty little head, albeit ie was set on the dimpled,
inexperienced shoulders of seventeen. Josiah
WINS worth, IN q worldly way, more than any of
her %saitOrs. good looking and intelligent
enough TO satisfy any one but an over fastidious
unexceptionable, in short, barring his excessive
bashfulness, which was n fruitful source of mer-
riment 10 the young people IN her little circle
And 80, when Josiah, in his awkward, blund-
ering way. began to exhibit his preference for
her in various little ways, such as waiting on her
60 and from singing school, constituting himself
her especial 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 easiest, pleasantest manner possible. The
girls laughed, and the young men cracked sly
jokes at the expense Of her timed sutton but
Hetty stood up for him very independently
encouraged him out OF his shyness-never no
ticed any unfortunate bIrnder and very likely
helped him along considerably when his feelings
reached the :" eliminating point" one moon
light autumn evening, as they were walking
home together from a prayer meeting.
This was "A week ago. Hetty had said 80 yes
and agreed to . bring father and mother round
on the subject" Josiah had not been to the
house since-likely feeling very much like n dog,
venturing upon the premises of n person whose
sheep fold he had just plundered. As yet, nei-
Their had had the courage to speak TO the
- ~reiyning powers = on the subject and Hetty,
feeling a. If she wished To put the ordeal of as
long ~ possible, at any rate 10 have one more
confidential talk on the subject with him, said
Mother Is going over To aunt Ruth ; To spend
the evening, and wants me TO go-but | guess |
won't. I've been working on fathers shirt all
day. besides doing the dairy work, and am as
tired rs | can be-so l guess they will have to go
without me- Don't come until eight O'Clock, L
shall be through putting things 10 rights then,
and will let yOn iu."
OF course Josiah vas not too Obtuse 10 under
stand that, and ~ far forgot his bashfulness rs
to petition for a good bye kiss, which was per-
emptorily refused
mo. shan't, Think | didn't see you
fdgeting around Sarah Jones at Deacon Ban
gers yesterday evening? I've not forgotten
that. sir -
Now, Hetty-''
But the appeal was broken off by n tantal-
ling little laugh and n he sprang forward TO
take n pleasant revenge ON his tOrmentress, 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
homeward.
Tba -, rhiprz hal hon carried ,ur tho table
set back against the wall. the crumbs brushed Of
from the clean, home made carpet, and Hetty's
workstand drawn up IN front of the blazing FIRE
4 beautiful piled plate of great red apples and
n plate Of cracked walnuts were on il, in close
proximity tO Uetty's wOrkbasket.
On one side of the FIRE sat Mrs. Thomas, fat
and fair. and at peace with al the world rock
ing and knitting, and refreshing herself at sun
dry intervals with n bite from u bali eaten aI-
pie that lay on the corner of the table, touch
ing every now and then, in 4 carsssing manner,
with her foot, n slesL, lazy looking cat, that
purred and worked on the other side. Hetty
was sewing and thinking how she should tell her
mother she expected "a visitor. She would have
given the world 20 be able 20 say, IN an of hand
manner, that she expected Mr.. Hawlev 70 drop
II about eight But she recCllscted, with L
twinge of conscience, how hard she had tried 20
get the old lady 20 accompany her husband 20
Aunt Ruth'-, spite Of her warnings of n spell Of
neuralgia how she had also plead headache as
an excuse for not going herself. And she knew
that her mother was quite sharp enough to draw
her own inference from these facts, and from her
being dressed with unusual care to spend the
evening At home
II shall not dare 20 tell her now. She'll be
SURE To think I wished to get her out of the way.
90 I might have Josiah all 20 myself, and |
should never hear the last of it." And, like q
wise little puss, she vas silent.
I'll venture my word on IL, YOU would not
have wondered at our young farmers iuthral-
ment, If you could have seen Hetty Thomas as
she sat by the fre=ide that cold, November eve
ming
Under prete1t of being ready to go TO her
~uncle's, "a thing she had no idea of doing,) she
had, Just before tea, indulged an in~discriminate
- fixing up" 4 neatly fitting dark calico, with
the store look still on it, a fresh linen collar and
tasteful black silk apprentices were the chief
of Hetty's toilet but she looked a. sweet
and dainty in her plain dress. as if hours had
been spent IN dOnping lace and jewels Her
hair. of the darkest tnge, fell in shining
olds close TO her warm red cheek, and was
;aught up IN a cunning net behind.
Eight O'Clock and past, Mrs. Thomas was
i0zing in her chair-her shadow on The opposite
Wall bobbing about in groteSgue mimicry. Is sh
nodded to and frO-nOw crushing the vOluEi-
nous white satin bows on her spruce cap against
back Of the chair now almost falling for
ward, and her fat hands lay ~listlessly in her lap,
md her ball of yarn had rolled out upon the
hearth, and puss was busy converting it into
Jordan knots. And Just then came . double
ap st the dOor-so lDud, 50 sudden and self
ssured that Hetty started Hpwith 4 little shrek,
nd set her foot on the caris tail, who, in turn,
ave voice IL her amszement and displeasure.