Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-11-06
JoNATHAN's PRESENT.


to use the caressiDg household phrase
and Jonathan StaTkea thought with a
sudden thrill of happiness. how short
period would elspse ere he might say
his E6ie--his own darling, blue-eyed
wife. And Jonathan, a gigantic.
brewn-browed son of Connecticut,
strobe along Broadway with poDderous
tread and CHEEKY whistle, viewing with
benevolent pity, the manikin dandies
who thronged the fashionable pave, and
wondering if they, Insignificant little
lwasp-waisted beings that they were,
had been able to find "Efies" of their
own. Not likely, Jonathan thought,
for the girls up his way preferred six
iooters, who could swing an axe and
WELD sickle like men, and foolish
Jonathan imagined New York bellies
were similarly inclined.
Only the evening before, when he
had stood at her fathers wicket gate,
with the new moon glimmering through
the purple March twilight, Efie had
said to him softly, as if the dew and the
starlight, and the feint, delicious smell
of the golden daffodils in the garden
border, and the blue violets just bud
ding out on the meadow slopes, had
passed into the very tones Of her voice,
Tomorrow / shall be seventeen."-
And Jonathan had thought of a dozen
pretty things TO say, and hadn't been
able to get any Of them any further
than the roof of his mouth. So here
he was. lingering his brown leather
purse uneasily in front Of every store
window, and envyiug the courage OF the
experienced shoppers, who skinned
into the stores. and asked the prices Of
things, and skinned out again, without
any more idea of buying than the man
in the moon.
'1f it was man, now, could tell
something about it" "groaned Jonathan;
"but how is fellow to understand the
things woman fanciess"
Ny dear, unsophisticated Jonathan,
good many people have been precisely
in your predicameut before now.
There were dainty little bonnets of
blue velvet and plumes; there were lace
collars looking to Jonalhan's bewildered
gaze as if they would nutter away at
the merest breath of air; and cleaning
folds of lustfous silk, which be couldn't
any more fancy Efie Scott wearing than
he could imagine the russet robin of the
Connecticut woods decked out in the
gaudy plumage of the paroquet.-
There were flashing jewels, and tiny.
Z work-boxes, of shining satin wood,
with thimbles, q Ia Lilliput-very nice
TO look at, no doubt, but by no means
adapted TO the wants of the thrifty
little maiden who was equally at home
darning the blue wooden stockings of
her farmer-brothers, or setting neat
patch into the knees of her papa's
trousers. Jonathan stopped before a
thriving grocery, and eyed some glass
receptacles where gherkins, and onions
and glossy green peppers lay enshrined
in gulfs OF vinegar; but then he re-
membered that a jar of pickles wasn't
the exact thing to present TO an afianced
lady-love, and be passed on to door
way where cage-like crinolines swayed
gracefully back and forth at every
breeze.
"If there was any way Of getting
the creature home," he thought discon-
solately; "but can't wear it myself,
and 1 don't see any other convenient
method of transferring it to Hill Hollow.
No, that won't do"
Suddenly Jonathan Starke stopped
short before the glistening treasures Of
a druggists window, where a gilded
filagree basket contained two fairy cut
glass bottles, filled with clear, sparkling
cologne. d.
"Tbat's what I want!" calculated
Jonathan, clspping his hat gleefully on
one side. "Won't that gimcrack look
nice on Deacon Scott's parlor tablet
Why, the minister's wife herself hasn't
anything better than fiat camphor bot
tie and vial Of essence of peppermint
Halo, Mr.. Shopman, what's the price
of that little basket of bottles?"
"Three dollars, sir" said the glib at
tendant, who was busy waiting on a
sour-faced old maid, in exceedingly
juvenile costume, and short, bears
CREASED curls. s "T
Three dollars sounded larger in
thrifty Jonathan's ears than three hun
dred would have done to the other
young men who were lounging about
the store, but Jonathan thought of Efie
Scott's blue eyes, and dived into the
depths of his leather purse without a
repining reflection.
"Hers's the money" he said, laying
tiny gold coin on the counter. "Pack
up the concern tight, will you, so that
it won't break to pieces before 1 get il
home"
"Certainly, SIR" returned the shop.
man politely, eff you will have the
Kindness to wait one moment, until ]
have attended to this lady"
Jonathan Stsrke sat down on one Of
the revolving stools, in front of the
counter, and swung himself creakingly
round and round, staring at the drugs
and shifting in the aromatic odor of the
scented soaps, and stealing sly glanees
at the antiquated female, who was
whispering mysteriously to the shop.
man, with an odd kind of incredibly
that she could BY any possibility be-
long to the same sex with his blue