Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-01-31

rendering myself ridiculous IN the eyes
of my beloved. At length the service
was over, the people rose from their
seats, and poured out of the meeting
house door.
[ hurried into the aisle, jostled
against Sallie Bell, scarcely knowing or
distinguishing her from the squires ser
want maid, in my hurry aud anxiety to
get beside Miss Gray.
My end was accomplished at last. I
stood beside her, felt the rustic of her
light silk dress against me, and inhaled
the faint perfume from her broidered
handkerchief.
Oh, unfortunate Joe Smith! Some
one from behind, either with malicious
infant, or accidentally, showed against
me, propelled me forward with irresisti-
bic force, shuffling me against her and
causing her to drop her hymn book.
| begged her pardon, with what 1
conceived to be, and no doubt was the
politest Of bows, and, with perhaps
more agility than had ever in my life
before displayed, stopped, and picked
up her hymn book.
''Thank you" she said, with sweet
smile, and as | again apologized for my
awkardness and uninten tional rudeness,
she replied:
ooh, never mind. The crowd is very
great and it was pure accident on your
part"
could have knelt to her there for
those words and the smile that accom-
panied them, SO unlike the mocking
laugh or reproof of Sallie Bell, when l
was guilty Of anything.
began to wonder how could have
been so much in love with Sallie, and
cordially congratulated myself upon the
same oft mentally cursed bashfulness
that had prevented my proposing to her
on two occasions, when had begun it,
and blessed the chance that threw me
into the peach preserves, when 1 had
commenced the declaration third time.
With Efie Grays bright smile and
brighter eyes still shining upon me, I
elevated my head, and walked out of
meeting, and past Sallie Bell and Bill
Read, who were carrying on spirited
Irritation, without SO much as looking
toward my former love, piece of cox
combery that, if not unnoticed by her,
must have afforded her infinite amuse-
ment. l then ina gined, however, that
II must be source of very great and
sincere pain to be treated SO contemp-
tously by me. IN ~
[ saw Miss Gray handed into the dea-
cons carriage by the white hand Of the
handsome stranger, and again the de-
mon of jealousy tugged at my heart
strings. Next he handed in Polly
White, and then lightly springing in
himself, took the reins in his hand
cracked the whip gently, and the whole
party moved off rapidly.
AS they went, Effie turned toward me,
smiled, nodded her little head, its dane
ing ringlets, and waved her hand.
| was raised to the topmost peak Of
the mountain of delight, my resolution
was instantly formed, l would go to the
deacon's to dinner. [ was very intimate
there, and visited, an invited guest,
whenever | pleased. .-.....-
l instantly turned my steps in that
direction, and having arrived there,
found tho handsome stranger seated in
the parlor. ...-......--. ...-s
The ladies had not yet come in from
removing their bonnets, but had not
sat long before they entered.
If | had admired Miss Gray in church,
and at distance, 1 thought her now, on
closer inspection, and without bonnet or
mantle, too transcedent for description.
Polly White advanced, and shook
hands with ME, with a cordial ssHow
dye do, Joe?" then turning to her
friend, said:
"Efie, allow me to present Mr.. Smith;
J oe, my friend, Miss Gray"
l bowed with all the grace and gal
lantry that-I was master of, and Polly
continued, turning to the stranger:
Harry, Mr.. Smith
I was prepared to recognize the in
PRODUCTION by the iciest and most formal
salute, when the concluding words
turned my intended formal salute into
the most gracious bow, and my iciness
into the pleasantest smile l could as
sumo.
"Joe, Mr.. Gray, my friends brother y
All, me, what an overwhe helming weight
was raised off my heart. Polly White,
you were by no means pretty girl, son
ordinary occasions, but when you pro-
nounced the words that transformed
what | had supposed hated rival into
your friends brother, you were an angel
of beauty.
Polly was something of firt, and
managed without much delay, to en-
gage the attention of Harry Gray, and
[ was left to entertain his beautiful
sister, 80
L hardly knew how to do it at first,
but she kindly came to my assistance,
taking upon herself to amuse me, as l
was guest of her friend --..
A folio Of engravings lay on the table,
and drawing my attention toward them,
we discussed their merits and .Seauties,
till the announcement Of dinner dis
turbed our occupation.
In the afternoon, and toward the ap-
proach Of evening, we, that is, Polly
White and Harry Gray, Miss Gray and
myself, went out into the garden, and
having walked about for some time, ad-
miring the flowers, by some chance we
became separated, leaving Miss Gray
and l together.
| don't know what possessed me that
day-a strange amount of courage
seemed to have been infused into me by
that smile, and those words spoken when |
returned the hymn book, my awkard-
ness had made her drop.
, For time we walked about, aud oc-
| casionally stopping to admire a tulip.