Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-07-26
Call o Man.

John jackson was hard-working man OF
twenty three. Being the eldest child and
only son, he always remained at home, assist
ing his father upon the farm. John was
much respected by every one in the neigh
borhood, and many bright-eyed girl secretly
thought that she would like to be Mrs. jack
son. But John was no "ladps' man." The
fact was, he was bashful. He would rather
hoe potatoes all day than undergo the cere.
mony of IN introduction to n young lady.
Not that John disliked the dear creatures; !;
far from it. We believe that he, in common
with NIL bashful and wcll-meaning men. enter
tanned the very highest respect and admira-
ton for them. And this, no doubt, was the
principal cause of his bashfulness. He felt
that they were superior beings, and that he
was unworthy to associate with them upon
terms of equality. But we cannot stop to
moralizc.
Nancy Clark was the daughter Of n very
respectable farmer, whose land joined tho
jackson farm. Nancy was n pretty. saucy.
little witch, and she liked John Jackson.
When they were children they attended tho
same school, and when he was a few years
her senior he was usually her champion in
the childish disputes that arose, and her COM
panion in coming and going At last john
became so much of young man as to be
kept from school. as she had been in past
wears. John discovered, too, he was growing
out Of shape. His feet and legs appeared
very awkward his face panied him, and TAX
ing all in all, he was inclined to think he was
not more than half put together.
As novclists says. it was a lovely day in
August. The sun was clear, serene. and
beautiful, the trees were loaded with golden
fruit, and the beautiful birds twittered their
songs of love in the branches. Earth-(there,
flights they make my head dizzy.) We were
prepared to sny that "earth yielded bounti-
full harvest of grass ard clover, and honey
suckles, which this noble yeomanry Of Ches-
terville had garnered within their storrhousrs'
but upon a second thought have concluded
to word it thus: "The farmers Of Chester
vile had done harvesting"
John Jackson's sister had a quilting that
afternoon. His father had gone to Keitll's
Mills" to get some wheat ground, and left
John to repair some tools, to b. ready OH the
morrow, to commence moving the meadow
grass Suddenly it occurred to John that if
he remained about the house that afternoon
he would be called in at ten.timc and required
to do the hoMors Of the table. 10 avoid this.
he quietly shouldered his scythe and stole
away to the meadow, half a mile distant, fully
resolved that he would not leave there till 1t
was so dark ho could not see to NOW, 80 as
10 avoid seeing the girls.
The meadow was surrounded on all sides
by thick forest, which effectualy shut out
what little breeze there might chance to be
stirring. The sun poured its rays as though
the little meadow was the focus point whers
the heat was concentrated. John moved and
sweat-sweat and moved. till he was obliged
to sit down and cool off, Then it occurred
to John that ii he took off his pants he might
be much more comfortable. There could bs
no impropriety in it, for be was entirely con-
cealed from observation. and there wan not
the slightest reason to suppose thot he could
be seen by any person.
So John stripped of. and with no cover
save his lnen-commonly called shirt-he
resumed his work. He was just congratulate
ing himself upon the good time he had made
from meeting the girls, when he CHANGED 10
disturb huge black snake, genuine twistcr.
with a white ring around its neck.
John was no coward, but he was mortally
afraid Of snake. "Selfpressrvation was
the first "passagc" that flashed across his
mind and alegs take care Of the body" was
tho next. Dropping his scyths and spinning
around like top liz was ready to strike q
two-forty gait, when at moment the snake
was near enough to hook his crooked teetl,
into Johns shirt just above the hem. With
a tremendous spring be darted of with the
spe.d Of a locomotive. His first jump took
the snake quite clear from the ground. and as
he stole hasty glance over bis shoulder. he