Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-04-14

saw rapidly impending. Ala | the sort
of a man to make a ninny of myself do
ing the polite to any female creature -
Did You ever know me to DC conscious
whether a woman had a shawl on or a
swallow tailed coat?'
Maria eclipsed the blne eyes behind a
little pocket handkerchief, and Henry, the
savage, banged the door loud enouga to
give Betty IN the kitchen a nervous start.
Raining again! | do believe we are
going to have a second edition of the De-
LUCE said Mr. Edge to himself that eve
ming as he enscouced his SIX feet of inlqui-
tv in the sonth west corner of a car at the
City all. Go ahead, conductor, can't
You? What are YOU waiting for? Don't
you see we're full and its dark already
In one minute, sir said the conductor,
as he helped a little woman with a basket
on board. Now, sir; move up a little it
you please
Mr.. Edge was exceedingly comfortable,
didn't want to move up, but the light OF
the lamp Just ignited, falling on the peariy
forehead and shining golden hair Of the
new conner, he altered bis mind and did
move up. =
What lovely eyes : quoth he mentally,
as he bestowed a single acknowledging
smile.
Real violet blue the very color | adj
mire most. Bless me. what business has
an old married man like ne thinking about
eyes What would Maria say, the jealous
little mink? There-she's drawn a cons
founded veil over her face, and the light is
as dim as a tallow dip. But those were
/, lovely eyes,
The fair posscssor Of the blue eyes
) shivered slightly and drew her nantllla
closer round her shoulders.
Are you cold, Miss? Pray honor me
by wearing my shawl. don't need i at
all myself
She did not refuse ; she murmured some
i apology for troubling him, but it was not
refused
No trouhle-aot a Bit! said he with
e ~alacrity, arranging it on the taper shout
it ders and then, as the young lady handed
her fare to the conductor, he said, to him
self, what a slender, lovely little hand! If
there Is anything | admire in a woman it's
a pretty hand Wonder what kind of a
ID mouth she's got? 1t must be delightful
Of if it corresponds with the hair and eyes
ID Plague take the veil!
st But plague, whoever that mystica
power may be, did not take possession o.
in the provoking veil, so Mr.. Edges curiosi-
yh ty about the mouth of the blue eyed dam
N sci remained ungratified.
", sHave you room enough, Miss? | fea1
to you are crowded. Pray sit a little closer
ce to mel
sss Thank you, SIR was the soft reply
ay coming from behind sbc veil, as Mr.. Edg'
n rapturously reflected, like an angel from
the gloom of dark cloud Aud his hear
gave a violent tbump as the pretty shoul
der touched his own shaggy coat in
Nesting sort of a way.
Decidedly, this is-getting ratherroman
tic thought he; and then, with an aud
bic whisper, What would Maria say?
The rest Of the long, dark, rainy rid
was delicious, with that shoulder agains
~ his own.
uu How g~aIlantly he jumped up to pull tn
strap fer her; by some t%avoring freak
fortune it happened to be at the very sire,
"ACtS Io al W SlOPs AIN uIQ
'1 all the circumstances we can hardly blam
T. him, when the cars stopped SO suddenl
~ that she caught instinctively at his han
for support, for the squeeze he gave I'll
ne. plump, snowy palm! any man in his sense
NY would have done the same; it was sue
0'' an inviting little lily!
Ont into the rain and darkness oar tw
' pilgrims sailed, scarcely more than able
steer their course by the glimmering re
Elections of the street lamps on the strear
S ing pavements.
ALLOW me to carry your basket, Mis
% as long as our paths lie in the same dire
JUS, tion,' said Mr.. Edge courteously, ~relievir
ora her Of the burden as be spoke. And
"o- and-mav-be you'd find less difficulty
walking if you'd just take my armr
.nat Well, wasn't it delightful. Mr.. Ed
- forgot the wet streets and the pitchy dar
ness-he thought be was walking on ros
Ouce as he approached his own door,
NY began to feel a little nervous, and wish
that the lovely ~incognita wouldn't hold
quite SO tight. Suppose Maria should
lI at the window on the lookout for. him,
uSn she often was, how would she interp
WY matters! He couldn't make her belle
that he only wanted to be polite to a
NJ traveller! beside his sweeping declaratit
of the morning-she would be sure to
yo0 call them.
+;aa As he stopped at the right number 4
as turned round to bid the blue eyed a req
full adieu, he was astounded to see her
Mics lightly mp the steps to enter likewise
,'nst Gracious Apollo. he burst into a CHI