Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-08-01
HOW I WENT ANGLING,
AND WHAT CAUGHT.

luz Suggestion was ny no means new
one, for l was fvc.and.t thirty, and it had
been iterated aud reiterated by all my
family ever siuce l was twenty five.
therefore regarded my mothers remark as
the beginning of kind of family ritual,
and responded as usual, Why so, ma'am?
Because, she answered shortly, devi.
aung mewhat from the beaten track, it's
high time.
Granted, said l.
Yes, pursued my mother, you're old
enough, aud you're rich enough, and yol're
clever enough; and why you don't get
married, l can't see. You would then be
much happier than you now are, idIing
about here, with nothing better TO do than
10 follow ali old woman about from cellar
to pantry, putting your hands to every bit
OF michief which Satan fluids for idle nands
to do'--and all for want of some sensible
employment
Would peLting n foolish wife he seusi.
ble employment? | asked laughing.
She need not be foolish, said my mother.
But the wise virgin will not have me, |
replied, aod will not have foolish Que
so you see, theic is just my trouble.
You arc too modest by half, returned
my mother, as she was leaving the room
L poudered that lust remark of nv
mothers. thought it showed discern
ment aud judgment, aud wondered more
people were not of her way of thinking
The melancholy general reflection that
modest worth is almost sure to be under
rated, threw me into pensive and senti
mental mood, and sna'chiug up my hat and
fishing tackle, SaunleIed out for reverie
under cover Oi NY tuyorlte sport
The subject OF my late conversation con
lnued TO occupy my thoughts. The truth
is, my mother was not more anxious to see
me married than / was 10 he so. had
always regarded the marriage state as the
happies my heart glowed as much as any
mau's ever did, at the p cure my fuacy
drew of loving family AM happy home.
But the mischief of it was, | could no, find
any one to please me. did not consider
myself nor mean to be, over fastid Gus; !;
but among all the fiat, nultering, furbe
lowed fine ladies | met 10 society, found
so little nature, SO little goodness, so little
heart, that could not fall in love with
them, let me try as | would.
1t was truly u lamenIable case. Here
was | a really clever enough fellow well
to do in the wolld--cou>idured, as | knew
well enough-somethlug of catch-wii-
ling aud anxious to be caught, aud nobody
skIllIul enough to do it.
Pondering this gloomy thought, | wan.
dered on quite beyond my usual bounds,
aud ut last, rather tired, l clam bered up n
steep rock which oyerhung The brook | had
been following, ant sat down to rest.
1t was true summer scene-qniet, and
warm aud brght-nlcely shaded, however,
where l lay; aud the cuol sound of the
rippllug water added just the only charm
possible, where all was SO charming.
ls ened win delight; but in doing so
became sensible that besides the regular
monotUnous babbling of the brooklGt, there
nlnSled other sounds OF Splashing water,
which occurred at Irregular intervals, and
which Seemed TO proceed from below the
rock on which | reclined. My curiosity
led me 10 explore the mystery. l Chamber
ed to the top Of the rock aud looked down
over its furtheSt edge.
Cupid! god of love! how was reward
edl The rock Oh the side over which |
looked, descended sheer some fifteen or
twenty feet, when projecting ledge form
ed a kind of natural seat, below which the
water rppled. The spot was quite hung
over auJ shade by trees and thick shrubs
Il was a complete sylvan grOtto. and WILL.
10 1t, as seemed most meet and fitting, was
its nymph
A Young girl, apparently about nineteen,
sat Oh Tue rocky lcige, bathing her feet.
Her attitude aud occupation reminded me
strongly OF the pretty picture We have all
seen in old fashioned aunuals, of Doroihea
Except that my little beauty was evi.
deutly gay, and fresh, and lively, while
Dorolhea in the picture is weary aud sad.
| could not make up my mind, for d
time, 10 disturb 50 charming scene, and
therefore continued 10 gaze In silence from
my lurking place.
ALL those dainty little white feet, with
their pink tipped toes, which CLEANED so
fair through the clear water, or flashed for
moment above its surface, fiuging about
the bright glittering drops, and then pIung-
ing again beneath the cool blue-never
shall forget them! The gracefully bent
head, with its bright golden curls and
bralds, against which now aud then the sun
spalk kled from chiuk in the leafy screen
The lovely neck and arm-the cheek deli
cpteIy tiu;sd with pink, of which l now
aud then caught Il glimpse, formed pic
ture more enchanting than anything l had
ever imagined. More than all, the perfect
inuosnce aud mQdeSty which accompanied
all the movements of my sweet Diana,
charmed me even more than her beauty.
My heart OF ice suddenly burst into G
fame. Heavens! cried / 10 myself, as
felt it humping against my side-what is
this new seusatIon2 Bob Brown, your
hour is come You're in love!
Az the momeu | came 10 this conclu
siop, the hoa' oi my tisn'ng line dropped
AT the leet oi my charmer, and immediately
well, I'm not going to lay before my
confidential public an account OF all my
delicate and skilliul maneuyrIng-euoughr
that wit hin half an hour was seated 50
clally by my water fairy'S side, trying &c
look as much like Neptune or Masanlello
or any other water hero-I did not care
which-as | could. gave sly tweak OF
| ,,yc 10 nan shirt anllar tn mak a n lia down