Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-12-30

going to have the crysipeias. Erysipelas.

going to have the erysipeias. Erysipelas.
indeed!
1t rained all the afternoon. Florence
stayed to tea, and by the time the meal
was over l had broken two plates, knock.
ed down a saucer, upset the cream pitch
er, and nearly cut the end of my thumb
Oft with my knife. Also, the rain had
not ceased, and it was dark.
Florence declared that she could not
stop another moment. Her friends would
be alarmed aoout her, she must 90 at
once. My mother urged her to remain
all night. But she could not think of it;
and, while she was arranging her wraps,
my mother beckoned me into the entry.
Roy" she said decisively, Florence
should not 60 home alone "
" | can't help it !" said I doggedly.-
II guess nothing will deyour her on her
Journey"
MY son!" she exclaimed, with Just
severity, IL cannot permit you to speak
in that way of one whom | so highly re.
speet! 1t is ungentlemanly! Your IA
ther is absent, the servant is busy, and
Florence ha! q full half mile to walk
You will attend her home"
My limbs trembled under me. l would
have darted from the back door, and left
my mothers favorite to shift for herself
but my austere relative had kept firm
hold of my arm, and without further
parley, drew lie back to the parlor.
"lf you must co." she said to Flor
snce. IL will not urge you. Roy shall
walk with you"
Florence opened wide her blue eyes in
evident astonishment !; and, as for Inc, the
whole creation was in whirl The room
went round and round like top-I was
obliged to grasp the back of chair to
keep from talling-I was penetrated with
speecbless dismay.
Roy Florence is waiting!' said my
unrelenting mother.
There was no appeal. 10 use vul gar
but expressive phrase, | was "in for it =
and nerved by i sort Of desperate cour-
age, which sometimes comes to the aid Of
the weak in great extremitics, L flung
open the door, blunlered down the steps,
and out into the street. Florence fol-
lowed .cisurcly behind, shut the gate af-
ter her aud fastened the latch. How |
enved her provoking coolncss.
We went on-shc on one side Of the
road, | on the other, and about three
yards in advance of her. by and by.
when we had proceeded in utter silence
for quarter o: mile, my companion
said dcuurely:
Roy. you can get over the fence and
90 in the field, and I'll keep the read"
Tie little jade was qnizzing me! |
could no, endure her ridicule, so Forthwith
made a sort Of flying leap to her side
Of the street, scattering the mud in every
direction as | landed beside her. had
just begun totank how much better the
footing was on that sidewalk than on the
one | had left, when [ heard somebody
whlstling and looking up saw VIII
Richardson, mutual acquaintance, ap-
preaching. The cold perspiration started
to my brow-how could endure to be
seen going home with girl? | could
not. No, never! The idea was out of
the question. few to the wall, sprang
over, and threw myself down behind q
pile Of stones.
| heard vii! and Florence laughing
together in vastly amused way-and
then she took his arm and off they went |.
shook my ccnched hand after them at
that moment | could have eudgcled Will
without cOmpunction.
The ridiculous story of my adventure
got wind and no doubt Will spread 1t,
and was the aughins stock OF the viii
lace. My mother gave me sound be-
rating, and my staid, punctlious father
administered the scverest rebuke of all
he said was disgrace to his ancestors,
managed to live through it, though.
and few months later entered college. L
will not linger on the days spent with my
Alma Mater the history of the scrapes
which my mischief loving fellow students
got me into durin, these four years would
ti! three volumes Of octave.
At the end of the prescribed time |
graduated with Me highest honors, for l
had always been most determined book
worm; and with my diploma in my pock-
ct, returned.
NV friends were rcjoiced to see me,
they said, aud Aunt Alice informed me
that | had improved wonderfully in man.
ners, as well as looks; she thought me
decidedly handsome, she said, which re-
mark, privately corcladed, was about
a. sensible as any have ever heard her
make.
The day following my arriSal home,
my mother spoke of Florence. had
been longing to ask about her, but dared
not hazard the question. My mother
thought | had ought to call on the Hay
family. We had always bcers intimate,
she said, and it would be no more than
courteous for mcto surprise them with my
presence. 80,
told her the truth. | should be ex-
tremely happy to do SO, but lacked the
courage.
Mother" said |, frankly, "you know
nv cardinal failing. Be merciiul unto
me. l should only make fool of my
SELF"
II will make sn crrand for you" she
replied, quickly; Mrs. Hay is troubled
with cough, and she wanted some OF
nv tomato preserves for it. You shall
carry them over.