The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1864-11-11
The PRICE OF 4 KISS.

When I was a boy--a tall, strapping
young fellow of seventeen or eighteen
father was farmer, and owned that piece
of ground yonder, ItWas a fine farm then,
though they've cut a railway through it
now, and spoiled It With their improve
ments. In those days we we're content to
travel BY thelstsge e-OE7 opVhprseback and
I must confesslE, don't tbipk we've gained
much by the change except explosions,
though you mayn't agree with me there
Youngsters never do. just here stood old
Wilber Trabb's taveru-the Jolly Farmer.
Taysr6 was no disgrace then though yoa d
Insult > hotel 70 cali It one now. They
hadn't much steady company there but
folks stopped on the wayTup by the stage,
ard dfoYers abl fines So abe Way to
market took their meals there. o. winter
evenings the Squire, and the Doctor, and
the Parson used to come over to taste old
Trabb's ale and have chat with him
He-wds a BelE-edupaied, light-hearted old
man, who had fought when young in the
Revelutionary var !; and though past seE-
enty could drink and laugh with fellows
young enough to be his grandsons. Such
stories as he used to tell of his own bravery
and air-bread thgscapes would make your
hair stand on end with horror. We young
sters never doubted a word of them then,
whatever we may do now attimes. With
his large bulky figure, and red face, and
loud voice, he was the strangest contrast
to his daus hter Mehetabel-z. .Eetty every
one called her. She was Ike some sIen-
der white lily in-those days, and her voice
no louder than so ne silver bell, and just
as mRsieal~-a shy dittle soul Just come
home from school, and ready to cry with
fright at the thought of having to take
her place as mistress for you see her
mother had been dead years and years.
The tomb-stgne- in the church yard was
just as old as Hetty, aud she was the only
woman, about the hpuse.F r# aa
In little while She grew used to it,
and less timid and then from looking at
her at a distance I came to speaking to
her. The first time was at the great gate
that opened upon the road from the back
Of the house. It was heavy and hard to
open,- and-seeing her little hands busy
with it I went across and setit back for
her; and she said, "Thank you-you're
very kind to take so much trouble"
'No trouble at at all, Miss Hetty," 7
said ''it's a pleasure" And then she
blushed, and Ifelt the blood rush into
my face, though don't suppose she no
ticed it; for what with work in the open
air, and the sun, and sheepishness, I was
about as red asI we'll could be all the
time in those days. .s ~ p - ~
After that we bowed, and smiled, and
spoke when we met; and at last one Sun
day evening mustered up resolution, and
dressed myself 10 my best ard put a rose
in my buttoushole, and atooks a bouquet
for her, and Rentracross the fields to Will
Der Trabb's. Two or three times felt
like turning back, or running off some
where but screwed my courage to the
sticking point and got 10 the door. I'm
not sure, though, that I'd have made up
my miud to 60 iniRf She hadn't been sit
ting there on the porch reading her pray
er book. She put it in her pocket, and
looked up .aRdzsmiled. ,.- - -,g.-
How DO you do, Nj. Mafit p she said.
! I'm glad to see you: Walk in And
she tO,k me into the little parlor and han
ded me a chair.
l can remember that room just as if it
was Yesterday Fherewag a homemade
carpet, red and yellow stripes, on the floor
and a mahogany tea-table you could see
your face in between the windows and
all about the room was wainscoted and
painted blue about as high as your waist
Above that was whitewashed. The
mantle-piece was higher than your head,
and had plated candlestieks and a tea-cad
dg omit and on the,Wslt we're two paper
profles: one of old WILDER, and the other
Of his wife, cut at aVfdir when they yswere
sweet-hearts. Theae chairs had rush bot
toms and were painted black and there
we're green WindoW,Papers tied up with
tassels at the windows. Hetty wore a
white dress and check aporn, and had a
string of coral beads about her little throat.
Ireuember it all like picture--most Of
all her pretty eyes, 10 king down at the
stripes in the carpet, =. -s.-
| i Its1aaniee evening, Miss Hetty,"
| I said, to-say something as / ought -
"Very," she answered. '1'm always
glad Of bright Sunday. Rain keeps the
people from church, and makes it dull be-
ID Il saw % %yJd in bb6fch Gtis notning5''
said
".Tsaw you too, replied Hettyi and
then there was silcnce. She plated her a