Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-05-14
TALES AND SKETCHES.
ADVErl'HlE OF a IBASlIFII
MAN.

Harry Gordon Singleton made his debut
into the world on Friday. We deemed this
fact worth chroniclng, since it was an event
of some Importance to our hero, and because
we hope to show unbelievers that the old
say about the unluckiness of Friday is cor
rect. From his very birth, Harry was stig-
matizcd lie was an exceedingly pretty
babe, fair complexion, blue eyed, brown
haired, plump and rosy buthe was endow-
ed with heritage far worse than Il hump
back, n club foot, or a squint eye-he was
bashful When the ladies' came to look at
him in his cradle, and to call him little
beauty-the express image OF his pa the
little sweet" would invariably put his fist
into his mouth and hide his interesting face
in his pillow.
Mrs. Singleton-a fair faced, handsome
woman-regretted very greatly this unior-
tunate trait in the temperament of ncr be-
loved fist borne, and used every endeavOr
to break him of it but without success, and
Harry grew up TO youth the most bashtul
and retiring of human beings. He was also,
singu;arly unucky. No child ever received
so many thumps and bumps since the fall
of Adam his forehead was a populous
bruises, in various stages of coloring.
Harry generally retired to an unoccupied
room in the attic, where having ensconced
himself in the bed which stood there, he
passed the day reading some old novel or
book ofhistory, picked out of the great chest
in the garrct used for the repository Of rub
bish by way of variation, he sometimes
took refuge in the barn, and snuggly hiddon
! on the hay NOW, spent the time in silent
meditation on his unfortunate destiny. lie
would walk q mile around through the fields
to avoid meeting young lady and when in
the street il he heard the sound of wheels,
would leap over the wall OF fence and lie
prone on the ground until the vehicle had
passed by.
AS he grew older, he lost none of his pc
culinrties, and before he was sixteen years
of age, his mothers difficulty was the fear
that he would live an old bachelor. Hun
dreds of silver dollars could not have in
duced him TO speak To girl of his age, anu
his father was obliged to fOrcgo his purpose
of sending him to the Whitestonc Academy,
I and have him educated at the boys school.
But Notwithstanding lIarrys excessive
bashiulness, he grew up to be line fellow,
brave, generous and handsome, and there
was not girl in town but would have felt
herself honored by his presence. Harry,
| however, stood aloof from all the female sex
and rs u natural consequence, he was the
! subject of numbcrless practical jokes and
| the haplcss occasion of continual giggling
among the gay girls at the singing school,
! When Harry Was nineteen, Rosalie Waters
came 10 Whitestown to pass sometime with
her Aunt, Mrs. Judge Flanders. Rosalie
was pretty, bright eyed, miseheyous fairy
of seventeen, and IL the truth must be con
fessed, she took quite liking 10 Harry Sin
| gloton; but of course she was too much OF
coquettc to allow Harry TO guess u. lie,
ON his part, thought hmsel! dead Ia love,
he dared not raise his eyes To the peerless
face of his guiding star. For whole days
lac raoked his brain, planning how he
, should address her, but without deciding
upon anything definite. Que night at a sing
| ing school a bold idea flashed across his
brain AIS very boldness made ID seem prae'
ticable. lie would offer ~ escort isosaiie
home
ID Was an aa,aelous act, aud Harry tfoni'
blcd la every limb Al the thoaghl of u 4
cold peTspiTaiion started out every pore hl.
hair nearly stood erect, anu bis lace hashed
hot a. the bosoa oi NrsnSias. lie aiienpt
led Ia .lug, bui his hne tenor voice broke
down he ooughed, hsnmed, honfished hl'
handkerchief and Sas Al laai obliged 'o ~
doHR Ia despair.
The eKeTcisea 0f the svenlns elosed, iiaI
| "a, selxsd bic hai sHd rushed " Ms en'iy
| y Aefv ho took his slaglon Ia fall View VI ih'
d,,of lhfoagh which llasalle sould elasise
lior oTimsoa hood appeagesi IA lhs dsoisa,
sRa his leelh ehaiisisd la his heai, bot hl'
Irs,,liilaa go aasl,sksa, lie uiais : s,'fsls
la d dlnsc,ion, kaockla3 ogsf llile laii's'
N,pas. ilie bAIlisI, sHd isaHuliy muillAlint