Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1864-08-17


Not one Of them appeared to have any thing
serious to do Most OF them affected, like
Isabel, to be quite languid, and talked as il
the fatigue Of the day before had nearly kill
ed them.
When Harry reached the pretty but unpre-
tending cottage where Fanny resided with
her widowed mother, he found the hall door
opened to admit the breeze, and so, just tap
ping at the parlor entrance, he entered bow
ing. In the shaded light of the cool fragrant
room he could not for a moment, see; but
he noticed Immediately that no one answered
his salutation, and, directly, he beheld that
the apartment was empty. Just then, how
ever, a fresh liquid voice, as merry as a bird S
in June, was heard warbling in an inner
apartment Harry listened awhile charmed /;
bat finding that his knocking was not heard,
and recognizing, as he thought, Fanny voice,
finally made bold to go in search of the sing
er. Passing down the hall and through an
other open door, he suddenly found himself
in the kitchen, large, airy apartment, scru-
pulOusly clean, with Fanny, at the end oppo-
site him, standing before a dough-trough
zneading -four and carolling like lark.
It was picture an artist would love to
paint Fauny's face was seen partly in profile,
showing to perfection her long lashes, and
bringing out in relief the pouting lips and
round chin. The breeze blew her brown curls
playlully about, and occasionally quite ever
her lace, at which time she would throw them
back with pretty toss Of the head Her
arms were bare, and rounded-whiter or
more taper arms never were; they fairly put
to shame, with their rosy pearlness, the snowy
Aonr powdered over them. As she moved
with quick steps, at her task, her trim figure
showed all its grace, and her neat ankle and
delicate foot twinkled in and out For a
while she did not observe Harry. It was
not ill she turned to put down the dredging
box, that she beheld him.
Most of our far readers, we suppose, would
have screamed, and perhaps have ran out Of
the opposite door. Fanny did no such thing.
She blushed little, as was natural, but hav-
ling no false shame, she saw no reason to be
frightened, merely because a handsome young
gentleman had caught her at work Sc she
curlesied prettly, laughed 0Hs-off iiler gayest
laughs, and said holding up her hands;
f" can't shake hands with you, Mr Yer
non, you see. Mamma was kind enough to
let me go to the picnic yesterday, and put of
some of my work; and so I'm doing double
to-day, to make mp for it Tyou'u be kind
enough to wait a minute, I'll call mamma"
mo, no. said Harry, charmed by this
frank innocence, and encersmoniouSly taking
a well-scrubbed chair, d" I've only few min
utes to stay. Ny call is on you; l came to
see how you bore the fatigues Of yesterday"
Fanny laughed till her teeth, so white and
so little, looked behind the rosy lips, Ike
pearls set in the richest ruby enamel. "Fa-
tigued why, we had such charming time
yesterday, that one couldn't get tired, even if
one had been a hundred years old"
You'll never grow oldl' said Harry, sur
prised into what would have been hattery, if
he had not sincerely thoughtit; and his coun-
Itenance showed bis admiration for the bright,
happy creature before him.
Fanny blushed, but rallied, and answered,
laughingly; Never grow oldl 0, soon
enough What funny sight I'll be, to be
sure bent almost double, and cap on my
head like granny Horns"
Harry laughed toe, so ludicrous was the
image; and thus he and Fanny were as much
at home with each other at once, as if they
had been acquainted Tor years.
The intended FIVE minutes imperceptibly
grew into ten, and the ten into half an hour.
Fanny continued at her household work,
pleasantly chatting the while, both she and
Harry mutually interested so as to forget
time ard place alike. At last the entrance Of
Mrs. Somers interrupted the tete-a-tste Fanny
was a little embarrassed when she found how
long she and Harry had been alone; but the
easy-of-course manner Of Harry, as he shook
hands with her mother, restored her to her
SELF
If the elegant refinement about Isabel had
tempted Harry to fall in love, the household
charm which surrounded Fanny forced him
to do so whether or no. He went away,
thinking to himself what charming wife
Fanny would make, and how sweetly she
would look in her neat home dress, engaged
= Io,r,o,t;1 I,,t,o =, h.,
only bachelor who remembers that a wife
cannot always De in full dress, and who nat
urally wishes to know how she will look in a
kitchen. A wife ought as much to know
how to manage her house." be said to him
self, as man to understand business. l
don't wish wife Of mine, indeed, to be maid
of all work; but I should Ike to have her
capable Of overseeing her ssrvants-and do
mestics discover very soon whether their mis-
tress is competent and obey or disregard her
accordingly. Besides, Fanny looked 6ewitch-
ingly this morning Ah, if had such dear
little wife, how I'd coax her to go into the
! kitchen occasionally, that I might see her at
workT
1t soon became apparent that it would be
no fault Of Harry if he did not have Fanny
for wife Never was a man deeper in love,
nor did he make an effort to conceal it. Had
Fanny been a foolish firt she would have
played with bis feelings, as vain girls will
when secure of lover But she was too
frank and too good Tor this, and only besita-
~~-.' -. ra~zssa=.