Maysville weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1864-1866, 1864-10-06
DOUBTFUL JOSHUA.
BY EZRA OLIVER WENDELL.

~
contrabaud to tell at once: Joshua badger
had had fall from a hayc cock when he was
very young, and it bum ped his head some,
and made him otherwise feel unpleasant;
but no serious consequences were suppose d
to have occurred to him at the time, as his
pretty face was not marred and he ate cart
iiy, aud his sleep was sound immedi lately
afterward. But as he grew up his grand
father said that that fall had made him over.
cautious and undecided. His grandma th er
died, and when his parents followed suit,
Joshua thought he could do no better than
to hire out to Farmer Daisy, who had one
wife and two daughters.
Lena was two years older than Joshua, and
Fatima was two younger; and one day when
Joshua:was twenty, he leaned upon his hoe
by the pigsty, aud thus considered:
Let me see. l am n pretty fellow. and
which do love best, Lena or Fatima? l
have lived for several years In this small
/ family, and am a likely young man as l am
likely to live one year longer, and then be
twenty -one. But have my doubts which
ought to marry. OF course. | could have
/ eith her; hut which? Lena is older aud lean
er, and Fatima is younger and fatter. But
/ h ere am in doubt. Should wife he older
or Younger than her hush lnd' II she IL
/ older. doesn't she have more experienceE II
she IS Younger, isn't she likely to mind him
/ better? This is one set Of doubts. Then
here comes another set. A wife ought to be
healthy as it costs less. Bu' which promises
most health, fat or lean? Some say lean,
some s4y fat, which would be Fatty. But
then Il is a doubt whether Fatty, in four
wears, wouldn't be as lean as Lena-perhaps
leaner. Time tries all; and again, Lena
might pick. up and grow fat again; and then
acaiu. she might not be so well off as she is
now. They are about equal in other re-
spects. | am much trout ed to choose be-
tween these two Daisys. But perhaps love
is the main thing AMI / guess I'll wait and
have the one who loves me best. But how
to 90 10 work and find that out? | must
plan plan.
When rextthe doubtful swain found them
together he told them, in confidence. that
he was going to get married, but would not
say t, whom, and be now watched the effect
ulon them.
Lena looked grave, and Fatima laughed
at him.
Thi. caused him new set of doubts, and
he felt vexed at both
This is haFder work than Turning. What
do these girls mean? Perhaps Lena looks
sour because she's Jealous, which shows she
loves me- Aud perhaps Fatty laughs, and
pretends she don't care, in order to hide her
love. And perhaps she snickered because
she thinks | am going 20 nave her. L ought
10 be verv careful, however. | mustn't be
rash, or | may take the wrong one l wish
one would die, and then there would be no
bother. But which one? | can't say.
wish | wasn' in love. But which do | love
best? for that amounts to something. don't
know. l sha'n't understand myself till
understand them. And then, perhaps, the
=, ha
soon as | showed love. And rother might
love me better. And perhaps the one that
loved me most wouldn't be the best for me
And perhaps the one who said she loved
me would only say so to take the shine off
her sister, and so | should be deceived -
This love is a very unpleasant piece of busi-
ness, and already 1t as placed me in a state
OF IA pst doubtful uDc rtaiuty. have tried
one plan, and am in more doubt than ever.
But. Joshua badger, keep on! You'll get
at the rights of it at last. Plan another plan.
The effects of the haycock, according to
his grandmother's prophecy, became more
and more visible in the cautious proceed
inos of the doubtful Joshua. His next eX-
perrin ent was to ascertain which Of the two
sisters had the sOundest, steadiest mind, so
that she would be the less liable to change
after he had accepted her.
He made each the present of kitten, that
each pet might test the affection of their
natures. He watched the about equal de-
gree of fondUess bestowed upon the animals;
and when be thought love was established
in that quarter, he stole them away. and
found that Fatima showed the greatest con-
cern, mourning for week, and tearing more
clothes in the hunt.
But this plugged him into more doubt.
AS 10 klttens-kittens may be no rule to
Judge by. Fatty may love kittens, while
Lena may be more partial TO dogs aud men.
This is great consideration, for a loss
which is DO loss should not be much cried
J about; and besides, perhaps those who are
so wrapped up in dumb beasts may not
| have enough tenderness to spare lor their
partners 1t is fortunate that | have such
! thoughtful turn of mind, or my good looks
might be the ruin of me. / must plan an
/ other plan, and will try their affection to.
ward me. / will get up little game of
jealousy between them. and see which suf-
fers most, and piles in the victnais in the
uphappiest manner. | shall pity them, but
| am acting for their peace OF mind in the
future. So l will begin by taking Lena to
! the hoss-race Tomorrow.
Lena saw the show and went home with
/ Joshua in high spirits, while Fatima de-
| lighted him by smashing plate at the feet
when he returned, and leaving his bed un-
made and his handkerchief unhemmsd -
/ Continuing his exclusive attention to the
! elder sister for a time, the cunning Joshua
perceived by her increasing sulkiness that
| he was breaking the heart of the neglected
one: and so comm enced upon the opposite
tack, by turning his back upon Lena aud
going to a candy scrape and quilting party
with Fatina, and picking so many posies,
for her alone, that Lena actually broke the
vase, and refused to make the usual seven