The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1865-10-26

But, married, and settled down into a
busy, prosy life, some of these plain,
rough farmers cherished In their Utmost.
hearts, for many long year, lingering,
lovely picture of little Lalla, with her
brown, beaming eyes.
Yes-John had been far IN advance,
and had often gone over in his mind the
proper words for a proposal, when there
arrived at the village hotel the handsome
young lawyer, Fred Davenport, with a
vacation of thirty days, with plenty of
books, marvellous fishing rod and model
gun, armed cap a-pie against birds, fish
and ennui. As may well be imagined,
Lalla, sighing for new worlds to conquer,
was much pleased with this discovery,
| while Mr. Davenport was not slow to ad-
mire the % two eyes SO soft and brown,
and promised himself nice little f1irta-
ton with the village belle. The friend
ship so begun had fourished well, and
although the tenth day was waning away
that lovely afternoon in the garden, the
| time seemed ten centuries to poor, per-
| picked John, who, unwilling to give up
entirely, hung around his old love with
| mingled admiration and anger. At last,
| as the Browning discussion branched off
into Ruskin, Turner and Dore, John
grew almost frantic. How he hated the
calm, intellectual lawyer
What business has he, with his kid
gloves, to come here and talk about
,Rusky' and the Lord knows whom else
besides, to my cousin Lalla -
So breaking into the midst of chiaro-
oscuro' and {" alto-relievo," he proposed a
walk to the river, a mile distant. Lalia
seconded the motion quite eagerly Shall
we confess that the latter part of the dis
cussion had been slightly over her little
head And John thought Sieefu4y of
those long lawyer fingers pulling the
heavy oars.
Leaving the beaten path, the little party
wandered along through the woods, and
Lala, untying her round hat filled it with
blue-beils, while Mr.. Davenport recited
fragments of " Evelyn Hope" But, just
as he reached the cadence, g loved you,
Evelyn, all the while" a large black
snake, fully six feet long, darted across
The path in front of Lalla, who, pale as
death, sank to the ground, overcome with
nervous dread. John, seizing a stick,
sprang upon the reptile, and after short,
severe struggle, put an end to its crawl
| ing life, and turning, flushed with victory,
to reassure Laha, saw Mr.. Davenport at u
distance walking away as fast as his dig
nifty would permit.
{" Halo, here you can come back now" "
shouted John, " I've killed the snake
dead as door nail y
Nothing 10th to exhibit his rival at a
disadvantage, John said, as he raised
| Lalla from the ground
g Your city beau has been pretty well
scared, Lalla. [ guess you'll have TO con-
tent yourself with farmer boys, after all. -
Now, this was an unfortgnste speech of
honest, blundering John, for the spoiled
beauty could not brook anything like
ridicule.
q cousin John" retorted the angry little
lady, your remarks are unfair and abb
rd-and-and," finding no argument to
support her failing side, she added, with
a stamp of tde slender foot, " and hate
you p
Poor John! And to finish all, at this
moment Fred Davenport rushed up to
Lalla, and, seizing both her hands, ex-
| claimed
" My dearest Miss Lalla, are you hurt
|
shocked at the sight of such monster
ard [ rushed after stone to crush It's
hateful head. Tell me, oh ! tell me with
your own lips that your are unhurt. Smile
again to comfort me"
TO be addressed In such impassioned
language by such distinguished gen
tleman was sweet incense at Lala's little
shrine. She smiled, as she coyly with
drew her hands, and said
'' [ am indeed unhurt, and grateful for
your extreme kindness"
Couldn't this stone have served your
purpose, without going half mile =
growled John, on whom this little coIr-
versation had grated harshly, kicking, as
he spoke, fragment of rock in his path
Sir :" said the lawyer, with calm
superior smile
!" You are brute, John ~ whispered
Lalla.
Then she turned to Mr.. Davenport
and John had the pleasure of hearing hel
entreat him, in low tone, not to trouble
himself about her farmer cousiu.
Oh, no !'' replied Mr.. Davenport
stroking his moustache; he means well
but is quite unpolishcd."
Johns wrath was too deep for words
but fear OF the anger OF Miss Brown Eyes
kept his rage quiet in his breast. The
party strolled on, Lalla and the lawyer il
close conversations, while John loitered
behind, almost devoured with wrath anC
jealousy.
In the meantime heavy clouds cam'
frowning over the sky, the rising wine
IL 4 L. IL.