Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-04-05
THE WIDOW AND THE POKER.
OR. WILL WOODHOUSE'S COURTSHIP.

Mr.. William Woodhouse was naturally a
very timid man. Not that he was lacking
| in moral or physical courage, but that he
was afraid of the women. On all other oc-
caslons he was usually equal to the emer-
gency, be it whatever it might; but place
HIM tete-d-tete with woman, and, to Use a
vulgar, but expressive phr. Sc, he was done
for
His mother had long ago settled down to
the uncomfortable conviction that William
would never marry and ii e girls had arrived
at the same conclusion; it had become quite
the thing to say, in making comparisons,
AS great a fool as Will Woodhouse y
For-take note, bashful gentlemen-how
ever much ladies may admire modesty in the
other sex, they invariably desplse man who
has not heart enough to say to the girl Of
his choice, Il love you.
VIII admired all the girls in his way, but
he looked upon them very much as sensible
people do upon hornet nest-as IA curious
piece Of architecture, but not safe 10 be ia
miliar " ith.
So he kept his distance, and in the mean
time arrived at the mature age Of twenty
three Then be met for the first time, at
picnic party, Adelaide Browne We believe
people with the stoniest hearts fall in love
at picncs, and from that hour poor W Ill had
no comfort of his life Sleeping or waking,
his dreams were full Of the beautiful Miss
Browne Surely there never was another of
the numerous Browne family like her! Blue
eyes, white muslin dress, with knots of
pink ribbon-brown hair, red lips, pearly
teeth, snowy hands-ail danced together in
miscellaneous all hands round before his
distorted vision.
Adelaide, all unconscious of the trouble
she had caused, went her way, breaking the
hearts of most of the young gentleman in
Highbridge, and trying hard to fracture the
few that remained whole
She was visiting her aunt Hooper, and it
is an undeniabe fact that ladies always take
best where they are not known. This Is no
libel on the SeX-no, indeed for with gen
tleman this truth is still more applicable.
Mrs. Hooper was widow lady of no
small personal attractions in her own estl-
nation, and if she was not so young as she
might have been, she thought she was, and
behaved accordingly She still affected
short sleeves and profuse ringlets of glossiest
black-though envious individuals preslsted
i'll it that her curls were made at the haIr-
dressers s. The same persons also believed
that she was anxious to supply that place OF
the dear deceased as soon as possible.
For week after meeting with Adelaide,
W III up bIdNGIg. IhC SCSoio
destroyed all the stock of composure he had
been boarding up. He took desperately to
the MUSES., and walked the whole night away, |
to the infinite destruction of shoe-leather
and the infinite disgust of his practical papa.
He met Adelaide now quite frequently. |
was very gay. There was
school, lyceum, a society" and
then the folks got up excurions tc the sur
hills-for it was yet early autumn, |
and nature was in her robes of state.
There was an excursion to Mount Giblo, |
one fine day, and there Will had the ecstat-
ic pleasure of treading on Adelaide S dress,
thereby throwing her headlong into pile of I
brush, and while Laura Blake picked her up /
and helped her pin her hounces, he stood by /
frightened out of his wits, and momentarlly /
expecting the mountain to open and swal-
low him up
From that time he pined rapidly. His
appetite was thing of the past His
mother thought him in quick decline, and
losed him with hoarhound and DIR. Perkin $
patent pills He grew worse and worse.
At last, thinking himself near his end. he
confessed to his mother. She was thunder
struck at first; but afterwards, like sensi-
ble woman. she advised him to put on his