Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-01-07

long as saw nobody, nobody would see me.
Directly the door was thrown open, and
evidently there was consultation upon the
threshold.
Geo in, Florylp said the gay voice of
Kate Merrick, thepride and tease of the vii
Iage. Il say go in What on earth are you
afraid of? Roy Sunderland won't eat you, if
he is a bear
"But what will he think " said Florence
Hay, softly, he is so bashful. Goodness,
Kate, how can -"
"Nonsense You must pay the forfeit, or
your thimble remains in my possession. l
won't be eoaxed over this time," returned
Kate, decisively.
There was a slight scuflc, and then the
eager hands of the coterie began to pull
away my Notifications. L resisted with the
strength of desperation, but | was no match
for dozen frohcsonie girls. They unswath-
ed me. and while four of them held my two
arms, Florence Hay kissed me. Mahomet
Such thrill as went through my heart i
devoutly wished that she would repeat the
operation but instead of doing SO she scamp
cred from the room followed by her bolster
Gus companions Completely overcome,
crept under the bed, where | remained until
nightfall sent our merry visitors to their re-
spective homes e.
Well, the year passed on, and brought my
eighteenth birthday. | had lost nothing OF
my besetting difficulty. My mother was thor
oughly mortified by my conduct, and did not
hesitate to lecture me soundly on my folly ;
and my Aunt Alice emphatically declared
was the most consummate fool she had ever
seen. | knew il was true, but---so perverse
is mani did not feel at all Obliged to her
for uttering it.
One day it rained little in fact, it often
does so. Florence Hay was returning from
the village just as the shower came up, and
partly out of regard for my mother, with
whom she was great favorite, aud partly
from the fear of running her new spring bon
net, she stepped into our house.
Ny mother was delighted to see her, and
made her quite at home directly. 1t was a
new thing for the little maiden to visit my
mother /; but on such occasions had always
hitherto taken flight to the field or the hay
NOW. Now, however, it was raining hard
and was holding silk for my mother to wind
so a retreat was impossible.
Though in exquisite torture every moment
lest the fair visitor should address some ques
ton TO me and oblige me to speak, yet / en-
loved being where l could look into her be
witching face, immensely. She had such
blue eyes, and such cherry lips And those
lips bad kissed me | blushed red hot tC
think Of it, and my good mother anxiously
commented on my high color, saying she wa:
afraid was going to have the erysipelas
Erysipelas, indeed
1t rained all the afternoon. Florence stay
ed to tea, and by the time the meal was ovel
| had broken two plates, knocked down {
saucer, upset the cream pitcher, and nearly
cut the end of my thumb off with my knife
Also, the rain had not ceased, and 1t wa'
dark.
Florence declared that she could not stoI
another moment Her friends would be
alarmed about her; she must 90 at once. M!
mother urged her to remain all night. Blu
she could not think of it; and, while she
was arranging her warps, my mother beck
oned me into the entry.
Roy" she said, decisively, "Florenc'
should not go home alone !
81 can't help It'll" said | doggedly. 9
guess nothing will devour her on her jour
ney."
"My son!" she exclaimed, with just Sc
verify, Z" cannot permit you TO speak in tina
way of one whom | so highly respect 1t j
ungentlemanly Your father is absent, thu
servant is busy, and Florence has full hal
mile 10 walk You will attend her home "
vi
have darted from the back door, and left m.
mothers favorite to shift for herself, but m.
austere relative had kept a firm hold of m!
arm, and without further parley, drew m'
back to the parlOr
eff YOU must 60" she said to Florence
al will not urge you. Roy shall walk will
you"
Florence opened wide her blue eyes in ev
| ideut establishment and, as for me, the whole
creation was in a whirl The room wen
round and round like tOp-I was oblige'
TO grasp the back of a chair to keep iron
falling-I was penetrated with speeches
dismay
Roy Florence is waiting y said my M
relenting mother.
There was no appeal. To use vulgar
but expressive phrase, was Gin for it," ant
nerved by a sort OF desperate courage, which
sometimes comes TO the aid of the weak il
great extremeties, | flung open the door
Numbered down the steps, and out into tn
street. Florence followed leisurely behind
shut the gate after her and fastened the latch
How envied her provoking GOODNESS.
We went on-she on one side of the road
on the other, and about three yards in ad
vance of her. By and by, when we had pro
ceeded in utter silence for quarter of mile
my companion said demurely:
"Roy, YOU can get over the fence and g,
in the field, and I'll keep the road"
The little jade was quizzing me! l coult
not endure her ridicule, so forthwith / made
a sort of flying leap to her side of the street
scattering the mud in every direction as
landed beside her. had just begun to thinl
how much better the footing was on tina
sidewalk than on the one had left, when
heard somebody whistling, and looking up
saw Will Richardson, a mutual acquaintance
approaching. The cold perspiration started
TO my brow-how could / endure to be seer
going home with girl | could not No
neverI The idea was out of the question.
few to the wall, sprang over, and threw my
self down behind pile of stones.
heard Will and Florence laughing togeth
er in a vastly amused way-and then she took
his arm and off they went. L shook my
clenched hand after them-at that moment
could have cudgeled Will without COM
junction.
The ridiculous story of my adventure got
wind; and 10 doubt Will spread it, and
was the. laughing stock OF the village. My
mother gave me a sound berating, and my
staid, punctilious father administered the Sc
verest rebuke of all-he saidI was disgrace
to my ancestors.
managed to live through it, though, and
few months later entered college. will
not linger on the days spent with. my Alma
Mater; the history of the scrapes which my
mischief-loving fellow students got me into
during those four years, would fill three vol
umes of octave.
At the end of the prescribed time gradu,
ated with the highest honOrs, for had al
WAYS been a most determined boOkwOrm and