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


A servant girl admitted me, and showed me
directly into the room where Florence was
sitting
How beautiful she had grown during my
absence l had never seen so fair a vision.
She rose at my entrance, and, bowling with
inimtable grace, extended her hand
/ {" Am ! right in believing that l have the
tpleasure of addressing Mr.. Sunderlandy" she
\ said, with gentle politeness
/ bowed-the jar slipped from my grasp
and fell to the floor; make hasty move
ment to take the hand she offered me, and
in SO doing put my foot on the jar; 1t was
crushed to atoms, and the seeds and syrup
1 few in every direction. The obstacle be-
meath my feet made me stagger; grasped.
the folds of a window curtain in the hope of
saving myself but my equilibrium was too
far gone-down came the curtain, over
went, head first, against. a flower stand ,gon
which were nondescript array of flower
pets, and a Canary bird in a cage, and. a Mai
tese cat in a basket.
The force of my fall upset the stand, and
with ali its favorites it went over on the car
pet. Cat, bird, cage, plants, and Roy Sun
derland, all lay in one mass of ruins together
at the feet of the astonished Miss Hay The
cat was the first to recover her presence of
mind, and with midnight cry" which would
have appalled, the stoutest heart, she sprang
into my face, tearing up the skin with vio-
lence worthy Of the admiration of all persons
who beliepein the Wisdoms OF s"getting at
the root of a matter" at once.
T scrambled up and gave the animal blow
that sent her to the other side of the room
and hatless and bloody made for the door
With frantic haste seized the handle-it
did not yield; the door was fastened by a
spring lock, and was prisoner. Z
Imagine my dismay. Florence stood look
ing at me, and there was smile on her face
that che with great difficulty restrained from
breaking into decided ha! hal just then
l would have sold myself to any reliable man
for sixpence, with thirty days credit
| Mortified and crest fallen, | was very
strongly tempted to follow the example OF
the heroines in the sensation novels, and
burst into tears but crying, it Is said, makes
the nose red, and remembering this, fore
bore.
/ suppose Florence pitied me; she must
have seen from the woe-begone expression OF
nv face that was in the last stages of human
endurance, for she came quickly to my side
and laid her hand on my arm.
"Come in, Roy" she said kindly--amost
tenderIy, / thought-and drew me into a
small boudoir opposite the sitting room.
Th;cgs in the latter apartment we're too near
ly wrecked to make it pleasant for occupa-
! ton, suppose.
, "There." she said, seating me on a sofa by
} her side, and speaking in the consoling tone
: that one would use to child who had burnt
J his apron or broken the sugar bowl, "don't
think anything more about it. She was
wiping the blood from pussy's autograph and
= on my face with her handkerchief" Acct
r dents will happen, you know.
4 She was so close to me-her sweet face SO
I IL 81 ~
| trust may be excused, especially as | am
) bashful man and not in the habit of com
hitting such indiscretions.
threw my arms around her and paid back
the kiss had kept so long. A burning blush
overspread her face.
t ooh, Roy, how could you'll" she exclaimed
reproachfully.
had gone too far to retreat; the word:
which for years had filed my heart struggled
e up to my lips and clamored for utterance.
Florence I" cried passionately, 81 love
| Won. and want you to be entirely mine !
Take me, and cure me of the bashful folly
which has been the bane of my life."
She did not reply. was in tumult o.
fear and hope, but sort of desperate cour
age kept me firm.
=" One word, Florence, only one word An
to be consigned TO Hades or Paradise? Dc
not keep me in suspense ~
l She nestled closer to my side /: her soft
cheek rested against mine her breath sweep
nv lips. She spoke but one word in accent
of deepest tenderness and that word was my
name
"Roy!"
/, FLORENCE my darling
| trust that everybody will forgive me anC
feel charitably toward me when declare, OF
my honor, that l was happier at that moment
z than had ever been in my life before. Pop
I ming the question has always been acknowl
d edged TO be a serious piece of business, anC
q if ordinary men find it a serious business
how much more terrible must it be to bash
full individual like myself
: A silence fell between Florence and me
perhaps | was holding her so close to my hear
that the effort of speaking was difficult.
! should not wonder BY and by she lifted uI
her face and said quietly,
"Did you mean for me to marry you Roy?
, "Marry me? Yes, dearest, and that, too
before many days have elapsed. | have beer
> a fool so long that now | cannot afford Il
wait"
Yes; but if / promise myself to you, how
, can be sure that on the way to the altar
: YOU will not Jump over the fence and leave
: me to fate and Will richardson
"Confound Will Richardson! Florence
forgive me, / was little less than
D brute Is there peace between US ?"
Both peace and love-" she whispered
I softly: and my heart was at rest
e Nv mother was overjoyed at the turn at
, fairs had taken. Everything had happened
Just as she wished; and to his.day the gooc
( lady idolizes tomatoes, insisting upon it thai
t it was through the agency of those preserves
that Florence and came to an understand
| ing. 1t might have been-I cannot tell
great events sometimes originate in small
causes. - e
Florence-dear little wife for she has
sustained that relation to me for five years
and if she has not cured me of my bashful
ness, she has at least broken me of its ex
IRENE follv To other men afflicted as l was
with constitutional shyness, can conscieuti
ously recommend my course. Don't be afraid
the ladies admire courage, and "none but the
brave deserve the fair"
| A NEW STORY FnnsrpHTr. perhars
the opinion of the President on Gen. Thomas
great victory before Nashville may be of in
terest.
Mr.. President" said friend to him,
there. isn't much left of Hoods army, is
there ?"
swell, no, Medill; think Hoods army is
about in the fix of Bill Sykes dog, down in
Sangamon county. Did you ever hear it ~
Il OF course the answer was "never."
"Well, Bill Sykes had long, yGller dog,