The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1865-03-31
ssartinlY. Dun,t paw does it 2,

! Wa'al, L dunno what unless It's lie
But 1 say, you know the big bugs, don't
you.
I thought of my landlady's bedrooms
during midsummer, and groaned. Yes
First families. Fifth Avney folks and
them ye know p
A few, said I.
'Wa'al, now I'm up in the world,
Ought to know EN-, oughtn't Tell you
what, Cousin Pete-beg pardon, Peer, Ell
stay with you a spell, and you shall show
me around. -.s--
The accommodations, / began.
Don't make no apologies. Slep' in an
lie puddle many time, iarn to rough ii
at the wells, said Cousin sile; and What
more could I say2
Therefore he staid. We dined, we
smoked. Then I began to look at the
time-piece. 1 had an engagement at
Miss Wickett's; but 70 take Sile there
in his blue coat, white hat, and brass but
tons, with such an Odor of oil, was i'm
possible I adored Miss Wicket; I fan
cied I had made some advances toward
her esteem. To present cousin ike ST.
las Peek might ruin them at once and
forever. At last 1 ventured. mot
having your baggage with you, I presume
l dare not hope for your company tonight,
Cousin Silas p y
'Eh Lor' yes. Don't you see I've
got on my Sunday bettermost? Paper
collar in my pocket, wrapped up with a
ine-tooth comb in a clean handkerchief
Learn to make yourself slick easy at the
lie wells
So in despair dressed, perfumed my
kerchief with Night Blooming Cereus
and accepted Silas Peek's company with a
grOan. Our way up. Broadway was mark
ed by the snifs of pedestrians against
whom we brushed, and calculations of
Awful 7 'Horrid p kerosene amt itY
etc.
They had party at the Wicketts-an
elegant, sell, ct affair, gracsd by the bellies
and ezquisites of the creme de Ia creme.
As Silas took bis hat off and ran his fin
gers through his hair, l FELT my heart
sink. He seemed suchsa greasy wretch.
I expected to be ordered from the house
when I said to Mr.. Wicket aside.
My dear Sir, I've taken the liberty of
bringing with me distant cousin of my
own, Mr.. Peek-a-ahem "a rather un-
sophisticated gentleman-a-in fact, Just
from his extensive Oil-farm, where he has
amassed a fortune, and, fear, learned to
neglect the Observances. I-ahem.'
To MY astonishment Mr.. Wicket shook
me by the hand.
NO apologies he said. These busy
and prosperous persons are privileged
we don't expect Of them what we do of
others. Introduce me-
All kindness to me Of course. I felt
grateful. So I introduced Mr.. Peek,
and went to find Miss Wicket, who was
divine in scarlet with whi'e flowers. How
l adored that girl! How 1 feasted on
her smilesI How Irejoiced in those quiet
moments when I dared to say sweet moth
ings to her-when she looked at me as
only she could look Every man has
been in love once in his life, they say.
If so, every man can recall his own ex-
perience, and know how I regarded VIII
helmina Wicket. Words cannot do JUS
tice to my emotions.
In her presence I forgot my cousin
Silas Peek for awhile. But soon, in the
midst of the silence in which we listened
to Wilhelmina singing, | heard his voice,
and turning, saw him. He stood in the
midst Of group of gentlemen, all with
their faces very red with excitement and
their eyes wide open with surprise, and
held forth on the subject of oil.
How his tract spouted, Sir, as eff elev-
en thousing whales was underneath the
lrth. How folks went on their knees to
get the first supplies Of that lie. How
be did verify believe that, diggin' down |
six feet, you d come to great vat full, all |
ready to be scOoped up; and how all the
lie streams and lie wells had jest had |
Il cir rise in Peek's farm, and nowhere |
else, by jingo!
And when she had done singing, Will |
helmina-I mean Mr. Wicket, darted !
from the crowd, aud, seizing her hand,
drew her toward Silas with the words,
''My love, must make you acquainted |
with Mr.. Peek, one Of our oil pioneers,
who has been giving us some valuable in
formation on the subject of oil lands"
Poor Wilhelmina-she who shuddered |
at the unpleasant perfume of a marigold,
and could not walk in the garden until
the gardener had uprOoted that obnoxious
weed how 1 pitied her as the atmosphere
Of my horrible oil cousin surrounded her
On the velvet tete-a tete
'For my sake you have borne it angel
ic girl ? I thought; and followed her
with my eyes as Silas took her down to
supper, saying, on the stairs, 'I wish I'd
4 thought to fetch along bottle O. lie,
you could a seen how fine it ate on salad.
And, 1 tell ye, there amt nothiu' like it
for a hair lie. Reckon you've noticed
now slick mine looks. It would take
that kink out O. your N in no time.
When we departed I could not help
breathing in her ear, 4 appreciate your
kindness, most amiable of mortal women
-augelP And she smiled as l and Silas
bowed ourselves out together.
The next day there came to me dain-
.y note, written as an old friend might
write. Papa was busy, and papa had re-
Iuested her to write. Could Mr.. Para
graph dine with them on Wednesday, and
bring his dear, odd, agreeable cousin Mr.
Peek, who had so interested papa about
lis wells and things, along with him ?
And she remained
WILHELMINA WICKET.
Of course Mr. Paragraph could. He
Ras only too hnppy. Cousin Silas turned
lis paper collar on the other side, and