Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-16
loves First Impression.

| once heard an old jour remark that
printing Office was no place Tor love
making, and ! have since experienced
the truth of the expression, being now
perfectly convinced that the flower OF
love can never bloom in the midst OF
types, cases, and printing ink.
1t was my fortune once to sojourn Tor
few days in the village ofL-T- Di-
rectly opposite the office was a pretty
white cottage, with rose-b -bush chamber
ing around the easement, and ! was not
long in making the discovery that the
aforesaid cottage, with the rose-shaded
window, contained a fair inmate--a
flower whose beauty outshone the roses
that clustered around the window. She
was tbe belle of the village her name
was Mary. have passion for the
name Of Mary.
1t was a beautiful summer morning
and | had raised the window TO admit the
breeze from the flowerdecked helds, and
it was not long ere ! perceived the cot
tage window was also hoisted, and the
sweet little Mary was sitting busily en-
gagged with her needle. | worked but
little that morning. My eyes constantly
wandered toward the cottage where little
Mary sat, and all sorts Of strange fan
tastic notions whirled through my brain,
and began to think | felt light touch
of what the poets call love, sliding in at
one corner of my heart
A few days passed away, and chance
made me acquainted with Mary. on
she was sweet creature she has a form
that would have shamed the famous de
Medici-a cheek that out-hushed the
richest peach, and lips that would have
tempted the bee from its hive on a frosty
morning. | thought, as gazed or her
in mute admiration, that | had never
looked on one so beautiful She seemed
the embodiment of everything lovely and
bewitching. Well, time passed on, and
one day Mary expressed desire to visit
the printing office. Good, thought 1,
what a chance I'll have a kiss there
yes, there, in the very midst OF the imple-
ments 0f mine art-why shouldn't
Love in a printing office2 oh there was
something original in that and Iresolved
TO try it at all hazards.
Well, Mary came to the Office, and i
explained to her the use Of the various
implements Of the black art-the press,
the roller, the ink, and the stands, and the
boxes ofthe A B C's / took an oppor-
tunity 10 snatch her little white hand !;
she drew it back, and knocked q stickful
Of matter into 'pi
AZ must have kiss for that, my pretty
one" said /, and at it went Imanagd
to get my arm around her waist, and in
struggling to free herself, she upset
galley Of editorial, long article ON Ne
gro Suffrage, .r..l ..t .F !.
Nothing daunted, I made at her again
This time | was more successful, for |
obtained a kiss. BY Saint Paul, it was
a sweet one, and that little witch bore it
like a martyr; she never screamed once.
But as | raised my lips from hers, she
lifted her delicate hand and gave me n
box on the ears that made me see more
stars than were ever viewed by Herschel
through his big telescope. Somewhat
nettled, and my check smariing with
pain. again seized her about the waist
and said:
"wen. you don't like it, just take
back the kiss"
She made a desperate struggle, and
as she jerked herself from my arms her
foot struck the lye pot, and over It went
Another galley Of editorial was spinkled
over the floor aud, in her efforts 20 reach
the door, her foot slipped and she fell.
and in her effort 10 sustain herself, her
hand--her lily white hand--tbe sane
little hand came in contact with my
ears-ohl horrible was up to the
elbow in ink Shade Of Franklin. She
slowly drew il from the keg, drip
ping with ink, and asked what use
/ made Of that tar / began TO be
seriously alarmed, aud apoloEized in the
best manner could, and 70 ny surprise