Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1866-08-02

| suC Otuci. II may nave Deen ONLY
self love after all, but imagine tha
It was but a convincing evidence o
the purity of my affection. 1 wa
attached to her spirit, not to he
. beauty.
Presently the French clock on tn
mantle piece struck twelve. By tn
force of habit arose, and said
."Well Carrie, l believe 1 will @,
home"
any gracious, joe" she said, ''yov
are at home. It's / that has to 90.
$50 it is" 1 replied, Il forgo
that. You'll find my Iatch-key il
the right hand pocket, "Good- night,
said, and went up and kissed her
LA. joe" she said. saint yot
ashamed of yourself? You know
wouldn't behave myself in that way
"You ought to do so if you don't,
Ireplied, and showed her to the door
and kissed her good night again.
was little afraid I should betray
myself in my new character, but
determined to affect taciturnity in my
intercourse with Carries family, SC
that ] should not at least tell the Sc,
cret by my ignorance of things with
which Carrie was certainly familiar
But / was somewhat embarrassed the
next morning at the breakfast table
Carries father and brothers had fin.
ished their meal and gone ont, heI
mother and / were alone at the table
The old lady looked at me so sharp
ly, that l blushed inyoiuntarily al
the thought that she had found me
out, but knew this was impossible,
so / determined to brazen 1t through.
Presently she said, Carrie, what
time did Joe Parsons go home last
( night?'
cat twelve O'Clock, / believe" l
replied.
"Has he said anything TO you yetY'
inquired Carries mother.
NO." / replied, "not yet"
swell, it's pretty near time he
had" remarked the old lady; "for
my part / don't like HIM much, and
| don't think he would be very de-
sirable match, for he is not doing
very well in the world, and / believe
he's young man OF very unsettled
habits"
''Oh. no he amt replied, she is
tolerably well of, and he has wealthy
relations, whose heir he will be.
For my part" said !, Il think he is
very desirable young man, l hope
he viii ask, and I'll have him Ger
tain"
Carrie" said the old lady, open
ing her eyes in amazement, Saint
you ashamed of yourself to say so?
Perhaps the young man never thought
of such a thing"
= sDidn't he though" said l.. .'I'll
make nfm-usk me tomorrow, / will "
"My daughter" said the old lady,
81 do not approve of it. There's
Mr.. Slivers, l know would like to
haYe you, and he is well to do in the
world. 1 do wish you would give him
some encouragement"
70 pacify the old lady / promised
1 would, while at the same time /
swore to have Slivers' hearts blood
if l ran across him. AS luck would
have it, a note came that very morn
ing from Slivers, asking "Miss Car
rie, If he might have the pleasure OF
her company for drive in the alter
noon" ! sent him very affection
ate and encouraging reply, which l
have no doubt made Slivers eaper
around his room with joy, as he con-
cluded that he had at last made an
impression. Poor SlIvers, he didn't
know that he was being fattened
with bliss, only to be slaughtered by
despair. At 3 o'clock in the after
noon, Slivers drove to the door in a
splendid turnout, and hitching his
horse, rang the bell. L had fixed
myself in Carries prettiest bonnet
and cloak, and can, without vanity,
say that looked deliciously bewitch-
ing. ! found very little difficulty in
arranging myself; Carries fingers did
it mechanically from habit. l enter
ed the parlor, with one of her sweet
est smiles on her face, and Slivers
rose to greet me. He was gorgeous
ly appareled, and as | was pretty well
posted in male attire, 1 knew he had
spent several hours upon his toilette.
He was somewhat embarrassed at
first, but ] greeted him with the ut
most cerdiality, and glanced as ten
derly at him as | could. l even ven
tured to give his hand a gentle pres
sure as / took it, whereupon he be-
came more embarrassed than ever,
but seemed almost beside himself
with Joy. You see / had made up
my mind to settle Slivers' business
that afternoon, and wanted to draw
him out, and get him. to make fool
of himself. We got into the car
riage, and drove off rapidly. talked
and laughed in Carries most be
witehing manner, keeping up a lively
fire of remarks upon persons and
things, upon the road and upon sub
jects in general, but SlIvers was shy.
He evidently had something on his
mind, which he vented to get rid of,
and he couldn't talk. / thought
while l was about it, might as well
get his opinion of myself, so said:
"Mr. Slivers, / have heard queer
stories about Joe Persons lately; do
you know anything of him?"
A CLEAN ofjoy passed over Slivers'
countenance at this, and he said in a
kind Of hesitating manner, that was
evidently assumed, "Ah! Miss Car
rie, / don't like TO tell what ] know
of that young man."
"You can speak freely to me, Mr..
Slivers," said I. "What you say
shall be confidential.
"weIl," says he, sit pains me to
sav If Miss Carrie. but Parsons is