New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-10-29
Cousin Jane.

When my little cousin, Jane Dumley, came to
me one morning, and said in her blushing way,
"Cousin William, Mr.. Forbes has proposed to me,
and have accepted him, y felt that must be
very old cousin indeed very safe cousin, as girls
would say, or she would never have chosenme for
o c0nfdant.
was pleased, and I was sorry, to hear the
tidings / was pleased, because it was very good
offer: and was sorry because Mr.. Forbes would
take Jenny away-selfsh animal! land though /
had dnever cared to marry her myself, thought it
hard case to see her marry another. However,
as pleasure had come first, so it was the predomi-
nant feeling, and | shook hands with Jane and
congratulated her on her good fortune. For it was
decidedly good fortune. Mr.. Forbes, though
WidoWer, wasnot thirty; he was good looking and
accomplished; he was well off, too, and had
charming home within a convenient distance Of
London; in short, he was most eligible husband
for Jane, who had not farthing of her own, and
who owed the very clothes she wore to her fathers
kindness. Not that he thought it much kindness,
dear old boy. Jane was his pet, and felt pretty
sure that he considered Mr.. Forbes very fortu-
nate man in having secured her. Of course I
thought so, too, for knew James value. Still,
Mr.. FOrbes's offer puzzled me.
Jane had come with her little story to me in the
garden; we were alone in one of the green arbors.
She stood in the shade, bareheaded, modest, with
happy blush on her cheek, and soft, dewy
light in her brown eyes. ! had never seen her
look half so we'll in her whole life as she looked
then-and, shall say t?-Jane did not look at all
pretty. No, not at all. No one, indeed could
call Jane ugly or even plain; but there was an
absence Of beauty in her face, which was the more
remarkable that pretty girls abounded in our coun-
try She had nice figure, GRACEFUL carriage, a
pleasant voice, and happy look; that she had,
and no more. She was also sensible girl, clever,
well bred and amiable though terribly shy with
strangers; but how could MIR. Forbes know any.
thing of Jane save her shyness? He had not seen
her more than dozen times at all, and Jane was
so quiet, that he must be very penetrating and
far-seeing man indeed if he had discovered her
merits during those brief interviews. ! ventured
on expressing some surprise. "HoW sly you both
have been, jenny | said.
"No, William not at all sly, assure you," she
replied gravely. al had no idea Mr.. Forbes
thought of such thing till he mentioned it the
other day.
g Then you did not say yes at once, Jenny?"
" How could L was SO confused that should
not even have asked for time to think over it, if he
had not made the suggestion.n
ltwas very plain that Jane was not in love bu'
then how odd if he were I had seen them to
gether the day before this, and Mr.. Forbes, for {
young man, was cool lover, to say the least o.
it. Despite her ineXperience in such matters
Jane felt some surprise, too, as she expressed i
with mixture of sauciness and simplicity which
she often displayed with me, but which she hat
certainly never shown to Mr.. Forbes.
"Do you know cousin William" she said, look
ing up at me, 'tI must be a very fascinating per
son after all. am notspretty, am twenty three
am not rich, am quiet, and yet Mr.. Forbes
who has only to pick and choose, is smitten will
me-"
NOW uo you huom ilO 10 sAAiHVou Ill
quired.
repented the question at once; but luckily
Jane only laughed.
Why should he want to marry me if he wer'
not smtten?" she asked, gaily.
"Ah! to be sure. And you are smitten, o
course, Jenny?"
"No," was her rather serious reply. e
admire Mr.. Forbes and am grateful for his affec
tion; but though | hope to be very happy witt
him, am not what is called in love, cousin Viii
liam. That is not in my way, SUPPOSE
And Jenny just uttered little tremulous sig
of regret, and looked like an ancient maiden VIII
bids adieu to love and its folies; but who, thong
conscious of her wisdom, feels rather mourntul
be SO very wise. These little fancful ways an
conceits, which tempered her good sense, an
made it endurable-for mere good sense is apt t
be dreadfu1ly oppressive-were James real fas
cination, in my opinion could understand tha
man should be allured by them; but they wer
never displayed unless in intimacy, and MI
Forbes could know nothing about them Still h
must be smitten, as Jane said; for why els
should he wish to marry her?
h If hurry be proof of love, Mr.. Forbes wa
very much in love. He wanted to marry Jau
ofhaud, and when my aunt Mary, who kept hous
for us, demonstrated a little Indignantly, NJ
Forbes showed some temper. He submitted
however, and the courtship went on, l could NJ