The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-11-08
Fhe CIandestIne Courtshlp.

the clandestine courtshiD that has
been taking place this long time ; =
tween the Democratic party and Mr.
johnson, lies In the fact that the en-
amcred couple think themselves the
sole p0ssessors OF the secret, while 10
reality there isn't man TO be met
who does not know all about 1T. The
first meeting of TIE lovers was public
enough, but the conduct Of the des
tined bride on this occasion so Little
resem bled what the world is used to
at such times that it is not to be
wondered at, If we were all thrown a
little of our guard. Miss Johnson
showed as tart a temper, and spoke as
uncivaliy as Lady Beatrice herself
and to those who supposed she
meant what she said, there seemed
little enough likelihood of her
ever marrying Benedick. she
swore she hated traitors, and
would sooner shoot Copperhead than
kiss one; that Democrats were not to
be trusted, and that IN her eye they
were but little better than Rebels;
with a good many more hot and testy
words of the same sort; so that she
seemed to be possessed with a sort of
fury. and the Democratic party, turn
ing his quid disconsolately In b 5
mouth, and squirting tobacco juice
abstractly over the beauty's floor, left
her with a heavy heart, and cursed
the day that ever he tried to marry
shrew. Turning at the door for last
look at the fair termagant, what was
his delight to see her tip him an un-
mistakable wink from behind her
fan, whereupon he gave a great gulp
and swallowed his grieT, took fresh
quid, and sWore a round oath or two
to himself, by way of thanksgiving,
and splitting right and left, like
very llama, as is the way of happy
Democrats, he left the house to await
further developments.
There were not wanting sharp eyed
people VINO even saw the wink which
the Presidential shrew gave the Demo
Gratis at their first meeting, but no.
body could be so blind as not to see
the progress of the courtship. No day
passed without billet-doux, which
were secretly let down from the win
dows by strings to where our Demo
cratic friend was always In wait, mes
sages were sent him by telegraph. and
it was not long before the lady began
to turn out Of her employ all her old
servants, even those who lad brought
Der up and taken care Of her from
childhood, and put her new lovers
friends and relatives in their places.
She gave them the keys Of all the cup
boards, told them to Help themselves
to whatever they wanted, and to sead
the bill into her uncle, and in every
way she could manifested her desire
to be on with the neY love no matter
what become of the old.
Everybody saw what was going On,
and laughed in his sleeve att, thou-h
the opinion was general that the match
was bad one for both parties. But
what surprised every one was that
each of the engaged ones seemed
ashamed of the business, and replied
to all questions with positive denials
The gentleman (by which, as we are
speaking allegorically, we may ex-
plain, we mean the Democrats) de-
denied the insiI uation with derisive
jeers, and even went the extreme
length of utteling slurs upon the
lady's character, which, indeed, was
no better than it should be; but the
lady cursed and swore likeQueenEliza-
beth, and vowed vengeance on any
friend of hers who should even so I
much as hint that person OF
dignity and her position would ey, r (
stoop to such a connection. 70
ever, it was not long after this VII n
the two went of on a long Journey /
at her uncle's expense, and i
as the, lady took her staff of servants. I
with her. and plenty Of liquor and CT
CARS, to say nothing o. sandwiches, it
may easily be imagined hat the court
ship didn flag, and in truth the evil
dences of mutual affection were so (
strong that very many persons in the
country they went through insisted
on believing The gentleman and lady
man and wife, aud Congratulated. or
them accordingly. But .
for all that they evidently loved one
another to distraction, 1t seemed they {
could not hear to have it thought so,
and they have gone on denying it
with a shameless perSistency from that
day to this.
The last ludicrous evidence of their I
blind perversity is only a few days +
old Benedick, who for several years
past has been out of business in con-
Of being found out In some
of his nefarious doings, received
letter quite unexpectedly, telling him
that an old gentleman in Pennsylva-.
MA, whom he had supposed dead and |
buried, had still little breath inlh his |
body, and had had, as parlytics aud \
bed-ridden people are wont, a little |
RAJ lying Of the vital forcestiust before
dissolution. In this brief interval he
had expressed wish to send a mes I
sage 70 his old friend Beneaiek. and
Il. Il. q L