Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1867-04-17
NlisttlImeous 4nainu.
JOSHUA WHEAT.
A PLAIN, BRIEF ACCOUNT OF HIS COURT
SHIP AND MARRIAGE.

Did you ever see bashful man, reader !?
Ii yol have, you have seen one of the
most awkward, ungainly creatures among
the human bipeds. Now there may be
something very attractive and interesting
in tn, shrinking iimidity of a blushine
girl, though | confess that have my
doubts in regard to it but bashful man,
who ever pities him? Though despised
by one sex aud laughed at by the other,
always doing what he never ought to have
done, and saying what he never intended
to say, he is one Of the most pitiable OBJ
jects in existence.
To be sure, in these days Of brass ard
assurance, when everybody thinks himself
as good as his neighbor, and great deal
better, they are very rare. But still they
are TO be net with occasionally, though
taey arc rapidly disappearing, and proba-
bly, in few years there will be no trace
Of them left.
Ny friend, Joshua Wheat, was one Of
this unfortunate class Of people. | say
was, for he has most wonderfully improved
OF late years. But l will not anticipate
No one could have seen Joshua enter
room where there was company, especially
ladies, without being aware Of this pecu-
liarity of his. He generally either blum.
dered along looking red and foolish, or
shol hurriedly in, with white scared face,
hiding himself as soor as possible from
observation behind door, or in q corner.
If there was chair or STOOL anywhere in
the room, which was very apt to be tie
case, he generally managed to stumble
over it, which was nc. at all calculated to
increase his selfpossession, or add to the
grace Of his entrance. If pretty girl
sp0+e 70 him, nc stammered and turned
all sorts Of colors, looking as frightened
and ashamed as if he had been convicted
OF sheep-stealing.
Poor Joshua. there certainly never was
a man who had a higher opinion of the
better part of creation, or was more capa-
bic Of appreciatins the blessings of mat
rlmory; yet he had reached the age OF
twcn:y-eight without being one step near
er toward realizing them than he was
eight years before.
He had five brothers hut though none
of them had half of his good looks or
sense, they possessed what he did not,
plenty OF assurance, ard a tact of show
ing all they did know, and were all mar
lied and happily settled in life, while he
remained forlorn, disconsolate bachelor.
1t was not from the want of means to
support wife, for he had plenty of this
worlds goods, well-stockcd farm, a nice
new house, besides some money in bank
1t certainly was not for the want of girls,
for there were scores Of them in the town
where he livel, of all sorts and sizes,
black-eyed, blue-eyed, and grey-eyed, and
eyes of no color at all. No, Joshua Whea.
remained unmarried merely because he
had not the moral courage to look any
one of the girls in the face and say 81
love you-will you marry me?'
These words are very simple, and to the
unintiated very easily spoken yet l have
known many mans courage fail him at
the thought of saying them, who would
have ridden into the front of the fercest
and hottest battle witho1. the shadow of
fear.
At last all the girls of Joshua's ac-
ouaintance were married to braver, if not
better rnen-all but one, Mary Dearborn,
the prettiest among them all, and as good
and sensible as she was pretty, Mary had
plenty of suitors, but she turned cold
shoulder to them all, being fully deter
mined if she married at all she would |
have nobody but Joshua Wheat.
Joshua had taken great shine to Mary
ever since they were children they used
to SO to school together in the little red
school-house on the hill, he drawing her
to and from school in the winter on his
little sled, and bringing her apples as red
and shining as hez rosy checks.
When they grew older he still exhibit
cd his preference for her, though in
somewha. different manner. Every Sab /
bath, after meeting was over, he would
pest himself by the church door to escort
her home j.; and in the evening, arrayed
IN his Sunday best" he might haye been
seen striking bcs-l;nc for Squire Dear-