Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1867-09-25
KISSED BY MISTAKE.

and the speaker, a@tall, muscular, we'll
looking young farmer, Redeemed to the
roots of his hair, as though he had com
mitted some very wicked act, instead OF
asking a simple question.
Josiah Hawley was bashful, extremely
SO, at least in the presence Of young
ladies-most of all in the presence OF the
girl he loved. No young farmer In all
the country possessed better kept farm,
or talked with more confidence among his
compeers. of stock and crops, and kim
dred subjects. But the glimpse OF one
pretty face or foot, coming in his dlrec-
ton. affected him like flash OF light
ming. On such occasions he never knew
what to do with his hands or eyes, and al
ways felt like screwing himself into a
mousehole. How he ever contrived to ap-
proach Hester Thomas On the subject OF
his preference for her probably remains
to this day as much mystery to himself
as it is to others.
But that young lady had quite an
amount of tact and olnuarness slowed
away somewhere in her pretty little head,
albeit it was set On the dimpled, lnexper-
fenced shoulders of seventeen. Josiah,
worth, in a worldly way, much more
than any of her other suitors, good-look,
ing and intelligent enough to satisfy any
but an over -fastidious person, unexcep-
tionable, in short, barring his excessive
bashfulness among the young people,
which was fruitful source of merriment IN
their little circle And so when oslah,
in his awkward, blundering way, began to
exhibit his preference for her IN various
little ways, such as waiting on her to and
from singing school, constituting himself
her escort when she rode Oh horseback to
the solitary church in the woods, and
singing her out at quilting parties, Hetty
took it all in the earnest, pleasantest man
ner possible The girls laughed, and the
Young men cracked sly jokes at the ex-
pense of her tinlid suitor; but Hetty stood
up for him independently-encouraged
him out of shyness-never noticed any
unfortunate blunder-and very likely
helped him along considerably when his
feelings reached the "culminating point, :"
one moonlight autumn evening, as they
were walking home together from prayer
meeting. That was week ago. Hetty
had said eyes," and agreed to bring faith
er and mother around on the subject"
Josiah had not been to the house since
probably feeling like dog venturlng
upon the premises of person whose
sheepfold he had just plundered. AS yet
neither had had the courage to speak t6
the reigning powers on the subject; and
Hetty, feeling as if she wanted to put the
ordeal off as long as possible, at any rate
to have one more confidential talk with
him on the subject, said:
"Mother is going over to Aunt Ruth S
to spend the evening and wants me to 60
But guess won't I've been working
on fathers shirt all day, besides doing
the dairy work, and am as tired as
can be. So I guess they will have to &C
without me. Do not come until eight
o'clock. I shall be putting things to righ
then, and l will let you in"
Of course Josiah was not too obtuse t(
understand that, and forgot his bashfuI
ness SO far as to petition for good-b.
kiss, which was peremptorily refused, o
course.
"No I shan't. Do take yourself off
think I didn't see you fdgetlng aroun'
| Sarah Jones at Deacon aBadger's las
evening? I've not forgotten that, sir!'
Now, Hetty-"
| But the appeal was broken off by tan
talizing little laugh, and as he sprang for
ward to take pleasant revenge on hi
tormentor, she slipped away and ran u
the path to the house, where he saw h:
wave her hand as she disappeared With
, the kitchen porch, and then he turne
5 from the gate and took the road hom'
ward.
The tea things had been carried on
the table set back against the wall, ii