Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-08-13
WHAT A PRETTY LITTLE
HAND.
BY MARY Z. CLARK.

ly speaking, | am fully as confident
and forward as most Of my sex. /
dress well. ] don't tread on ladies'
dresses when make my bow; have
not the trick of coloring to the roots
of my hair when / am spoken to.
Yet there was one period of my
life when all my merits seemed to
my own eyes insignificant, and I felt
very modest, not to say bashful. 1t
was when l was in love. Then,
sometimes, l did not know where to
put my hands and feet. Did l men
ton that in those same hands and
feet consists my chief beauty. They
are both small. . ..
Three years ago / fell in love-
I did not GO into 1t quietly-weigh
ing my idols perfections against
her defects. fell in, head and ears,
two seconds after the introduction.
"Mr. Haynes, Miss Arnold" said
a mutual friend, and, 10! was des-
perately in love. She was a fairy
like figure with long, brown curls
floating over snowy neck and shoul-
ders, and falling down on the waist
of an enchanting blue dress. Her
large, dark blue eyes were full OF
saucy light, yet how tender and low
ing they could look. This / found
out later .-.I.
OF all the provoking, tantalizing
little coquettes that ever teased the
heart of d poor man, Susy Arnold
was the most bewitching. would
pass an evening with her and 60
home certain that one more interview
would make me the happiest of men;
but the next time I met her, cool
nod and Indifferent glance threw
down all my castles. She was very
cautious. Never word did she drop
to make me believe that she loved
me, and yet her hand would linger
in mine, and her color rise if looked
my feelings, and her eyes droop, to
be raised again in moment, full of
laughing defiance. She declared her
intention to be an old maid, most
emphatically, and in the next SEN
tence would add: sa ..am t1.
81 never did love, but if 1 should
take fancy to anybody / should
love him like-like house afre.-
Though" she would say, carelessly,
81 never saw anybody yet worth set
ting my thoughts upon" Ia
l tried thousand ways to make
her be.ray some interest in myself.
Propose outright / could not do
She had way whenever / tried it
of looking in my face with an air
of grave attention, and profound in
terest, that was equivalent in its
effects to knocking me down; it took
all the breath out of me. s.#
One evening while there, l was
seized with a violent headache. L
told her 1 was subject to such at
tacks, and the gipsy, putting on a
grave face, gave me lecture on the
subject of health winding up with
"The best thing you can do is to
get q wife to take care of you, and
to keep you from over study. I ad-
wise you to do tiff you can get
ANYBODY to have you" 5--'' ~
.Indeed." said l, rather piqued.
"there are too many! / refrain from
a selection for fear of breaking 9th
or hearts. How fond all these ladies
are of me!p 1 added, conceitedly,
"though 1 can't see that am partic-
ularly fascinating"
"Neither can l." said Susie, with
an air of perfect simplicity.
"Can't your" said 1. II hoped
hoped Oh, that dreadfully at.
tentive face of hers! "That is, Miss
Susie, / thought, perhaps-my head
my head!" and / buried my face
in the cushion.
"Does it ache SO very badly?" and
she put her cool little hand on my
head. I felt the thrill her fingers
gave me all the way to the toes of
my boots. My head being really
very painful, I was obliged to leave;
but all the way home the soft, cool
touch Of those little fingers fingered
on my brow. - '''
Soon after this it became neces-
sary for me to leave the city on
business. An offer for q lucrative
partnership in the South in the Of
fee of a lawyer friend of mine,
made me decide to extend my trip
and see how the land lay. One thing
was certain. / could not leave home
for months, perhaps for years with
out some answer from Susie. So,
dressed in my faultless costume, and
full of hope, went to Mr.. Arnold g.
Susie was in the parlor at the piano
alone. She nodded gaily as ! came
in but continued her seng. 1t was,
give something sweet to tell you.
At the words, 'sI love you, ! adore ds'E''
you'll she gave me such . glance.
was ready to prostrate myself
but sweeping back the curls WIN q