Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-01-25


Nettie Brown was. bewildering little
creature. A thousand little fascinations
surrounded her like an atmosphere; lit
tie glimmering parks of sunshine flick
cred in and out of her clustering curls ;
little cupids laughed in the depths Of her
dark eyes, and myriads of little dimples
danced round the corners of her mouth
and played bo-peep in her rosy cheeks.
In short, she was bewitching. because
she could not help it, even if she had
tried, which, am happy to say, she
never did. Nobody had any very pro-
found respect for her; nobody was sud
denly impressed by the beauty of her
person or the brilliancy of her intellect;
nobody spoke of her. as one of "the
queens of society,". or named her defer
entially, or quoted her. opinions, or
sought her advice. If you chanced to
ask who she was, somebody would say,
"Oh, that's little Nettie Brown" in a
sort of apologetic tone : but you noticed
a tender expression in their eyes and a
brighter smile on their lips as they look
ed after her. : Z - :. ~.
Among Nettie's most hopelessly en-
shaved adorers was John Marshall-a
tall, grave fellow, considerably older
than his enchantress-a" " simple, frank
man, without any pretensions to an OPP
pressive greatness--of a golden temper,
and steadfast as an anchor" Nettie was
not the least bit of a firt; in fact, the
young men of her set pronounced that
you might as well try to firt with a
baby but, fortunately for John Mar
shall, he did not want to hirt, and what
is more, did not know how. Having
fallen in love in very earnest but blum
ldering sort of way with our Nettie, he
stammered out a proposal, and was ac-
cepted. having taken the little maiden's
heart by storm through the sheer force
of his own devotion.
His position once defined, Nettie held
back no reserves of affectionate artillery
for great occasions tried no petty fem
mime tricks of coquettish coldness one
day, and extra sweetness the next; new
Ier attempted to bring on minute quar-
rels for the pleasure of making them up
a gain, but was so affectionate and car
ressing in her little ways that John new
er missed the relish which the abune lit
tie stratagems are supposed to impart to
the somewhat insipid dish of domestic
felicity hre iia-age5 eaf.te s9Tptf2a g
One day, as ill luck would have it,
entered Sophy Northam, the far away
cousin and particular friend of iNettit.
A most incongruous alliance it seemed,
made entirely by the brisk determine
ton of Miss Sophy herself, who de-
nominated Nettie her"particular friend"
and practically ordered firm and de-
voted attachment to spring up between
them. Ns 81 g 80 = = f1i-- r lie
Will being Destiny, and .Sophy be-
ing another pame for will, Nettie be
came her slave, and was petted, scolded
and laughed at by turns, as her compan-
IONS varying impulses suggested.
Sophy was piquancy itself; a bril-
liant brunette, with the brightest eyes,
and neatest figure and prettiest foot ever
seen. Well, one morning not long after
Nettie's engagement, down comes the
brilliant embodiment of. feminine ,wiles
on her poor unsuspicious friend and
slave. By-the-by, Sophy, too, was just
engaged, and all her unfortunate victim
could predicate with certainty of her
character was, that she was sure not to
be in the same mood tomorrow in which
she appeared to-day. The unvarying
commonplace affection of John and Net
tie exasperated this volatile young lady,
and she resolved to show that "poor lit
tie goose" how a love affair ought to be
managed. 49, 49, '7- 10. II. IS:
"Now you don't mean to say, Nsttie,
that you are actually going OH in this
stupid, humdrum way, up to the very
altar, Why, You might as well be
married now I really don't think it
would make any difference to you ~ 'aa
/ "'Neither do I,'' answered Nettie,
simply; an engagement seems to me
about as serious. aas qas rei isbisru
"Oh! of course," interrupted Sophy.
with an impatient wave of her hand,
''that's all very nice in theory, you
know, but in practice it's so dreadfully
stupid. Do let us have. something a
little more spicy to. begin with. Do you
suppose young man likes to sit down
(eveh if he is as sober and steady as
your ohm, which, thank heaven, Morton
isn't )-do you suppose. l say, that a
yeuth enjoys sitting down with his
hands folded as soon as he is engaged,
and feeling that all the delightful excite
ment is over: that the bird is. caught
and has no notion of flying away again
even if he should open the cage door p
The shaft struck home, as the young
lady meant it should, for there is moth
| ing so certain to affront the gentlest O
women as an insinuation that any one
who wishes to can dispense with he,
affection. ainf !ge5l5fi l-s es 3issFa O j.
IL am sure, Sophy," replied Netti,
with some spirit g'fhat John never com
plains of a want of excitement. And
think it would break his heart if treat
ed him as you treat Mr.. Dewitt" ."Faa'
"Break his fiddle-stickr' exclaimed
Sophy nreverently. "Bless your dea
little soul, there isn't one man in fiv,
hundred that has any heart, and ever
4 tAat is India rubber. Men have died
and worms have eaten them. but not 70
love. Let me assure you there is moth
ing of which men tire so soon as cain
monotony of affection. dare say Johl
thinks it all very nice mow, but yer,
soon he will begin to have lurking sus
picion that somehow or other you ar
not quite SO interesting as before yo1
were engaged. and then he will begin t.
be little bored, and ou will find it out
and look miserable, and that will Dor
him still more, and things will keep o.
getting worse and worse all the time"
s"Oh, dear - said Nettie, rather over
powered by this doleful picture. " Blu
what can T do q"