The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1868-09-12
M ] S g Ell L a NJ Is o u S.
MY FIRST FLIRT1TION.

|
NY FIRST FLIRTA TION.
The morning sun shone brightly one July day
1861, as turned into ST. James's street dressed
in sunlmery garb, and smoking ci!arett,
through my nose. The heat that morning wa:
tropical. The cross-sweeper abandoned his pos
and bcook himself 10 a shady doorway. The
cahmen the rank read penny papers nsi it
their spective vehicles whilst the sun blistered
tie roots above them. The enjoyment OF the bib
uous teggars at the pump, who took it in turns
to Ge pumped for, smote one with envy on thai
thirsty morning. Vague yearnings after an iced
Sofia and B., pipe of mild tobacco, or other
light dissipation suited TO the state OF hermome-
/ ter and the assitude of my system, caused ne 10
stop anguldly at set ofchambers for gentlemen
| The floor was occupied by man named Osborne,
with whom was then very intimate found
my FREUD and another man at breakfast and al
ter refreshing myself with some Strawberries and
a cool draugbt Of selzer and brandy, threw nv
self into comfortable chair by the open window
aud began studying with sapient air what |
would have given worlds at that time to have un-
| derstuod, ''Cells Life'
! was at the time am speaking OF shy, awk
ward homebred youngsler OF nineteen, with
round, youthful face, whiskerless cheeks, and
| nervous temperament. Osborne was cool >pol-
ished man of the world, eight years my senior,
pale, with regular features, thin, sarcastic lips,
cold grey eyes ahd fair, colorless hair. How |
enved him his taste in dress, his composed, quiet
manner, his skill at billiards, and his success
with women But with all my admiration and
intimacy, rather disliked the man than other
wise felt dm disagreeable consciousness
that | served principally as butt and sport to
my dear friend, and knew that he considered and
generally spoke Of me as "a mannerless young
cub, who wanted deuced deal of licking into
shape"
The man who was break fasting with him was
also my senior He had plain, meaningless
face, long red whiskers, falsetto laugh, and
possessed the rare faculty ofbeing good listener
His name was Anderson, and he played the con-
certina. | never knew what he was, or where he
lived, but remember, the first time we met, his
requesting of me, with pleasant laugh the tenn
porary loan of half a sovereign. My future ex-
perience of the gentleman proved him to be capa-
BILE of repeating the request any number of times
without being struck with the monotony of a pro-
ceeding he never attempted to vary by any allu-
sion N repayment. He was devoted To- his rich
friend Osborne, who four sfi:.s
useful sceived and smelt the priceless weed
with the rapturous air of q conuoisseur. Lord
how faint and sick those strong cigars used to
make ne y Having lighted it, began the peru
sal of1Wfll'' in "Bell's Life, )" and soon was as
intensity miserable as my worst enemy could have
desired Mill and smoke becoming at last too
strong for me, closed my eyes and listened va
cantly TO my friends conversation.
"But we had better settle now" osborne was
saving. "what time we are to go to that place
tonight" Here there was pause, curing
which they each beat tattoo on the carpet ana
stared at each other. Osborne at length rose anu
bending over his friend, whispered some sugges-
tions which appeared to be fraught with much
interest. Whatever they were, they were corol-
allv agreed to- and carried amid much laughter
from Anderson, who put on the falsetto stop, ana
beat Osborne hollow in the high notes. Iheir
endowment of the subject before them mace ,heln
talk louder and with more animation, ana tnus,
without wishing TO divine the SUBJECT o' 'nei
mirlh. the following broken sentences fell upon
nv ear as halfdozed in my chair:
Anaersoa. .-'But will she appear on the scene
at all?'
Osborue. GOOD heavens, man ! no chance OF
If Rut don't mention her, for can't stand II:
only promised to 90 there once year, ana
choose This affair for my annual visit, because
have a towards shrinking from speaking to 20: or
even seeing mere us
voice trembled and dropped to a whisper too low
for me TO hear ..
have our little Joke without fear ofany mschance; ;
,,n he conital fun-he's an awful fool, and, spite
Of his Young airs, is frightened at his own shad-
ow"
sDuced funny" thought myself, "particu-
lorlr If I'm their awful fool, which rather think
anr.u and then fell to wondering, gloomiy,
if Amandine paste and constant care would ever
make NM hands as white and shapely as were
those of INV dear, appreciative friend and model.
breakfast pipes, drinks and pleasant conhden,
ces being all ended, we rose stretcned anu
yawned. Then, somewhat to my relief, Osoorne
lola me he had an engagement which would oc-
our,, him all the afternoon, but hoped l would
dine with him at his club the same evening, and
afterwards 90 on with him to very charming
donco a little way out of town. where, to use bis
own words. 81 should meet lot of deuced pret'
,v g;rls and perhaps pick up an heiress, old fel-
leri, Having received my assent to what ap-
peared to me very agreeable arrangement, the
two hurst into fit of understandable merrimen'
at the cut of my trousers and the you!hlul oloolr
of nv conplexion then, after poking small
vo,nmn of tChesterGcds Advice to his Son" into
NV pocket. and paying me few sarcastic com
p.iments on the glossiness OF my hat and I'M
A5wih of my whiskers, Osborne slapped me VI
oIently on the back and allowed me to depart
! bruised in mind and body: -, -. i:
Il of course, however, dined with him at Ill
:. club, and the night being warm, drank mo-.
| champagne than my young head could well stana an
strong cigar, and still stronger cnasse Haasne'
: me up. and when ] jumped into my TREND
c hlnuqham | felt most blssfuly unconcious ant
nnntterably idiotc. Half an hours quick drlv
i. ;no brought us to our destination, large oe
tacbed house brilliantly lighted up, standing Il
whot appeared 10 be extensive garden an
grounds. The lights and linkmen, the sounds
music, the 'glmpses caught OF seraphic oelng
floating airly in clouds OF pink ana oiue vaPo'
partly sobered me, and caused me on enterln
The hall to rush anxiousy to mirror llat "uor,
ed one side of it, in which to ascertain the stat
of nv appearance generally. Having hnisne
INV survey turned round and found to my Oil
. may that my companions had deserted me, an
: lert me to introduce myself as best could. IN
ton shy. nervous fellow like myself was anythln
hnt pleasant business, and trembled with al
oor and embarrassment. "Just like my goo
friends, hissed 10 myself, Ito leave me ne
like a pig in poke. How can enter Inc roo
without an introduction to the hostess -.
their impertinence What did they oring 0
here for and then treat me in this fashion y
Gancing anxiously round the hall, espiea
nv right hand a small room the door OF whi'
y was Open 1t was emty and avoiding ,ne
- we're glances Of most muscular an mlduie-a?
set of female servants, | gave.a nervous pun
the few struggling hairs pleased me at that III
to call my whiskers, and precipitated mysei' In
the grateful privacy Of the deserted chamqer De
r,y right, closing the door behind me. mere
fidgeted and fumed for some minutes, ana CO.
posed neat, cutting little speech, with viii
when we met to shrivel up my friends WI
shame Suddenly door on the opposite 81
was opened, and in daIted the most radiant 10
a. ly being it had ever been my happines to Deho
Her face was flushed, and her manner sligh
hurried, as if she had been making, hasty
lette. As she passed me one of the gloves she
drawing on fell to the ground. nome
&c. startled out of all my awkward shyness, |
thS glove in nv hand and was presenting 1t