Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1869-06-10
Ny First.

When | was about niteen l was INC inOSV
bashfu sprig that ever tried to shave. lnever
dared to meet a girl in the road but would al
ways get over the fence and go through the
field half mile out of the way to get past one.
| remember once when couple OF girls were
visiting my sister, En-. and Julia, during a
summer vacation, went a whole week without
a regular meal, and would have starved to
death had | not stolen in through the back way
and hooked pie and cake out of the pantry
when the girls were in the front room.
Now there was one neat little bonnet-holder
in our neighborhood, about my own age, to
whom | was drawn in spite of my timldity,
and though never dared look her in the face,
much less speak to her, yet somehow / was al
ways peculiarly pleased when she would de-
post her books on the first day of school, on a
desk directly opposite the seat had chosen.
During the winter term in which this ad-
venture of mine occurred, the boys got into
notion Of going home with the girls from sing
ing school, meeting and other places, and at
noon recesses great confabs were held among
the biz BOYS and girls about who went home
with Mary, and whom Anna mittened, and
how Ed got cut out, and all that sort OF stun
leei--I ~, -..-d listened, thinking all TINS
must be something now under the sun, as
had never seen anything of the kind, much less
participated in it.
At last heard so much that concluded
there must he too much fun in it to let the OPP
portuuity slip without knowing something Of
it practically. Day after day, therefore,
thought of nothing but, VIII you accept -
"Could have the pleasure to and all that
sort Of nonsense, and could think of no ono
TO apply these to but the piece of calico who's,
seat was opposite mine couldn't think Of
risking a mitten and The fun the boys would
have in consequence, - determined ~ nave
all the necessary arrangements made b, rc-
hand.
Soon after, therefore, AZ noon. watched my
opportunity. and when an The scholars down
70 the alphabet, were cut Of doors. ! called The
object Of my adventure In. Aftor some auk-
ward hesitation said, " VIII you-could ask
you-I would ike b have you-Do you sur-
pose-I mean il would afford me much plea
sure toll called you in 90 ask you if ]
misht-if you'd show me how to work this
sum-"
why. certainly, she said, seeming to be
quite relieved.
She showed me how % do the sum, but
shades Of Pythagoras figures lied then, any
way. Twice three was thirteen, and made
from seven leave sixty, while diyisors became
so mixed up that there was no telling which
was contained in which.
We got through the sum and took my scat,
where | stayed the rest Of the day.
| then. at first, concluded to let the rest tell
and | would be satisfied with hearing, but |
finally determined to try my hand in another
direction.
A few evenings afterwards, therefore, brusl.-
cd up and combed up and got En-. and Julia
to put their peculiar twist on my necktie.
wouldn't tell them where was going, for
was afraid they would make fun Of me.
To make short story, soon arrived at the
home of the fair one knocked, was admitted
by the object of my adventure, who bowed and
smiled charmingly. She gave ne chair,
which tipped over in the act of sitting down.
The usual remarks about the weather were
interchanced, and ! said it was very pleasant
indeed. when in fact it raincd like split.
expected. of course, that the object Of my ad-
venture would invite me into another room
right away but far from that, for we sat
whole hour without moving, while said only
YES" and no" and "I guess So" and $50
7 heard. ." and whatever couldn't help saying.
Pretty soon the object Of my adventure light
ed lamp and went into another room
tboucbt was to see her alone, and concluded
that she had been waiting for the room to
warm. was congratulating myself on the
nrosnect Of success when she returned. hall
started anticipating her invitation. But alas
for nv trouble and tramp through the the rain
instead Of the expected "Take seat in the
other room" she simply blew the light out, re-
marking that she couldn't find those patches
ike aunt Carry's dress nowhere. This was
posor. I was bound to persevere, however
.h. ro.,l5 re- be slo-e. Dig