The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-09-20
OUR CURATE,
AND
How He Missed Being Married.
AND

IL painfully modest man ever knew
and he often times suffered in consequence
most cruelty. He was the one who went
most out of his way to avoid hurting
peoples feelings, and for the sake of deli
cacy; and, as it usually happens, he
was treading on peoples mental toes con-
tinually. When he first came among us
and was furnishing his cottage, and get
ting introduced to his future parishioners,
/ remember calling with him (on our way
to the market town. on man who had a
club foot. 1t was not long before poor
Flush, who was not aware of this, and
was very near sighted, observed with
smile that our host seemed to take excel
lent care to keep himself out of the dirt
among the lanes.
"What sensible boot that is of yours.
Mr.. Layman why it's treble soled p
And before he had recovered himself
from the flame of bushes into which he
burst on the discovery of this mistake he
informed Mrs. Layman and her four
daughters that the object of our expedi-
tion into the town was to procure him
(Peony Flush) a pair of comfortable
drawers, meaning thereby chest, sup
pose, but sending the whole company into
shrieks of laughter, and suffusing himself
from top to toe with beautiful rose color.
This sort of things, he confessed to me,
annoys him for months afterward ,oppress-
ing him like sins and Icould not forbear
remarking:
"Why Flush, how will you ever have
the face to propose to the future Mrs.
P. F."
He rose-colored in such a manner at
this, that I said -
"Come, Peony, tell us all about it at
once, do," which, accordingly, after a
little pressing, he did.
was once, he began, engaged to be
married, believe; how 1 went so far as
that is marvel to me still, but an Incl
dent of so frightful character took place
as to put the matter entirely out of the
question. Twas young undor-g graduate,
spending the summer with reading par
ty at the Irish lakes, when I met with
with Lucy, and got, in short, to be ao-
cepted. She was residing with her mother
in the same hotel in Killarney as ourselves
and we all met every day. We boated on
the lake together, and fshed and sang
and read. We landed on the wooded
islands in the soft summer evenings, to
take our tea in gypsy fashion, and to
sketch but she and I mostly whispered
NOT about love, as remember, but of
the weather and the rubric-only it SEEM
ed SO sweet to sink our voices and speak
low and soft.
Once in party over the moors, while
was leading her pony over some boggy
ground, I caught her hand by mistake,
instead of the bride, and she did not
snatch it away. was in the heyday
and prime Of life, my friend, and that
youth of the spirit which no power can
evermore renew. knew what she felt
and what would please her as soon as the
feeling and the wish themselves were
born. Our thought-my thought at,
least" leapt out with thought to wed,
ere thought could wed with speech"
She took a fancy to huge mastiff dog
belonging to fisherman and I bought
it for her at once, although it was ter
ribly savage" and except for Lucy's liking
it, not either good Or beautiful Its name
also-the only one it would answer to,
and sometimes it would not answer to
that-was Towser, not a name for lady's
pet, after all, and scarcely gentleman's. s.
There was little secluded field hedged
in by coppice, which sloped into the
lake, about mile from the hotel; and
there Lucy agreed (for the first time) to
meet me alone. l was to be there before
breakfast, at eight o'clock in the morning
and you may be sure that T was there
at six-with Towser. Perhaps l was
never happier than at that particular
time. The universal nature seemed in
harmony with my feelings. The sun
shone out bright and clear, so that the
fresh morning breeze could scarcely cool
the pleasant throbbing of my blood. But
the blue ripping waves Of the lake look
ed irrepressibly tempting, and could not
resist swim. Just plunge in and out
again, thought /: for though had plenty
70 Io Z I