Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-02-22
my FIRST.

r 81 Tnf
.9qo When was about fifteen | was the most
bashful sprig that ever tried to shave. never
dared to meet girl in the road. but would al
yvavs get over the fence and go through the
field half mile out of the way to get past one
i remember once when a couple OF girls were
visiting my sister, EN-. aud Julia, during a.
mmerIyacatidn, I went whole week without
a regular meal, and would have starved to
death had riet 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 i'm spite of my tlnidlty,
and though I 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
desk disectly opposite the seat had chosen.
During the winter term in which this adven-
ture of mine occurred, the boys got into q no
ton of going home with the girls from singing
school, meeting and other places, and at noon
recesses great confabs. we're held among the big
bows and girls about who went home with Mary,
and whom Anna mittened, and how Ed got cut
out, and all that sort of stuff. $1,000. Il
III looked on and listened, thinking all this
must be something new under the sun, as had
never seen anything of the kind, much less
participated in it.
AT lastsI heard so much that / concluded
there must be too much fun in 1t to let the OPP
portunity slip without knowing something OF 1t
practically Day after day, therefore, thought
of nothing but, will you accept |
have the pleasure to'-and all that sort of
nonsense, and | could think of no one to apply
these to but the piece of calico whose seat was
opposite NINE G i couldn't think of risking
mitten and the fun the boys would have in con-
sequence SO | determined to have all the nee
essary arrangements made beforehand.
Soon after, therefore, at noon, | watched my
opportunity, and when all the scholars down to
the alphabet, were out of doors, L called the
object of my adventure in. After some awk-
ward hesitation | said, 'sWill you-coud l ask
you'll would like to have you-Do you sup
pose--I mean it would afford me much pleas,
ure toll called you in to ask you if
might-if you d show me how to work this
sum.
why, certainly" she said, seeming to be
quite relieved.
She showed nae how to do the sum, but
shades Of Pythagorasl figures lied then, any
way. Twice three was thirteen, and | made
from seven leave sixty, while divisors became
SO mixed up that there was no telling which
was contained in which.
We got through the sum and took my seat,
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. Erd Is sesn4ae'
A few evenings afterwards, therefore, l
brushed up and combed up and got En-. and
Julia to put their peculiar twist on my necktie.
Iwouldn't tell them where was going, for L
vas 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 me chair
which | tipped over in the act Of sitting down
The usual remarks about the weather were
interchanged, and l said it was very pleasant
indeed when in fact it rained like split. |
expected, of course, that the object of my adj
venture would invite me into another room
right away; but far from that, for we sat a
whole hour without moving, while [ said only
yes and mo- and Il guess SO, - and $50 [
heard and whatever couldn't help saying.
Pretty soon the object Of my adventure light
ed lamp and went into another room. |
thought was to see her alone, and concluded
that she had been waiting for the room to
warm. | was congratulating myself on the
prospect of success when she returned. | half
started, anticipating her invitation. But alas !
for my trouble and tramp through the rain !;
instead of the expected Take a seat in the
other room, she simply blew the light out, re-
marking that she couldn't find those patches
like aunt Carry's dress nowhere. This was a
poser was bound to persevere, however, for
l believed she would yet be alone. Ding, ding
ding, went nine, ten and eleven; and yet they
all stayed up and patched and sewed and
darned, while the man of the house talked
about everything didn't want to talk about
putting in the ''yesses," and NOS and Il
guess so s at perfect random. -5--l
began to give up hope and to think of ma
king homeward journey | didn care fig
for the rule if | could only get out of that
house. The trouble now was to get away for
[ thought must make some errand, or it
wouldn't look well. So I coughed and twisted
and got half way up and set down again, and
finally said Il come to see if - Father
wanted to know He sent me to see
"We are going to -" Your stone boat in day
or two" L 7-.ee
The accommodating man said he would do
us any favor. | then took my hat and said good
night as cheerful as [ could, backing out of the
door, stepping on the cats tail-and such a
you'll at the same tine running against the
pounding barrel, upsettng it and tumbling
down a-Whole row of milk pans piled upon the
stoop. a@r ae s3
Egad! didn' breathe free when got out
side that yard? toddled homeward at rate
which can be imagined; never looking back,
for fear OF the fate OF Lots wife. Splash,
ditch up to my knees, now down On all tours,
while all | could say as scraped the mud
from my hands, was "Confound the girls r.
TIE avoid the mud as much as possible, started
across. Just as | was climbing the fence the
top rail broke and came down very much in
heap, landing astride the back of an old COW
that had taken shelter from the storm under
the fence. a1r-fc III
Jumping up before could realize what was
under me, she started off, believing and kick
ing, while | screaming, ''Whay go along
Oh, oh what next Confound the girls r.
Just then lost my equilibrium and tumbled
of into a pool of water, while the COW went on
her way rejoicing more than l did just at that
time '"Confound the girls T. said I, as I
again set out on foot. 800 o. --.~.
| reached home without further mishap; but
as it proved, my misfortunes We're far from
ending. | stole up to the door and was deter
mined to enter SO quietly that no one would
hear me: | showed gently; bang, went a stack
OF old chairs, tin pans, buckets, buck saws
water pals, &c, rolling over the floor inside
What's up there 2" cried the old nah, half
awake. | kept mum, and made the best time
to my room. found no resistance there and
thought my last trial was over | opened the
bed andjumped in; but the next move was to
jump out again over the foot board, landing
with splash into tub Of cold water which
had been set there for the occasion. while
''Confound the girls p slipped out between my
teeth
Noone came to my assistance and the only
comfort had was giggle overhead from En-.
md Julia