Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-12-14
TOO BAsHFUL.

|
A great, handsome, good-natured,
honest-hearted fellow was Charlie
Winter, but so bashful that in the
presence of the gentler sex he could
never have told whether he was
standing on his feet or his head.
just now his failing was immensely
aggravated by the fact that he was
over head and ears in love with
Clarice Wilmer, the sweetest, pref
tiest, most bewildering little beauty
in all the region round about.
"Oh, dear, wish l knew way
to tell my love and not be there my
self. Deuce take the girls! They
bother you on purpose, believe,
and always manage SO your courage
oozes out of your finger ends be-
fore you are quite ready to ask the
faithful question:
"Why don't you writer
"Writei shouldn't know = word
to say; and then I'd never dare to
look her in the face again."
80, what a spoony! Simply say
you love her, and ask her if she will
make you happy. Then face the
music like man, and meet her
next time as if nothing had hap
pened-unless she answers yes, and
then, of course, you'll act rs If
something had happened"
Charlie groaned despairingly.
EASY enough for you to talk" he
muttered, obviously. "You who
have been married for seven years
with me the case is different. 1
tell you, Tom, n. )! you dos't know any
"Yes, lido. Didn't have to do
my courting just the way you've got
yours? Didn't Nell act just as
Clarice does, bewitching me at one
moment, and driving me almost to
suicide the next? You are a luna
tic, you are, and l hope Clarice will
give you the mitten." |
"I'm afraid she will.'
Faint heart never won fair Ia
dy," quoted Tom Ridgely, indig-
nantly, as he rose to take his leave.
seriously, however, Charlie, 1 ad-
wise you to put your heart on paper,
and forward it to Clarice by the
post" -. 81 |
Charlie thought about it after he
was gone; the more he thought the
better pleased with it he was. |
"It's terrible, but 1 suppose l
must" he groaned, seating himself
at his writing desk, and clutching
wildly at pens, ink and paper. l.
An hour of torture. Charlie be-
gan a dozen billct-dour and tore
them up, then wrote dozen more,
and tore them up also.
at is utterly useless" he moaned
at last, and then the great BOBBY
laid his head upon the desk and fair
ly sobbed. L
"I'll write and ask her to go with
me to the opera tomorrow night
any way, and then, perhaps" /
He dared think no further. |
"My dear-no, that will never
do-was ever mortal SO perplexed
as I am? 1 wish the girls were at
the bottom of the sea and Eve had
never been created. Well, I'll begin
again" |
This time he was successful. His
note was short enough, and some
young ladies might take umbrage
at such an invitation, but Clarice
knew his bashfulness. It read as
follows, and was not dated at all:
"Will you be kind enough to hon
or me by the acceptance Of my es-
cort to the opera tomorrow eve.
ning?"
And that was all, beside the sigma
ture.
swell, there" said Charlie, as he
got it done, II promised Sister Min
ME to write to her this week, SO
will do it now, while my hand is in"
And tossing the. note aside, he
soon began his letter:
g SISTER MIN: (it ready Yours of
the 18th came to hand, and l had
meant to answer it before. The
fact is, I am deep in love with a
young lady, Clarice Wilmer, of
whom you have heard me speak,
and I'm afraid she won't return it.
You know I am so confounded
bashful 1 daren't speak a word to
her about it, and neither can l write.
Sometimes 1 think have got the
necessary courage, but when meet
her it vanishes like dew before the
sun, and I'm a bigger fool than ever.
1 know she thinks that I'm fool,
but / can't help it'd rather face
battery of mitrailleuses or any other
engine of destruction, than pretty
woman any time, and Clarice is the
fairest. sweetest, and most beautiful
young lady l ever saw.
Here followed three whole pages
of lovers rhapsody, interspersed
with wailings of despair, and then
the letter wound up thus:
"rve asked her to the opera to-
night, and if she goes, it's
possible that 1 may learn my fate"
"Thrcc O'Clock! can it be pos
sible?" cried Charlie, glancing at
tho clocl, ond stufIinp hia lattara in !