The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-04-18
A BashfuI Mans Troubles.
ssHANG it all, what can poor fel-
III low do 2"

never could have told whether he was
standing on his feet or on his head
Just now his feeling was immensely ag-
grava;ed by the fact that he was over
head and ears in love with Clareuce Will
mer. H tN'.H.h .'.'
40, dear, wish | knew way to tell
my love, and not be there myself. Deuce
take the girls they bother you on pur-
pose, believe, and always manage so
your courage oozes out of your fingers
ends before you are ready to ask the fatal
question: ...t.
Why don't you writer
Write | shouldn't know word to
say; and then I'd never dare to look her
in the face again" a..
go, what a spoony Simply say you
love her, and ask her if she will make
you happy. Then face the music like a
man, and meet her next time as if moth
ing had happened-unless she answers
yes, and then of course you'll act as if
something had happened"
Charley groaned despairingly.
Easy enough for you to talk" he
muttered, obviously. "You who have
been married seven years-with me the
case is different l tell you, Tom, you
don't know anything about it,"
%" Faint heart ne'er won fair lady"
quoted Tom Ridgely, Indignantly, as he
arose to take his leave Seriously, how
ever, Charley, / advise you to put your
heart on paper, and forward it to Clarice
by post" .re-
Charley thought about it after he was
gone. The more he thought the better
pleased he was.
ats terrible, but suppose l must !" he
groaned seating himself at his writing
desk, and clutching wildly at paper pens
and ink.
An hour of torture. Charley began
dozen billet-doux and tore them up,
then wrote dozen more, and tore them
up also.
LIS utterly useless" he moaned at
last; and then the great BOBBY laid his
head upon the desk and fairly sobbed.
"I'll write and ask her to go to the
opera with me tomorrow night, any how,
and then, perhaps ,--" he dared to
think no further.
"My dear-no, that never'll do-was
ever mortal so perplexed as | am? l
wish the girls were all at the bottom of
the ocean, and Eve had never been cre-
ated 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 bashful-
ness. 1t read as follows, and was not da-
ted at all
"Will you be kind enough to honor
me by the acceptance Of my escort to
the opera tomorrow eve I"
And that was all beside the signature.
"Well, there" said Charley, as he got
it done, 81 promised sister Minnie |
would write to her this week, SO L will
do it now, while my hand is in" And
tossing the note one side, he soon began
his letter. ,. 4i "Hur.
"SIsTER MINE ."Gt ready /" Yours of the
18th came TO hand and have meant to an
swer it before. The fact is, am deep in
love with young lady-Clarice Wilmer, o.
whom you've heard speak, and am afraid
she don't return it. You know that I am
SO confounded bashful that daren't speal
word 20 her about it, and neither can
write. Sometimes think I've got the nee
essary courage, but when ] meet her il
vanishes like dew before the sun, and I'm
bigger fool than ever. know she thinks
I'm a fool, but can't help it'd rather
face battery of mitrailleuses, or any othel
engine of destruction, than pretty woman
any time, and Clarice is the fairest, sweet
est, and most beautiful young lady eve
saw"
Here followed three whole pages o
lovers rhapsody, interspersed with wall
ings of despair, and then the letter wounC
up thus:
"Ive asked her to the opera tomorrow
night, and if she goes tits possible that
may learn my fate"
T., 'ee oclock-can it be possibleY ?
cried Charley, glancing at the clock, AM
stufing his letters into two envelopes
which he backed in awful haste. "Th
mail goes out in half an hour. | shall b
late, as sure as fate"
And paying no heed to,the rhyme, ant
little to the letters, he grasped his ha
and started for the post-ofice
Clarice smiled her brightest whe
Charley called for her the next nigh,
he fancied there was mischief in he
eyes, which was not quite all fancy. A
the opera she talked between the scene
in such way that he was quite bewi
dered He did not learn his fate and a
ter he got home felt worse than ever
Next day he got a letter from his si