Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-02-09

Eunice Mayhem stood before him. She
had thrown an old cloak of red and black
| plaid around her, and pulled the hood
| about her rosy face. There was q pretty
! petulance and sauciness in her air, which
stopped just this side of pertness, and was
very alluring.
"What, you here, Gilbertp said she,
| with most delighted air of surprise,
sitting all alone, on three-legged stool,
and glowering like on owl In an ivy
BUSH"
az generally am here" returned Gil
bert; "but what has brought you here,
Miss Mahcw?' and his voice caught oh
lump in his throat.
81 am here, Mr.. Freeman" an she
saucily emphasized the Mr., ito hunt
hens nests know it is llttle-late, and
hens don't lay this time of year, and / can
never find their nests when they do lay;
but, you ooe, I want the eggs to make
pound cake and Washington pie with
early in the morning, for Jane Forests
surprise party"
"Ohr' stammered Gilbert. He could
think of nothing else to say, and so let
his eyes drop on the floor. Eunice did
not appear to be in any very great hurry
about the eggs, for she seated herself
composedly on a bag of oats quite near
where Gilbert was sitting, and wrapped
the old plaid cloak about her. Her pic
turesque face never looked so irresistible
and roguish as within the puckered edge
of that old hood The tip of her tidy
shoe peered out from under the skirt of
her dress, and her little white hands were
Just visible where they lay folded in her
lap. She looked as if She had all day be.
fore her, and was ready for good talk.
Now, Gilbert, if you'll stop Missing,
I will stop Mistering," said Eunice. ~
just want to know if you mean to go to
James surprise party"
&C. No | don't" returned Gilbert, curt
" Veil, that's fat" broke out the young
| lady, tapping her little foot impatiently
| " But t is Just exactly what | expected.
And plav, why should you stay here look
! ing like hearse when other people are
enjoying themselves ?"
| II don't care for such things very
much, and what is the use l haven't got
any folks. There is no one who minds
whether go or stay"
! "Oh, | suppose you mean sisters?' said
Eunice
Yes" blurted out Gilbert, feeling that
he was telling the largest kind of whop-
/ per L mean sisters, of course"
]
/ ters to go about with one" returned
/ Eunice-"o of course it is, but that is no
reason for shutting yourself up and look
/ ing as solemn as the grave. | haven't
any brothers, but suppose should shut
myself up and NOPE while the young
( folks are going about on husking bees,
and quilting parties and sleigh rides
would that be sensible 3? If you haven't
sister of your own to go with, you
must console yourself with the sister
of somebody else. | never before heard
of young man who wanted to leave
this world on account of sisters that
were never born. Young men are not
apt to be too attentive to those they are
actually blessed with"
Il wasn't thinking of sisters only"
said Gilbert, feeling rather sheepish and
turning his face away "but | am alone
in the world have no folks of my own.
If there is no one to take a particular in
terest In us, we lose heart in things"
Gilbert stammered, and Eunice caught
him up in her sprghtly fashion: 80 you
/ sit here in sackclOth and ashes because
you haven't got folks. You are mourn
ing, | suppose, for your great-grandmoth
or, who died of dgadness seventy years
ago If you haven't got folks why don't
you adopt some-my folks, for instance.
There isn't any sense in your trying to
make out that you are lonely and desc
late"
1 "a man wants his own folks returned
/ Gilbert rather stitfly; "but | haven't said
/ what | have because | wish to be pitied."
"Oh l shan't pity you, returned Eunice,
with a little toss of her curly head. II am
not in the habit of plying people just be-
/ cause they are obstinate and unreasOna-
3 p1 to Harl
[ aAd | really must go and look for those
hens nests Only will say, Gilbert Free
man, think you have acted in a most
ungrateful manner Here poor father has
/ been laid up all the season with rheuma-
! tism, and has put the whole of his bust
ness in your hands. He thinks there
never was another such a man made. He
would trust you with uncounted gold /;
and mother, soft-hearted little woman,
could not love you better if you were her
own son. And now, in spite of all of it,
you go on croaking as if nobody took any
interest in you, and it does not matter
whether you live or die. call it base in
gratitude"
80 do l." put in Gilbert, humbly.
"Why do you agree with me?" retorted
Eunice. "DO you wish to eXasperate me
still mOre?"
D.,
abiectness almost pitiful because he was
such a big, strong fellow. Il only want,
ed to hear you scold. would rather hear
you scold than the sweetest music that
ever was made"
H 1t was growing deep dusk, now; but
Gilbert could see that Eunice flushed
What nonsense" said she, jumping
up from the bag Of oats and then she
gave little forced laugh, and stood first
on one foot and then on the other, like d
nervous bobolink, and added, with an en-
chanting innocence, "Really, it is get
ting quite dark and must go and hum
those hens nests"
Let the hens set to night, Eunice,
said Gilbert, and he, too, got up and took
hold of the side of the bin, as if HI
wanted support.
"Will Milton Spencer be at the sur
prise party?' he inquired, abruptly chang
ing the subject, and making positive ef
fort to ask the question.
"Of course he will, said Eunice ami
I matedly. "A party would be no party a
all without Milton, He is the life of every
company, and the most agreeable young
; man in the village. The girls are quit,
wild about him, l assure you. And thel
he is so well educated, and has read 81
much, and can recite Latin poetry, thougl
? | don't see what's the good of it. o
course we admire all those rigmaroles il
foreign and dead languages we don't un
derstand a word Of When Milton look
at me with those nice brown eyes, an,
: says, Miss Eunice, how tempus doe
S fugit, it is beautiful, Besides, he know
I all the college Jokes and songs, and h
{ has no near connection, l believe. II
was brought up by my uncle; but he don
S think it necessary TO go off alone by him
Y self, and croak like crow in the top of
< inc tree. He circulates around anon
( folks, and people like him. If yo
/ want to make friends you must shON
e yourself friendly"
j 1t is just possible Eunice knew eacl
] nnn of hnr runrl . in lnrni go of Milton Gnnr