The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1872-01-27

all the blood in my body appeared to retreat into
my left foot as solemn p otest against farther
advance. All, thought /, silly fool, irampng
upon the sharp edges OF unhappy venture
transixing yourself upon The Jagged front of rug
ged fate, thrusting yourself into a tempest of
thorns.
By some happy chance, however, got safely
into the room, no one was there Chat was a
comfort,) took a seat, surveyed the scene, was
gradually toned up, cooled off. made new
speech mentally, assumed considerable courage
and had got nearly far enough to be looking
daggers when the door opened and in foated a
cloud of canvass, Tor rather cambric.) | just
saw enough to know it was ''the sister.
Thank Heaven felt, rose, bowed, incoherently
passed the first salutations and presented the
bouquet. In five minutes sweet, good girl had
made me quite at home and easy, and again the
poor, melted mass of me- gathering form, was
being resolved from atomless distractions into
the concretion of my own sensible self.
have often thought since that if my heroine
bad herself come in first, the result would have
been ''result 6nal.' She would no doubt have
asked my friend that same afternoon why he had
brought an idiot there, and if this had happened
in my hearing, would not have resented it.
suppose | would herocally and Immediately
have thrown myself into her fathers mill race,
that flowed so calmly within sight Of the parlor
window. True, this would hardly have forward,
ed my suit especially if having gone down,
sbpu,x rot have come up again. Still it would
/ hsge been quite as sensible many things that
| have occurred before and will occur again.
| At the proper moment Miss Fannie came in,
| very modest, very shy, and under her governess'
wing Some little sense of manhood Il was not
quite q must have returned (there is misty
dimness at this STACEY for although can not de-
tail accurately what followed, felt as left, the
visit had been an agreeable one The old folks
were pleasant, Il had not progressed sufficiently
TO wish them up stairs) the young ones entertain
ing and friendly, Miss Fannie charming, perfect.
And as mounted my steed that night to ride
back, felt ''first sight so often wrong was this
time right, AS we spurred away under the trees
and down the lane, as the lights in the windows
one by one fell out OF line and disappeared, vows
upon vows, thick the hairs upon my horse,
vows of truest allegiance and undying constancy
went back, and at the turn Of the road my loyal
ty perfected, felt my heart, no longer my own
had passed TO sweet keeper (?) prayed her to
have hold and cherish it. As now know, a
very sincere friendship then began which she
was ready to share equally with me. and much
better looking man who also dropped inn the
same afternoon did and on the same Grand His
course however was short and brief Tor appear
ing soon after at camp meeting in the neighbor
hood Slightly off, he soon had goodbye said
to him Would to Heaven my love had been as
true as her friendship. Bitter tears, merciless
upbraidings OF conscience, sad hours, weary,
weary months-out why anticipate?
| now crammed full of ambition, |
planted my flagstaff, ran up my colors, white
pennon, with "Fanne" inscribed in blue, and
border of deep red. The white typi6ed the
peerless purity of my good angel, the blue was
the boast of my constancy, and the red bore
the double significance that the question with
me was of life or death, warming to all rivals
to stand aside or invite an inevitable catastro-
phe, probably an immediate mmolation.
Commerce & Co. were charmed with their
indefatgabe clerk, the item of "ways and
means" presented itself in force. l fanced
how had hold of the great sword of noble
destiny, and l hewed right and left Early
dawn saw me hard at work-no incoming for
me-and ever body had left the office before
gave hint of closing up. When banged the
big safe door, ratified the key with relish, the
echo was but the fufillment in advance of my
good hopes, and as deliberately strobe up the
street, the lamposts were but the milestones on
the great highway of my good fortune, short
distance beyond, in which was the eminence
browning my desires. There on the forest crest
reposed the lovers cottage, already wreathed in
jasmineslnd roses, in which this happiest pair
nestled ike pair Of cooling turtle doves-all
sunshine leftits impress, my sweetheart gather
ed it as it fell, and kept it for me.
The junior partner of our concern was man
much more given to facts than fancy. He may
not have been all brass, but if he were not the
uGilGI pa. vas iron. / never discovered any
thing in him of the nature of ''soft spot" that
is below his cravat-he was born bachelor
and so he died-peace to his ashes. Coming
upon me, one day, rather suddenly and at a
moment when an overpowering reverie had
seized me, he appeared rather puzzled at the
air of rapt devotion, or stolid timedness that
held me and not correctly interpreting the
signs (belng stranger to them personality he
ascribed my condition to some internal or do
nestle affection, and under this diagnosis sug-
gested that a couple of fingers of brandy if
taken hot enough, or an extra effort might be
of service. On one occasion worse than all, l
placed on the desk of our senior, document
that half drew him out of his grand reserve,
and got out of him, looking over his fine gold
specs with liftingof the eyebrows, the remark
"Odd" which by the way nearly threw me
into spasms, for the senior of Commerce & Co.
was "heavy" in large sense and took care to
impress this idea on all over whom he was in
authority. do not presume to have fathomed
this great merchants mind with my poor 90
year line, but half thought nothing but the
remembrance of his mother could have pre-
vented him from coming over to my desk and
examining my head. Any conclusion he
would have reached would have been perfectly
satisfactory to him. To return to facts, however,
l took the document which, displayed in my
best style, read Invoice drugs, wooden ware,
Goldfish, groceries, &C., shipped on board the
brig Fannie Tross, Capt. Fannie Tross, bound
for the Mosquito coast and conveyed to Fannie
Tross, Esq. Supercargo on board for sale on ac-
count and risk of the undersigned" Then fol-
lowed the usual details, and the conclusion
handsomely done up, thus:
Commerce & Co., for Fanny Tross.
The utter inadequacy of language is the sole
comment have to offer in this very humila-
ting episode. | may say, however, that every
scrap Of paper bearing the fated name was
suggestive of a congestive chill, and Tor long
time if presumed to flourish even the cherish
ed initials of my heroine, great blot was sure
to bsthe in oblivion the etchngs ofmy fevered
fancy. But for all this, old Mr.. Commerce
hasn't quite forgotten he was once boy and
had built castles, and I noticed not long after,
when he handed me an invoice for restatement,
almost joke twnkled in one of his eyes, or in
corner thereof, if it did not linger, it told me
my offence was not absolutely objectionable,
and Heaven help US in our fuctuating fortunes,
the time came when in the privacy of proud
mans agony, tears dimmed the same grey eyes,
as they looked for counsel and sympathy into
younger and warmer ones. Let us Judge our
fellows gently. This same man, to the world,
cold, hard, eager showed only the crust with
which the cares of this world and the deceitful-
ness of riches had cankered over a better ma
ture and when the time of sweeping disaster
and failing faith came, he stood to the storm
nobly, brave and honorable, he fought the gale
gallantly--sacrifced and notwithstanding
nothing sdaa' a honor, aud when the last
whirl of <ssest of trial shouting too soon
its TRUMP : Il almost swept him into its
bottomless @ss, rose, and projected by the
effort into smoother waters, swan safely, dis
masted and rudely torn and wounded and hurt
indeed but with hull sound and colors un-
furnished. Having rendered due honor to Mr..
Commerce, let US say exit to him and return to
that more attractive parsonage, our heroine,
who, all unconscious of a devoted allegiance,
choking to make itself known, ate slept and
gamboled as usual, pleased to see me when |
came, ever friendly though rather shy, but in
no degree giving hint she was consuming
with reciprocal fire. This at first was rather
puzzilng to me, for l rather expected certain
measure of perturbation, at my approach, but
as she never looked particularly sideways nor
down the floor, | invested her with new
charms, and in the chaplet OF brilliants, had
wreathed for her brow, | now added the sober
pearl of prudence and the chrystal d mond of
intellectual strength. These virtues argued,
both positive and admirable, but completed a
character, the symmetry and perfection of
which left nothing to be desired. In time l
saw my lady in natural colors, ifnow and again,
in response to some compliment or intimation,
little diffident blush would come, it would
come to any coy maiden, my zeal multiplied
the insinuation thousand fold, and the whole
armament of nv homes and aspirations would