Smyrna times., 1872-12-25
.MiSceIIU ID e o IL s.
Story of a Courtship.

''Come! come !" said Mrs Gray. "You
have been moping there long enough, nephew
forgetting manners and everything else.
Here are the apples waiting and no one to |
hand them around; for, when [ once get settled |
in an easy chair here the good woman gave |
Il smiling survey of her ample person, which |
certainly OveIhowed the chair at every point, |
leaving the back and curving arms quite in
visible--''it isn't very easy thing to get up
again. Now hustle about and while we old
women rest ourselves, you and Julia, there,
can try your luck with the apple seeds. | re-
member the first time ever surmised that Mr..
Gray had taken notion to me was once when
we were on an apple cutting together down in
Maine. Somehow MIR. Gray had got in my
neighborhood when we ranged around the great
basket of apples 1 felt my cheeks burn the
moment he drew his seat SO close to mine and
took out his jack-knlfe to begin work. he
pared and quartered. L never looked up but
once. Then his cheek was redder than mine,
and he held the jack-knife terribly unsteady.
! By-and-by he got noble, great apple, yellow
as gold and smooth as baby's cheek. | was
looking at his hand sideways from under my
eyelashes, and saw that he was pairing it care
fully, as if every round of the skin was a strip
of gold. At last he cut it off at the seed end
and the soft rings fell down over his wrist as
took the apple from his fingers Now, said he
in a whisper, bending his head little, and Iais-
ing the apple-peel carefully with his right hand,
i am as sure this will be the first letter of the
name of the girl love as | am that we are alive!
He began swiftly whirling the apple peel around
his head The company were all busy with one
another, and | was the only person who saw
the yellow links quivering around his head
once. twice, three times. Then he held it still
a moment and sat looking right into my eyes
[ held my breath, and so did he. 'NOw!' said
. he. and his words came out with a culver
What if it should be your manner did moi
answer, and we both looked back at the same
time. Sure enough!-it was the letter S. NJ
pen ever made Que more beautiful Just as
( expected says he, and his eyes grew bright a
/ damonds-just as l expected That was al
II he said. +"
E "And what answer did you make him
i aunt?" asked Robert Otis, who had beel
n listening with flushed face. "What did you
2 say?"
i fast as | could. AS for Mr.. Gray, he KEEP
d pairing like all possessed | thought he woul
a never stop pairing or speak word more. by
,s and-by he stuck the point of his knife into a
a. a. apple, and, unwinding the skin from it, handle
'h it to me. Il shouldn't bit wonder if tha
as dropped into letter g., says Mr.. Gray
q Suppose you try it?' Well, | took the re
be apple-skin and whirled it three times aroun
"' my head, and down 1t went on the floor, curle
ny up into the incest capital G that you ever St
OF Of your eyes on Mr. Gray he looked at the lie
1T; s; ter, and then sort of sideways into my fac
as IS G., says he, taking up the apple skin al
eating it asif it had been the first mouthful OF
ny ny Thanksgiving dinner. How would you iii
m to see them two letters on a bran-new set
me silver teaspoons? really believe you cou
IT, have lit candle in my face, it burnt SO; but
iss94 s9 couldn't speak no more than if I'd been bo
by tongue tied" +"
5St 6St "But did you never answer about Il
: is spoons asked Julia.
o1s "Well yes! believe did the next Sund
P6f 1Sf night" said the old lady demurely, smooth
on her apron.