The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1872-09-07
ADASnFUl YOUTH.
AaA 8sv "J6a.esr Drsusht Him - ~
PropoGinG pOiat.

a correspondent Of the Cleveland Iieva,
from Ashiabula. Ohio. tells the following
story:
On = farm, not muny miles from Asl.ta
bu!a, there resided. until recently. . brown
haired. blue eyed, fair c'mplexioncd, buxon
country maiden, who would have been hap
py Is the day is long. but for the fact tina
Josial, -, u bashful country lad. tn
owner Of large farm and little n.ustachc
the admiration Ut the girls AMI the envy Oi
the boys for miles around, had been pcrsis
tenily courting her ut the patcrnal mansion
for two years, bu, could never bc brought
10 propose. Yet Josh wanted 1.-The girl u.
bad, II not worse, than the girl wanted
him; he was always on the point of ssy
ms something, but never yet had II got "a
the exlectnnt listeners car.
AT length, nj the end of two years, Mary
Ann got 30 excited over it thst she could
hardly wipe her mothers dishes, while JOSH
would stop and lean upon his hoe in the
corn field. and think 10 himself, "Why an
l such born fuoly really think shc,
have me IL had only gumption enough to
ask her."
With this he determined 10 take her Ia
ride that very day. and have settlement,
once for all. At first Lc thought hc would
hire livery rig, and go in style, hut the ex.
pensc deferred him. ''Darncd, If dads shay
and our nag won't do she needn't hayc nc. u
So said Josh, a. he threw down his hoe. put
on his coat. and started to the house to
hitch up old Nancy" and get his sweet.
heart. The chase, which had done service
for many centuries, was drawn out, and
Josiah, arranged in rutiicd shirt. front.
scarlet necktie, dark blue vest. und
white linen pants. with swallow tailed coat
and s:ovc.pipc hat, the colorcd mustachc
displayed to the best advantage. stepped in
behind the fiery s,cerl. and drove for bis
dulcinca.
Sic seemed coquc,t;sll about ''going out
IN the hot sun with man she was not en-.
gagged to, even If he lad gone with her 30
long," but she was persuaded, and JOSH
helped her into the ''shsy." Without word
of conversation between them, the first mile
was passed, Mary Ann sat in one corner Of
the vehicle blushing, rcd rs a pcony, while
Josiah was hesitating whether to pop the
question now or wait while A second
half mile was passed, and still silence reign.
cd. broken only occasionally by the crack
Of Josia'''s whip against "Nancy's" lean
sides. They now entered forest bordering
on JOsiah's domain. and out of the sunlight
Josiah grew holder. lie began Ia talk about
his crops, and another mile was passed, still
he could not muster up sufficient courage
To say the word which must decide his
fate.
For two long and weary years the lsssic
had also waited and watched for the ques.
ton, and now ''Barkis was willin'. wet un.
able tO ask her. OutwardIy silent, but in.
wardly fret.ing and fuming, this queen Of
country da,nsels sat revolving in her mind
how she could bring matters to crisis.
AT length as the horse stopped for an in.
stant on the brow of the hill to nibblc bit
Of grass, she be,hougl't herself Of plan
she begged her lover to 90 10 . farm house
not far distant and bring her cup Of cold
water. Then the sly creature kept watch
until he was half way back to the carriage
with the cup, and partially hidden from
view Ivy grove Of trees, when she seized
the whip aud punched it into the horses
ribs with such force as almost to cause
them to crack. Nancy" gave a spring for.
ward and rushed madly down the hill, Josh
hastily dropping his cup of water and flying
in hot pursuit At length he reached them
after hard run, the shay lay broken and
overturned in the middle of the road, the
horse was quietly brow sing the grass near
BY. while Mary Ann. her face Us pale rs
marble, and her bcautifm! white dress soilcd
with dust, lny apparently inscnsiblc short
distance off. Josiahs attempts 10 raise her
were Of no avail until, becoming thoroughly
frightened, be began 70 cover her cheeks
with iDpassioncd kisses, calling upon her
to live for him. Then, and not till then,
did the beautiful thing dcign to open her
eyes, when, with tears gushing forth,
she said ''Ob, Josh ii you'd only said
It Asore. this never would have happened"