Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-12-26

SITTING IT WITH HER.-She wa expect
ing him Sunday night; the parlor curtains
were down, the old folks notified that it
was healthy to 20 to bed at eight O'Clock,
and johnny bribed with cent TO permit
himself to be tucked away at sundown. lie
sneaked up the path, one eye on the dog and
the other watching for the "old man, who
didn't like him any too well, gave faint
knock at the door, and it was opened, and
he was escorted into the parlor. He said he
couldn't stay bat minute, though he
didn't mean TO 20 home for hours. She
wanted to know how his mother was If his
father had returned from York State; If his
brother Bill's rheumatism was any better
and he went over and sat down on the sofa
So as not to strain his voice. Then conver-
sation tagged, and he played with his hat
and she nibblel at the sofa tidy. He final
" said it was a beautiful evening, and She
replied that her grandfather predicted
sn0w-storm. He said he guessed it wouldn't
snow as the moon wasn't crooked enough 10
hang a powder horn on the end, and she
said she couldn't believe it would, either.
This mutual understanding seemed to give
each other courage, and he wanted 10 know
if she had seen Bill Jones lately. She
hadn't, she said. and she didn't want 10
Then they went to talking about the donation
visit which was to be given Elder Berry, and
he carclessly dropped his hand on hers-his
right hand, while his left arm sneaked along
the sofa to get behind her shoulders. She
pretended not to notice it, and he looked
down at his boots, and wanted to know if
she thought mutton tallow rotted ont boots
faster than lard and lampback. She
L. I.,t ha ta1 ~, it1aa that II
did He had lust commenced to lock fingers
with her. when she discovered something
allied the lamp. She rose up. and turned
the light down half, making the room look
dim. 1t took him five minutes to get hold
her fingers again, and she pretended to want
to draw her hand away all the time After
a long pause, he lowered his voice 10 a
whisper, and said he didn't see what made
folks love each other. She bit her handker-
chief and admitted her ignorance. He said
that he could name dozen young men who
were going to get married right away, and
his left arm fell down and gave her hug.
Then he went over and looked out of the
window to make sure that it was or was not
going to snow, and, coming back, he turned
the light down a little more, and then sat
down and wanted to know if she didn' t want
to rest herself by leaning her head on ms
shoulder.
All, m. , We have all been there, and who
Of Us cared cent when the old clock struck
twelve, and We FIVE miles from home? The
Oldham was fast asleep, the watchdog gone
visiting, and the handsomest girl in the
county didn't see why we need be in
hurry.
Perhaps | shouldn't have written Of this,
but as was going by Saunders's the other
day, thinking of the night | heard him
whisper in her ear at spelling that
he'd love her very shadow as long as he
lived, he raised the window and called to
her, as she was picking up chips IN the
road
''Sae Saunders, come in here and find the
bars grease for my sore heel, or I'll break
every bone in your body 80