The Van Buren press., 1873-04-15
MISCELLANY.
A Kiss in the Dark
BY HOWARD GLYNDOS.

ME = The person who asked TINS ques
uon-a tall, muscular, good looking
young farmer-was leaning upon Squire
Moores front gate talking to the Squire I
pretty daughter. who stood inside Of 1t
A. The simple words passed his lips he
redeemed suddenl, on the verv roots o'
his fair hair as if no had just been guilty
OF some great improperly.
He was bashful, eXtremcl, bashful, was
David Winthrop, at least in the presence
of young ladies', most OF all in the pres
ence of the Girl he loved. No young
nan in all Wilkes county owned better
| kept farm, or talked with more confidence
among his cronies of stock and crops and
such like But the sight ef a pretty foot
or face coming his way affected him
quecrly On such occasions he never
knew what to do with his hands and eyes,
and seemed always to feel like screwIng
himself into the nearest mouse hole until
tho danger-lhat is to say, the young la
dv-was past.
This state Of things being considered,
no one ever understood how he contriv
ed 20 muster up courage enough to en-
tighten Annie Moore on the subject OF
this preference for herself The matter
probably remains to this day rs much a
mystery to him as it is to Others.
Miss Annie, however, had a fair share
Of tact aud womanly cleverncss slowed
safely away somewhere in the recesses Of
her pretty little head. although it was
carried jauntily upon the inexperienced
and rounded shoulders Of fresh eighteen.
She did not need to he reminded that
David was worth, in worldly way much
more than any of her other suffers, and
tnat he was good looking, good hearted
and intelligent enough tn satisfy any but
an ov.r-lastidious person Of her class.
He was unexceptionable, in short. barring
his unconQuerahle and excessive bashful-
ness, which, indeed. was a never failing
source Of merrment to the young people
f.thor circle
And So, when David in his awkward
laundering. half frightened manner began
shvly to exhibit his preference for her in
various little WAYS. such as waiting OH
her to and from singing school. consti.
tuIing himself her escort when she
went SUNDAYS on horseback to the lonely
little church in the woods, and singing
her out as the recipient Of whatever at
tentions he could find the nerve to pay,
at the frequent quilting parties in the
neighborhood Annie did not frghten
him out Of his budding passion by any
show. either bv surprise or marked pref
erence, but took it all in the easiest,
pieasantest, most unconscious manner
possible Tbs girls Uttered and nudged
each Others elbows. and the young men
cracked furtivc jokes at the expense of
her timid suitor, but she stood up for
him like real kind hearted independent
Western lass. rs she was, and tried to en-
courage him out Of his shyness as far rs
she consistently could.
She never seemed 10 notice any OF his
uniortusate blunders, and very lik "
helped him .long considerably when his
feelings reached the eliminating point,
one moon lighted autumn evening as
they were walking home together from a
corn husking.
That had been just one week ago. Annie
had said Ives, and had agreed to take
the responsibility Of bringing father and
mother around on the subject David
had not been t. the house since Prob
ally he felt very much like a dog who
fears to venture upon the premises of a
person whose sheep f,ld he has Just
plundered, Thus it happened that as
yet the powers that were knew nothing
of the moncntous secret which they kept
between themselves, fearing TO dlvulge.
And now Annie, who wished to put of
the ordeal OF avowal as long as possible
at any rate to gain time for one moro
confidential talk with David on the sub
ject--said hastily in reply to that STAN
mered query Of his with which We have
prefacsd this narration:
Mother il goisg over to Aunt Ruth =
with father TO spend the evening. and she
wants M to go. too, but guess | won't
We been working on fathers new shirts
all day, besides doing the dairy work yes
terday, aud Pm about tired out.
Then she added before he could reply ::
Don't como until eight O'Clock; |
shall he about through putting things to
rights by that time. "
OF course David was not too ohtusc to
know that he was specially favored by
this arrangement. and he so far forgot
his bashfulness as to petition awkwardly
for parting kiss. which wa, at once re
fused in the most inexorable manner pos
siblc.
No, you shant! There now! Do
take yourself of, will you? Dye think
| didn't see your fdgeting around En-
Smith at Deacon Anderson's sociable last
night? Tvenot forgotteu that. sir J!
"Oh. now, Annie Just one
But further appeal was broken of by
q tantalizing little laugh. and when, rem
dercd desperate by this, he tried to re
vsngs himself, at the very moment when
he thought he was sure Of the coveted
II. L = l. Al. A. Al