The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-10-02

1-well, Pm twenty -nine,' said
Araminta, hesitatingly.
sWhew = said Job, 4 thought you
were as old as mother
You'd better be running home
said the spinster with some acerbity.
Maybe you're wanted
Goodbye = said JOB. you haint
opened your letter yet
No. said Araminta, Il don't know
as I shall. l suppose its full of non-
sense
'Wont you lemme see it p
perhaps so when you come again.
AT last Job went, much to the re.
lief of the long suffering woman, and
then Araminta opened her letter.
1t read as follows:
My DEAREST Miss ARAMINTA -
81 write to say what 1 have not the
courage to say in words-that your many
attractions both of person and mind have
| awakened the tender sentiment of love
within my breast If you can reciprocate
| my feelings, please meet me beneath the
| old oak tree, and oblige,
AN ARDENT ADMIRER."
Miss Araminta's cheeks gently
suffused as she read these lines over
and over again.
'What beautiful letter, she mur-
INJURED. sAnd to think it was sent to
me. Who could have written it?'
After considerable reflection, she
decided that it must have been writ
ten by James Malcolm, senior from
Dartmouth, who was teaching the
winter school. There was sno one
else in the village, she thought,
capable of such an effort. True,
Malcolm, though old to be in college,
twenty-five, was nearly fifteen years
younger than herself. But love
knows no distinction of age, and
Miss Araminta jumped to the con-
clusion that he had fallen in love
with her, and had availed himself OF
this way to declare himself.
'The old oak tree,' she reflected,
shat must be the tree in the pasture
behind the school.house; l suppose
he goes across that way to Deacon
Pinkham's where he boards. Yes,
see it all now. II wonder wheth-
er it's proper for me to meet him.
Miss Araminta did not consider
long. Her scruples were easily
silenced by her inclination. She
determined to meet him that very
afternoon. 1t would be the best
plan to be under the tree just before
the afternoon school was out. Then
Mr.. Malcolm could join her on the
way home.
Her resolution finally taken, the
remaining hours Jagged slowly. She
was too excited to fix her mind on
any employment. But towards the
close of the afternoon, she dressed
herself in her best and with fut-
tering heart, betook herself across
the field to the supposed rendez.
Vous.
1t was cold day. A searching
wind swept over the bleak field, and
made her progress difficult and un-
com Portable. The snow was two
feet deep and crusted over, so as to
bear with ease, heavier weights than
that of the attenuated old maid.
When Miss Araminta reached the
oak tree it was just four o'clock.
The school did not close till half
past four, but she was nervously
afraid of being too late. Too late,
and this might be her last chance.
She leaned against the tree and
tried to keep from shivering. But
the wind found her out, and rudely
wrenched away her green vail,
which forthwith scudded along on
the surface of the snow. Miss Ara
minta gave chase, but in vain. So,
with a face blue with cold, and a
nose whose natural tendency to red
ness was unfortunately aggravated
by the FROST she returned to the tree.
But the wind and the cold would not
let her alone.
20, how cold it is = she said, with
ner teeth fairly chattering. I'll
wish Mr.. Malcolm had appointed
some other place. I'm most froze.'
Yes, it certainly was strange taste
to select that bleak hill side for the
meeting of lovers. Even the warmth
of her affection could not keep Miss
Araminta comfortable, and the time
passed away very slowly. She stood
still as long as she could, but was
finally obliged to walk about little
to keep from actually freezing.
Anon she cast impatient glances at
the chool-house, hoping she might
see the scholars dispensing. Time,
however slowly it passes, does pass,
after a while, and the half hour at
length wore away. But Mr.. Nal
colin did not appear. How could
Miss Araminta know that he was
keeping stupid scholar after
school.
Ten-fifteen minutes more passed,
and, at last, when, in her misery and
discomfort, she had nearly resolved
to give up her last chance and 90
home to remain a spinster ever after,
she saw the figure of the young
teacher, as he emerged from the
school house, and leaping the stone
wall, advanced toward her. But his
eyes were on the snow, and he did
not appear to see her.
Doesn't he see me p thought Ara.
minta, 'or is it because he is 80 bash
ful p
She judged it to be the latter, and
decided to encourage him if he need
ed it.
'When Malcolm came within q
few feet of the tree, and Miss Ara
minta stepping from behind it, con.
fronted him, he stared at her with
unqualified astonishment.
you here, Miss Peabody 7 he ex
claimed.
Yes, Mr.. Malcolm she said. q
IL thought I'd better come, although
it was cold day.
1T was very cold for lady to be
out. You look most frozen. You
surely have not been stopping under
this tree.'
Now dwelling upon any particula,
idea, is apt to produce convictioE
of its truth, and Miss Araminta, who
had at first only conjeotured that tn.
writer Of the letter was Mr.. Nal
colin, who, she thought, was tn,
only one who could write so beauti
fully, had gradually persuaded her
self that there was no doubt abou
| it.
He's sorry he exposed me to tn,
weather. she thought, and SO spoke