The Van Buren press., 1873-06-17
MISCELLANY.
Love on a Log.

Miss Becky Newton
We'll, sir3'
"Will you marry me|
mo. won't.
Very well; then don't, that's all, P"
Mr.. Fred Eckerson drew away his
chair, and putting his feet upon the piaz
"a, unfolded newspaper Miss Becky
Newton hit her lip and went On with her
sewing She wondered if that vas goias
to be the last Of it Size had felt this pro
posal coming for nearly month, BIT the
scene she had anticipated was not at al
like this. She had Intended to refuse
him, but it WAS TO be done gracefully.
She was to remain firm, Notwithstanding
his most eager entreatles. She was to
have told him that, though respecting his
manly worth aud upright character, she
could never be to him more than an ap
preciative and earnest friend She had
intended to shed few tears, perhaps, as
he knelt writhing in An agony of suppl
cation at her feet. But instead, he had
asked her the simple question, without
any rhetorical Embellishments, and on be
ing answered, had plunged at once into
his newspaper, as though he had merely
inquired the time of day. She could
have cried with vexation.
"You will never have better chance,
he continued after pause as he deliber-
ately turned over the sheet 20 find the
latest telsgraphic reports.
A better chance for what p she ask
ed shortly
"A better skance, to marry young,
good looking man, whose gallaatry to
the sex is only exceeded by his bravery
in their defense Fred was quoting
from his newspapers, but Miss Newton
did not know it.
"And whose egotism is cnly exceed
ed by his impudcnce, retorted the lady
sarcastically.
Before long continued Fred. you
will be out of the market Your chances
you know, are getting simmer every
day
"Sir?'
"It won't be great while before you
are ineligible, You will grow old, wrink-
led and
"Such rudeness to lady, sir, is mon
strous, exclaimed Miss Newton, rising
hastily, and flushing to the temples.
I'm give you final opportunity, Miss
Becky VIII yea mar"
"Not if you were tie King of Eng
land, interrupted Miss Newton, throw
ing down her work " am not accus-
toned to such insults, sir, v
And so saying, she passed iuto the
house and slammed the doGr behind her.
She never is SO handsome as when
she is in rage, thought Fred to him
self, after she had gone, a, he slow ly
folded up his paper and replaced it IN his
pocket " WAS fool to goad her 80,
but III have her. he exclaimed aloud
" BY heaven, I'll have her cost what il
may.
Very different was the Fred Eckcrson
Of the present. pacing pcrNously up aud
down tho piazzs, from the Fred Eckerson
Of few moments ago, receiving his DIS
mssal from the woman he loved with
such mperturbabia exterior, for he loved
Becky Newton with all his heart. The
real difficulty in she way, as he more than
half suspected, was not so much with
himself ~ in his pocket Becky Newton
h al an nsupersbie objection to an empty
wallet. The daughter - a wealth Lou
isiana planter, reared in luxury, and the
recipient Of weekly allowance Of pin
money sufficient to pay Fred's bills for a
whole month, she had no immediate idea
Of changing her situation for one or less
comfort and Independence. Besides, 1t
bad been intmated to her that neigh
boring planter Of unusually aristocrats
lineage lad looked upon her with covet-
Gus eye To be sure, he was old and uS-
". bat he was rich, and in her present
state mind Miss Becky New
ton did not desire to allow such chance
of becoming wealthy widow to slip by
uAmpr"ved.
But alas for human nature. If Becky
was really so indifferent TO Fred Ecker
son, why did she run up stairs after that
interview, and take the starch all out or
her nice, clean pillow shams by crying
herself into Mysteries on the bed! 1t
was not all wrath, not all vexntlon, not
all pique There was something deep
down in Becky Newton's heart feeling
very much akin to renlorse She was
not sure that she would not one day be
sorry for what she had done. She had
no doubt she could be very happy as
Fred Eckerson' wife, after all.
"But then," she cried, growing hot
with the recollection, he was so rude
and insulting! ! never could live with
such = man--nevcr.'
When Fred Ecksrson had walked of
some Of his feelings on the piazza he con
.ludcd to take a look at the river. The
which flowed within five hun
ired yards Of the house, was at that time
nearly at the height ofits annual spring
,ise. Its turbid waters flowed swiftly
seward the sea, had nearly filed the
banks, and in many places had broken
through the levels and had Hooded the
ovlands for many miles A crevicc Of
his description had been made in the
further band, nearly opposite the house
and the windows Of the Newton mansion
commanded view of a vast and glitter
ing sea net laid down in the maps, The
main current Of the stream bore upon It's
coffee colored bosom an enormous mas
of 1oating timber, which was dashed
slong in tho boilip. food, rendering nav.
igation wholly impossible The waters
were still rising, and the frequent crash
o. far and near told Of the undermining