The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-03-14
M j s. G elIane OF s.
4 KISS IN THE DARK.

"Will you be at home tonight, Annie g.
The person who asked this question, tall,
muscular, good looking young farmer, was
leaning upon Squire Moorc's front gate
talking to the Squire's pretty daughter,
who stood inside of it. AS the simple
words passed his lips he redeemed sudden
ly to the very roots of his fair hair, as if he
had just been guilty of some great impro-
priety.
He was bashful-extremely bashful was
David Winthrop-at least in the presence
Of young ladies, most of all in the presence
of the girl he loved. No young man 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 of a pretty foot
or face coming his way affected him queer
ly. 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 the danger
that is to say. the young lady-was past.
This state of things being considered, no
one ever understood how he contrived to
muster up courage enough to enlighten
Annie Moore on the subject ofhis preference
for herself. The matter probably remains
to this day as much mystery to him as it
is to others.
Miss Annie, however, had fair share of
tact and womanly cleverness slowed safely
away somewhere in the recesses other pref
ty little head, although it was carried
jauntily upon the inexperienced and round.
ed shoulders of fresh eighteen.
She did not need to be reminded that
David was worth, in worldly way, much
more than any of her other suitors, and
that he was good looking, good hearted
and intelligent enough to satisfy any but
an over fastidious person of her class. He
was uneXceptionablc, in short, barring his
unconquerable and excessive bashtulness,
which, indeed, was never failing source
of merriment to the young people of their
little circle.
And so, when David in his awkward,
laundering, half frightened manner began
shyly to exhibit his preference for her in
various little ways, such as waiting on her
to and from singing school, constituting
! himself her escort when she went Sundays
on horseback to the lonely little church in
the woods, and singing her out as the re-
cipicnt of whatever attentions he could find
the nerve to pay, at the frequent quilting
parties in tho neighborhood, Annie did not
frighten him out of his budding passion
by any show, either by surprise or marked
preference, but took it all in the easiest,
pleasantest, most unconscious manner pos
sible. The girls Uttered and nudged each
! others elbows, and the young men cracked
turtive jokes at the expense Of her timid
sutton, but she stood up for him like real
kind hearted, independent Western lass,
as she was and tried to encourage him out
of his shyness as far as she consistently
could.
She never seemed to notice any of his I'M
fortunate plumbers, and very likely helped
him along considerably when his feelings
reached the eliminating point, one moon
lighted August evening, as they were walk
ing home together from a corn-husking.
That had been just one week ago. An.
ME had said YES" and had agreed to take
the responsibility of bringing father and
mother "around" on the subject. David
had not been to the house since. Probably
he felt very much like dog who fears to
venture upon the premises of a person
whose sheep fold he has just plundered.
Thus it happened that as yet the powers
that were knew nothing of the momentous
secret, which they kept between them
selves, fearing to divulge. And now An.
ME, who wished to put off the ordeal of
avowal us long as possible-at any rate to
gain time for one more confidential talk
with David on the subject-said hastily in
reply to that stammered query of his with
which we have preiaced this narration:
"Mother is going over to Aunt Ruth's
with father to spend the evening, and she
wants me to go, too, but guess l won't.
I've been working on fathers new shirts all
day, besides doing the dairy work yester-
day, and I'm about tired out"
Then she added before he could reply:
Don't come until O'Clock, shall be
about through putting things to rights by
that time"
Ofcourse David was not too obtuse to
understand that he was specially favored
by this arrangement, and he so far forgot