The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1874-07-23
Jotts AND

ways reminded case 81 tbe genigs euefg.
Ing from iLe copper vessel as Do meas
ured SIX feet three-aud stood looking re-
proachinlly down on me.
You are in q grcst barry 10 get rid Of
me, bc replied
Now didn't agree with him, for be
bad made his usual eail Of two bours aud
a half; haYiug, in a county phrase, tax.
en- 10 sitting up with me 50 literally that
/ was frequently Al my wits end to sup
press the yawn that knew would bring
o troop rushing after Il.
ile was a tine, manly looking fellow,
this John Crawford old for bis age which
was the rather boyish period Of twenty
two--snd every way worthy ofbeing low
cd But didn't love him. | was seven
years bis senior; aud when. instead Of
letting the worm Of c0ncealmcut prey on
bis damask cheek, he yeutured TO tell bis
love for my mature self, ! remorsclessly
seized an English prayer book aud point
ed stcrulY to the clause: A man may
not marry his grandmother, That was
three years ago; and added, euoourag-
ingly, Besides, John, you are child, and
don't know your own mind.
If a man OF fninetcen doesn't know his
own mind, demonstrated my lover,
would like to know who should. But
viii wait for you seven years, If You say
so--fourteen, as Jacob did for Rachel
You forget, replied, laughing at his
way of mending matters, that a woman
does not, like wine, improve with age.
Bat seriously, John, this is absard; You
ase II nice boy, and | like you-but my
feelings toward You are more those of a
mother than wife.
The boys eyes flashed Indignantly ;and
before | could divine his intention he had
lifted me from the spot where | stood, and
carried me, infant fashion, to the sofa at
the other end Of the room.
| could almost find it in my heart to
shake you'll he mnttcrod, as he set me
down with emphasis.
/ This was rather like the courtship Of
William OF Normandy ,and matters prom
ised 10 be quite exciting.
DON'T do that again, said |, with dig.
nifty, when had recovered my breath.
win you marry me? asked John some
what threateningly.
Not at present, replied.
The great, handsome fellow, thought
as he paced the floor restlessly, why
couldn't he fall in love with some girl of
fifteen, instead of setting his affections on
au old maid like me! ! don't want the
boy on my hands and wont have him
AS to your being twenty-six, pursued
John, in answer to my thoughts, you say
it's down in the family Bible, and sup
pose 1t must be SO; but no one would be.
lieye It; and don't care if you're forty.
You look like girl OF sixteen, and you
are the only woman | shall ever love.
Oh, John, John at least five million
Of men have said that same thing before
in every known language. Nevertheless
when you fairly break down and cry, |
relent-for am disgracefully soft-heart-
cd-and weakly promise then and there
that will either keep my name or take
| yours. For love is very dog in the
manger, and John looked radiant at this
concession. II was a comfort to know
that If he could not gather the flower
himself, no one else would.
A sort of family shipwreck had waited
John to my threshold. Our own house.
hold was sadly broken up, and | found
myself comparatively Young in years,
with a half-inyalid father, large house
and very little money. What more natu.
raj than TO take boarders2 And among
the first were Mr. Crawford aud his son,
and his sister, who had just been wreck
ed themselves by the death of the wife
aud mother in a foreign and-ouc Of
those Sudden unexpected deaths that
leave the survivors in a dazed condition,
because it is so difficult to imagine the
gay wording who has been called hence
in another state Of being.
Mr.. Crawford was one Of my admira.
tions from the first. Tall, pale, with
dark hair aud eyes, he reminded me OF
Dante, only that he was handsomcr
and he had such general air Of knowing
everything wor th knowing (without the
least pedautry however, that was quite
afraid Of him lie was evidently wrap
ped up 10 John, aud patient with his sis
ter-which was asking quito enough Of
Christian charity under the sun, for Mrs.
shellgrove was an unmitigated nuisance.
Such "a talkerl babblng Of her own aud
of her brothers. affairs with equal indis-
erection, aud treating the latter as though
be were an incapable infant.
They staid with as three years, and
during that time | was fairly presented
about John Nrs. shellgroye wrote me
letter on the subject, 10 which she iu-
formed nae that the whole family were
ready 10 receive me with open arms
prospect that | dil not find at al allur-
ing. They seemed to have set their hearts
upon the - a person peculiarly ltlcd 10
train John Ia the way he shoald 60. Ev.
eryIhing, was told, depended on Biz
getting the right kiud OF wife.
4 special interview with Mr., Crawford
8, bis particular request, touched me con.
silerably.
hope, said be, that you win not re-
fuse my boy, Miss Edna. lie has ret hls
bcart so tally upon YOU, and you are ey.
. crylhing that could desire ia daughter
want some ono 10 pet. feel sadly