The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-05-12
How the Lover was Lost.

IF you care to hear it, don't mind if
Il tell you the tale of my only love-affair.
It's rather good story, think, and as the
lady's married and settled far away from
here it won't do any harm. 1t happened
when was about twenty -eight-ten years
ago, you see-and, although I'd had many
good rousing Irritation before made
Louisa's acquaintance, I'd never seen the
woman really wanted to marry. You see,
l was very fussy-at that age, called it
fastidious, aesthetic, &c.-and found fault
with one thing and another in all my lady
friends, but there was just one thing which
could not abide, and that was awkward
ness. didn't mind good, honest ugliuess
half as much, for always remembered the
poor things couldn't help that but never
could see why people should sit as il they
were all elbows, or walk as though made
of cornstalks or bean poles and the
starchy way in which people climb fence
or get into wagon always sets my teeth
on edge. l.HI
"Well, the young lady who finally took
my fancy was Miss Louisa Maxwell, one Of
the prettiest girls ever saw. She was
very intelligent, too, and took an interest
in almost everything which interested me ;
and the way in which she first attracted
my attention was by her graceful waltzing
at Newport hop. 1 soon found, however,
that she was not an instinctively graceful
person, only that what she had been thor
oughly taught she did well. Waiting,
riding, wal1ing-all those things in which
her school-mistresses had drilled her she
did to perfection but set her to perform
some gymnastic for the first time and she
was entirely at sea, as / discovered when 1
undertook to gallant her over the rocks at
'Spouting Horn, or down to the beach be-
low the Forty Steps"
"You know l have always kept my
horses, and at that time l had regular
beauty, and the first dog-cart ever seen in
this country. Louisa liked the looks Of it
very much, but seemed rather afraid to try
riding in it however, finally coaxed her
to go out with me one day intending to
|
the town and get some ice-cream before we
came back. The fact was, wanted an
opportunity to propose to her-we were
both staying at the Ocean House, and of
course could never get word with her
alone, especially as she was quite belle
and always had crowd round her. But
had been in dancing attendance all summer
and wanted the thing settled so. although
etiquette says you must never propose to a
lady while out driving, determined to
seize the opportunity while we were having
our cream in the grove attached to the
house, and come to the point.
"Well, she made some little pother about
getting into the wagon-you know dog
cart is rather up in the air-but finally she
was safely settled ON the cushions by my
side, and we drove along very happily.
Indeed, she made herself so charming, /
should have proposed to her then and there
had it not been for the presence of my
groom, who of course sat cooked up behind
us. Hh"
"Things went on very well till we reach
cd the Halfway House,, which was
situated in grove of trees, with little ta-
bles scattered around in all sorts Of shady
nooks--little arbors and bowers that SEEM
ed made on purpose for lovers. OF course
it was very popular, and late in the after
noon was always crowded with visitors but
/ had purposely come early and as we
drove up was gratified to see that not many
had yet arrived, and among them but few
people we knew. All who were there,
however, were collected on the piazza, and
looked up to see the new vehicle, which
had already made quite sensation in the
town and all the walters and attaches Of the
establishment also came to tho doors to get
peep at the cart. a
"My groom leaped down and took the
horses head, while sprang out to help
Louisa. AS she stood up i saw she looked
rather perplexed, and laughed to think she
was puzzled to know how she should get
down. Little did guess how she would
solve the dificultyP'
Here Larry sat upright, his eyes spark
4 ling with excitement, and used his fore
finger to point the moral, if not to adorn
the tale. ue1
"The very instant raised my arms
before had chance to touch her waist
by Jove she made bolt right at me, took
short flight through the air, and came to
roost on top of my head And there she