The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-07-03
JOHN AND 1.

Come, john" said |. cheerfully. ii
really IL time 10 90 il you stay any longer
I shall be afraid 10 come down and lock
the door after you"
NV visitor rosa proceeding that al
ways reminded me of the genius emerg-
ing from the copper vessel. as he measured
six feet three-and stood looking reproach-
fully down upon me.
You are in great hurry TO get rid OF
me-" he replied.
New didn't agree with him, for he had
made his usual call of two hours and half Z;
having, Ia country phrase, taken TO " sit
ting" up with me so literally that | was
frequently at my wits end 10 suppress the
yawn that | knew would bring troop
rushing after il.
He was fine, manipulating fellow. this
John Crawford. old for his age-which was
the rather boyish period OF twenty-five
and every way worthy of being loved.
But didn't love him. was seven years
his senior: and when. instead of letting
the worm of cOncealment prey on his
dzmask cheek. he ventured to tell his
love for my mature self. | remorselesS-
~ seized an English Prayer-book, and
pointed sternly to the clause, . A man
may act marry his grandmother. y
That was three years ago and | added.
eDcOursgingly. Besides, John. you are a
child, and don't know your own mind"
Ii Ran of nineteen doesn't know his
own mind" demonstrated my lover, "
would like to know who should. But
will wait for you seven years, ii you
oy so-fourteen. as Jacob did for Rachel. =
You forget" replied. laughing at his
way OF nending matters. = that a woman
does not. like wine. improve with age. But
seriously, John, this is absurd; you are a
n,oe boy, and like you-but my feelings
toward you are more those ofamother than
q 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.
"Icould almost find il in my heart to
shake you he muttered, as he set me
down with emphasis.
This was rather like the courtship OF
william Of Normandy, and matters prom
ised TO be quite exciting.
Don't do that again p" said |. with
dignity. when | had recovered my breath.
VIII you marry me." asked John,
Overwhelmingly.
NOt just AZ present.. 4 ftplleu.
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 affec-
tons on an old maid like mey / don't
want the boy on my hands, and ! won't
have MIN :"
.'As 10 your being twenty-six,- pursued
John, IN ans wer to my thoughts, "you saw
tia Anxx-ts In ha "a AL n
pose Ii must be so; but no one would be-
lieye il and don't care if you're FORTH.
You look like girl of sixteen. and YOU
are the only woman shall ever love"
Oh. John. John at least five millions of
men have said that same thing before in
every known language. Nevertheless.
when you ftiriy break down and cry. re-
lcnt-for am disgracefully soft-hearted-
and weakly promise then and there that |
will either keep my own name or take
yours. For love Is "A very dog in the man
ger, and John looked radiant at this con-
ocssicR. II was comfort to know that If
NJ could net gather the flower himself, no
one elae would.
A SORT of family shipwreck had waited
John to my threshold. Our own house.
hold was sadly broken up. and I found
myself comparatively young in years, with
. half-inyalid father, a large house. and
very little money. What more natural
than TO take boardersy And among the
hrst were Mr.. Cranfor,i. and his son. and
sister, who had just been wrecked them
selves by the death Of the wife and mother
m q foreign land-0ne Of those sudden.
unrxpcctcd deaths that leave the sur
vivors IN dazed condition. be-
cause II l. so difficult to imagine the gay
wording who has been called hence in an
sthu state Of being.
Mr.. Crawford was one OF my admirations
frcm the first. Tall. pale, with dark hair
and eyes, he reminded me OF Dante. only
hat he was handsomer; and he had such a
general air Of knowing everything worth
knowing without the least pedantry, how
cver) that | was quite afraid OF him. He
was evidently wrapped up in John. and pa
hcnt with his sister-which was asking
quite enough ofChristian charity under the
sun, for Mrs. Shellgrove was an unmiti-
gated nuisance. Such talker. babbling
of her own and her brothers affairs
with equal indiscretion. and treating the
latter AZ though he werean incapable in
hnt
lIhey staid with us three years. and du-
mig that time was fairly prosecuted about
John. Mrs. Shellgrovc wrote me letter
on the subject. in which she informed me
that the whole family were ready to receive
me with open arms--a prospect that did
NOT find at all alluring. They seemed to
have set their hearts upon me as person
peculiarly fitted to train John In the way
ne should 90. Every thing. was told.
dcpcnded on his getting the right kind ola
wife