Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25
SITTING UP WITH HER.

She was expecting him Sunday
night; the parlor curtains were
down; the old folks notified that
it was healthy to 60 to bed at eight
o'clock, and Johnny hribed with d
cent to permit himself to he tuck
ed away at shutdown. He sneaked
up the path, one eye on the dog
and the other watching for the
"old man, y who didn't like him
any too we'll, gave faint knock
at the door, and 1t was opened and
he was escorted TO the parlor. He
said he couldn't stay but'a min
ute, though he didn't mean to 90
home for hours. She wanted to
know how his mother was; If his ia
Their had returned home from York
State; il his brother Bill i rheu-
matism was any better; and he
went over and sat down on the So
fin SO as hot to strain his voice. -
Then, conversation tagged and he
played with his hat, and she nib
bled on the sofa tidy. He finally
said it was beautiful evening,
and she said her father had pre-
dfcted a snow storm. He said he
guessed it wouldn't snow, as the
moon was not crooked enough to
hang a powder horn on the end,
ana she said she didn't believe it
would either. This mutual under
standing seemed to give them
both courage, and then he wanted
to know if she had seen Bill Jones
lately. She hadn't, she said, and
she didn't want to. Then they
went on talking about the dona-
ton visit which was to be given
before long to Elder Berry, and he
carelessly dropped his right hand
on hers-his right hand, while his
left arm sneaked along the sofa
and got behind her shoulders. She
pretended not to notice it, and he
looked down at his boots, and
wanted to know IL she thought
mutton tallow rotted out boots fas-
ter than lard and lamp black. She
couldn't say, but she had an idea
that 1t did. He had just commence
ed to hook fingers with her, when
she discovered that something all
ed the lamp; she rose up and turn
ed the light down a half, making
the room look dim. 1t took him
FIVE minutes to get hold Of her fin
gers again. and she pretended to
want to draw her hand away all
the time. After long pause he
lowered his voice to a whisper, and
said he didn't see what made folks
love each other. She bit her hand
kerchief and admitted her igno-
rance. He said he could name q
dozen young men who were going
to get married right away, and his
left arm fell down and gave her a
hug. Then he went over and
looked out OF the window, to
make sure that it was not going to
snow, and, coming, back, he turn
ed the light down a little more,
and then sat down and wanted to
know if she didn't want to rest
herself by leaning her head on his
shoulder.
All, me We have been there,
and who of us cared q cent when
the old clock struck twelve, and
we five miles from home :? The old
man was fast asleep, the watchdog
gone visiting, and the hands SOM
est girl In the country didn't see
why we need be in hurry.
Perhaps L shouldn't have writ
ten of this, but as / was going by
Saunders the other day, thinking
of the night / heard him whisper
in her ear at spelling school, that
he'd loved her shadow as long as
he lived, he raised the window and
called to her, as she was picking up
chips in the road: "She Saunders
come in here, and find tie bars
grease for my sore heel, or I'll
break every bone in your body -
D0aabury Meas.