Montgomery County sentinel., 1875-03-19
Selected a2}istellaup,
JOHN ANDI.

"C Come John" said |, cheerfully, sit
really is time to 60; if you stay any
longer shall be afraid to come down
and lock the door after you"
My visitor arose-a proceeding that
always reminded me of the genius
emerging from the copper vessel, as he
measured six feet three-and stood look
ing reproachfully down upon me.
/" You are in great hurry to get rid
of me-" he replied
Now, | didn't agree with him, for he
had made his usual call of two hours and
a half; having, in country phrase, tax
en- to sitting up" with me so literally
that was frequently at my wits ends to
suppress the yawn that | knew would
bring troop rushing after it.
He was fine, manly looking fellow.
this John Crawford, old for his age
which was the rather boyish period of
twenty-two-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 conceal
ment prey on his damask cheek, he ven
tured to tell his love for my mature self,
| remorsclcssly seized an English prayer
book, and pointed to the clause, "A
man may not marry his grandmother.
That was three years ago; and added,
encouragingly. =" Beside, John, you're
child, and don't know your own mind :"
3" If a man of nineteen doesn't know
his own mind" demonstrated my lover,
4 would like to know who should.
But will wait for seven years, if you
say so-fourtcen, as Jacob did for
Rachel"
You forget | replied, laughing at
his way of mending matters, that
woman does not, like wine, improve
with age. But seriously, John, this is
absurd; you are nice boy, and | like
you-but my feelings towards you are
more like those ofa 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.
g could almost find it in my heart to
shake you" he muttered, as he sat 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" said I, with
dignity, when | had recovered my
breath.
Will you marry me ?" asked John,
somewhat threateDingly.
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-
tions on an old maid like me? ! don't
want the boy on my hands and | won't
have him"
" As to your being twenty-six," pur-
sued John, in answer to my thought !;
''you say it's down in the family Bible,
and suppose it must be so but 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 mil
lions of men have said the same thing
before in every known language. New
ertheless, when you fairly break down
and cry, | relent-for | am disgraccfnlly
soft-hcarted-and weakly promise then
and there that / will either keep my own
name or take yours For love is very
dog in the mangcr. and John looked ra-
diant at this concession. 1t was a COM
fort to know that if be could not gather
the flower himself no one else would.
A sort Of family sbipwrcck had waited
John to my threshold. Our own house
hold was sadly broken up, and | found
myself comparatively young in years with
a half invalid father, a large house and
very little money. What more natural
than to take boarders? ? And among the
first were Mr.. Crawford and bis son, and
sister, who had just been wrecked them
selves by the death Of the wife and moth
er in foreign land-onc Of those sud-
den unexpected deaths that leave the
survivors in a dazed condition, because
it is so difficult to imagine the gay world
ling who has been called hence in anoth-
er state of being. Mr. Crawford was one
of my admirations from the first Tall,
pale, with dark hair and eyes, he re-
minded me of Dante. only that he was
handsomer; and he had such a general
air of knowing, that was quite afraid
of him. He was evidently wrapped up
in John, and patient with his sister
which was asking quite enough of Chris
tian charity, for Mrs. Shellgrove was an
unmitigated nuisance. Such a talker
babbling Of her own and her brothers
affairs with equal lndiscretion. and treat
ing the father as though he were an in
capable infant
They staid with US three years, and