Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-09-30
THE BASHFUL LOVER.

John Patterson was driving his ven
cradle horse slowly homeward from the
little village OF 6riraton. They were
passing the low-lying farm of Nathan
Wynne, and John, without daring for
the life of him to turn his head, rolled
his great black eyes toward the sub
stantial stone farm house in the hope
Of catching glimpse Of Kitty, he far
mer's comedy daughter. But though
John kept his eyes turned in their
sockets till his head ache fearfully, he
saw nothing Of Kitty.
John was desperately in love with
Kitty Wynne and had been for many
day, aud yet dared not tell her so.
Tell hex that be loved her and ask her
to marry him' Why, he would not so
much as look at her when there was
any danger of his being caught at it
for the world, and simply because he
could not, for it was Johns tmisfortune
to be excessively bashful. He general
ly made out to bow to her when he
met her, but even that always brought
great lump into his throat and turned
his face the color of peony.
AsJohn passed over little knoll
and out of sight of the house, the far
mer's great orchard-the trees ready to
break down under their weight of ripe
fruit-was before him.
"What while that miller kept me
waiting for my grist. I'm as hungry
as bear. l must have B ketfui of
those yellow beauties to eat on my way
home"
and with This John drew rein on
his horse, scaled the fence and struck
out in bee line for his favorite tree.
He Knew as well as Farmer Wynne
did, and in fact every man and boy
! around knew, Just where the best ar-
| pies we're to be found, for Nathan was
| not one of those men whom large and
small boys Of predatory habits desigr
nate as 'stingy old hunk" His
fruit was as free to all as the water in
the little brook which divided the or.
chard by its never-ceasing flow.
John has filled his pockets, and was
about to ret'race his steps to the wagon
when he caught the flutter of pink
dress through clcstes, of ounce trees
and heard Kitty's merry voice in con
versation with some one. Stealing 6
hasty glance through the trees John
recognized Kitty's companion to be hel
cousin, Hetty Shaw, from the village
They weEe coming directly toward
the tree under which John was stand
ing.
What in the world was he to do? He
did not fancy running away like a de-
tec,ed thief, and his trembling knees
and palpitating heart warned him thai
! if he would not die then and there he
must seek place of Gol.tealment.
To add to Johns bucketful of e,nbar
rassment on this occasion he was con
scious that he was not in the least
''fxed up" He was in his every day
garb, and there was huge black patch
on the knee Of his gray pantaloons;
and John hated patches because he was
poor and obliged to wear them. The
sleeves of his coat were far too short.
as also the legs of his pants, and te
make the matter worse his clothes
were covered with -four which he had
somehow got on while he was waiting
for his grist at the mill.
John glanced up into the tree, but
the foliage was not thick, and there
was little chance fof a hiding place
there. Near the tree was an inverted
hogshead, which had been used as 8
stand from which to pick apples from
the tree The hogshead had once
been used as a temporary dog kennel
and hole perhaps eighteen inches in
diameter had been made to admit the
dog.
There was no time to be lost The
hogslead afforded the only retreat
within the trembling young mans
reach, and he was. not long in squeez
ing himself inside of it.
The girls came OH and sat down OF
the grass right where John, by stoop
ing down and peering through the cir
cular hole, could watch them.
Kitty, he thought, looked prettiel
and brighter than ever III her pink
dress, and the sun, which was settling
into tie west. nllde her hrcwn hair q
Is gotten as tlIs a2sea ia isee l.se.