The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-03-11
A BASHFUL MANS WOOING.


bulls eye lantern into the faces of tired
travellers from whose eyes the crimson and
gold of a glorious sunset had just faded
Tickets, sirr'-and the brisk official JOS
tied the shoulder of broad -chested, travel
bronzed man.
"There it is in my hat, man. What the
dickens is the use of stirring a fellow up
that way every ten minutes ?-1 say, con-
ductor, how soon do we reach Albany ?"
ave are due there in an hour and a
quarter-three minutes behind time at the
last station, SIR" .
On went the conductor through the car,
and George Seabright Strengthened himself
up in his seat, gave an elephantine yawn,
and smiled as he thought of the dear home
faces he was fastening to greet.
"Conductor.' wheezed an asthmatic old
lady in a poke bonnet, skimp bombazine
gown, blue homespun stockings and leath-
er-laced buskins-" conductor! hope there
amt nothin wrong about that young man
over there He acts dreadful queer like,
nothin' to defend myself with but that am
briller, and the handle Of that is broker
81 guess he's all right, ma, am" laughed
the man of tickets, as he passed out of the
car, slamming the door shut after him.
The old lady brided in righteous indig-
nation. She had not travelled all the way
from Podunk to be laughed at for asking a
civil question, and how was the blessed old
escaped lunatic, George Seabright was rub
bing his hands together and indulging in a
variety of facial contortions by way of
demonstrating his gleeful anticipation of
the glad surprise he was carrying to the
home nest after a three years flight in
foreign lands?
His Impotence increased with every mile
that lessened the distance between him and
his Speed on, belching monster horse,
pant thy way through nesting villages
where crocuses and yellow-eyed pansics
sprinkle all the gardens with May-time
bloom; fly between parting grassy banks
| where violets nod in modest sweetness.
larry not where budding apple orchards
fling thousand wind borne scents to greet
you, nor where belted shades allure with
piney odors. Pause not where Gods acres
point with white and spectral finger heaven
ward-not where willow fringed brooks
babble coaxinglv, nor where the Hudson
reflects million stars up from it's blue,
cool bosom as witching and bright as Cir
cean eyes. How every stride of the giant
Steam spans the distance between the wan
derer and home. how every throb of the
mighty pulse strs the hot blood of impa
thence in the heart! But what if there
should be broken rail ahead; what if a
| treacherous quicksand should await their
passage, and eternity should set it's awful
seal upon lips now quiverng with words of
loving greeting, and shut out for ever the
sight of longed-for faces from eyes now
quick with eagerness? Only quarter of
an hour distant from his native city, yet
what might not happen? We know how
the heart of his mother would SILVER and
break should death strike their outstretch-
ed hands asunder; but would kate-wee
winsome Kate Kervan-would she mourn
him? How like CLEAN of sunshine she
frightened all his thoughts. He could see
her shy brown eyes looking at him through
dark curling lashes, and could imagine the
dclicousness of the pretty mouth whose
n a6 ta1 N,
to the verge of bashful madness. Oh, that
fatal bashfulness of his! What hopes it
must have stood in the way of, to make 4
big fellow like him sigh, shake his head so
deprecatingly and murmur so lugubriously.
''By the beard of Mohammed, it is a
little strange that, although have faced a
tiger in his native jungle, hunted the wild
boar single handed into the very heart of a
German forest and fought with unfiinching
nerve when the enemy were pouring a
shower of lead into the hearts of those
around me, yet l absolutely have not got
the courage to tell that little kittenish girl
l love her. The touch of her gloved hand
the patting of her little feet upon the walk,
the straying tresses of her perfumed hair,
all act upon my nerves like galvanic bat
terry, and knock my self-posession higher
than Gilderoy's kite. Heigh. no. fear
never shall essay the character of Bene-
dict, the married man, unless Katie should
Guido the woman who dared, and that
she'll never do.''
You see, Mr.. Seabright thought he knew
all about it, and you shall furthermore see
that Mr.. Seabright's insight into the future
was one of these dim sights which the
brightest of masculine sightseers are prone
to.
The locomotive pulled up at the depot
with an ear-splitting screech, and, gather
ing up his traps, Seabright, Jr., hurried
from the car.
"Carriages - "Have carriage, sir?"
"Nice carriage this way!'-was the in
tensely American cry awaiting him as he
forced his way through the crowd towards
Broadway, and, gnawing his mustache, he
mentally CALCULATED:
"Oh, hang your carriages! Get out of
my way, you fellows. I'm going home,
and do not intend to spoil my surprise by
getting into one of your old rattleboxes."
Walking down Broadway-how familiar
yet strange the old river-following street
looked! The very pavement beneath his
feet seemed to have welcoming ring; and
how his heart thrilled as he recognized the
old accustomed sights and sounds. All
there is tie house at last. No light in the
parlor. Rather a strange circumstance;
but it must be all right, because the door
is on the latch.
Noiselessly the young man stole through
the hall to his mothers little sitting room,
in the rear of the parlors. No light here
either; only the sullen red of a sea-coal fire
burning in the CRATE cast fitful CLEANS Of
light athwart the lurking shadows.
"Where can they all be - wondered the
somewhat disappointed prodigal; then,
with distended nostrils, he solloquised:
"Whew, what a smell of lime and fresh
paint!-house- cleaning, | suppose. What
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