Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-04-19

slip of the tongue was stone that |
could not climb over. The worst OF 10
was, she did and said nothing tangibly
offensive; and was precluded by all
sorts Of considerations from mentioning
the subject we were both (and that we
both knew we were) thinking of. So
matters went on day after day. And
before q great many days were past |
was over head and ears in love-I may
as well say it and be done with it--and
began to feel desperate and dangerous.
She walked about the house with her
grand air, my Queen Marie Antoinette,
my little tyrant that l could almost
have demolished with n finger and
thumb; and /, standing six feet three in
my stockings, had to acknowledge that
she was invincible as well as unmerci-
full. Unregenerate savage as ! was, l
had faint longings to take her by those
slender shoulders and shake her.
There were times when she became
her sweet self and could not help it
though she tried, and these times were
born of music. She and | both loved
music with that special love that nature
permits to u few people; but to no
one else in the house did the heaven
born mad' present attractions. Don,
hard Mt work all day, could go to sleep
after dinner in his armchair, and Liz
zie, after her manner, could 60 out of
the room in the middle of the most
charming song. Then, when we were
singing together or when she was gen
tie and gracious with the spirit of mel
ody in her, then was the oil thrown
| NpD 1nH tua Az
| as these it flashed across me that she
was aware of it.
At length, on one of these occasions,
| made dash at her guarded citadel; l
will not say in what words, but with
the laundering foolishness that sup
pose characterizes all implied aspira-
lions; albeit with sufficient plainness to
| leave no chance of being misunderstood;
and then | had, indeed, to bite the dust
for once in my life. She had been sing
! ing Ruth with the most touching
pathos and abandonment" where
thou goest will go and there | will be
buried''-and | could not stand it. Don
was in the room, but snoring in that
comfortable undertone which denoted
a sound and quiet slumber. She stood
with her back to the piano, and the
sheet of music trembling and rustling
in her hands, watching his nodding
head in the distance, and turning hel
delicate profile to my view.
"No, | will not,n she half whispered
with naughty rapidity. "You should
have known | would not. | do moi
particularly want to marry anybody y
she added, flashing around upon mt
with her crimson face; "but | will never
marry you. l made up my mind tC
that long ago"
Everybody knows howin the supreme
ly solemn moments of ones life one il
apt to be assailed with most incongru
ously ludicrous ideas. In spite of my
bitter modification ut her reply, an alb
surd rhym that had heard somewhere
flashed into my head
Do not be like Nancy Baxter,
Who refused man before he'd axed her.
believe she saw the ghost of a smil,
that might have lowered round my eye
when l begged to know why she haC
made up her mind never to marry me
and that made her savage.
Because you think | came here tC
be made love to-" she retorted, will
all the concentrated contempt that he
sweet face and voice could hold. "Yol
think Lizzie and have been plottin!
to catch yon-you think we wanted t.
inveigle you into marrying me! | know
what you are going to say"-as / ros
and seized her hands to stop her" bu
it's not the truth. heard you'-lift
ing her angry eyes, now wet with un
shed tears, to mine heard you witt
my own ears tell Don to warn Lizzi
beforehand that you did not want to b
married"
81 know you did," replied, tighten
ing my hold of her hands, while sh
made feeble efforts to get away; "an
| wish my tongue had been cut out be
fore | could have insulted you and he
like that. Forgive me, Rachel; l hav
been punished enough"
81 cannot,n she answered, still pant
ing with her excitement. 81 should b
ashamed of myself if could take ma
who had even thought of me like that.
Two tears began to trickle from he
eyes, and little hysterical catch in he
I breath betrayed to me that her detian
courage was failing her. | would nc
let her go. Love, and shame, and
resentful disappointment made me
, little savage, too.
, 81 never did think of you like that,
| said sternly; "and you know it.
' must hold you till l clearmyself-I cal
! not bear it.
| A log tumbled into the CRATE and Do
woke up. She caught away her hand
5 and sped out of the room; and | wake
( through French window into the co.
t summer night, too full of wrath an
e love to speak to anybody.
r This was how we stood. At last Go
r Saturday, the 18th of December) th
r true Christmas weather came, and W
e found ourselves in the hot afternoC
;, alone on the croquet lawn-alone fC
r the first time since my stormy wooin
e was interrupted. Don being still bus
4 in the sheep yards and shearing shed,
+ had been playing singly again
Y Lizzie and her; and now Lizzie had bee
/ called away to the nursery to cOnsu
{ with needle-woman who was at wol
}, there. We were both anxious Ohoug
: for very different reasons) to leave Q
# playing when our chaperon had depar
+ ed, but it was not easy to do so in Il
e middle of n game, especially as she hf
# instructed her partner to play for bo
: of them until she returned. So v
V knocked the balls about for few mi
S utes in embarrassed silence, and the
r had an alteration as to which hoo
o Lizzie had been through; and then v
q both got little huffy, and played, fir
Q with Indifference and then with m
/ licious energy, which resulted at last
e my sending her partners ball into Il
Y thickest Portugal laurels in the shru
II berry,
e "Oh, 1 beg your pardon!' Iexclaim,
l with compunction, as she solemn
n marched off to look for it. Let II
y find it for you"
1t "Do not trouble yourself she I
piled sharply; and Immediately DASH
t. in between the laurel and very pric
N ly rose-bush, whose long SPRAYS caup