The Newtown bee., 1879-08-20
GRANDMA'S FIRST BEAU.

Grandma, old Mrs. LennOX says you were real pretty when you were young" said Lena Lawrence, as she sat by the side of the still comedy old lady.
 Much obleeged to Miss Lennox," :" said grandma, with pleasant laugh, for she was a happy, genial old lady. II b'lieve I was considered pretty good loolin' some fifty years ago"
 "And she said you had lots of beaux Did you?"
 Well, I had my share, child, reckon" and the faint red in her old cheeks grew brighter, '' a many and a many before l ever saw your granpa. My first beau-oh, dear me, how well I remember!' And grandma burst into hearty laugh that almost brought the tears to her eyes.
 "Please tell us all about it?" demanded three or four young voices.
 We'll, s'pose I can if l try There was pretty, fair boy lived in the next farmhouse to ours, bout mile away. His name was Jedediah. He was bout seventeen when he first aspired to the honor of my company
 |" l wasn't much above sixteen my self jest out of long aprons, and like girls nowadays, I s'pose, thought lots more about the beaux than I'd ought to.
 "One awtully cold night in January, all the family were settin' in the great kitchen, pairing apples, when a knock came to the door. Father got up and opened it, when in came Jedediah, all bundled up, with the exception of his nose, which was a peaked one. Father invited him in, an he soon perched himself in high chair, and began un- windin' his comforter. That comforter must "a been yards long. I thought he never would stop. Then he set there ten minutes without speakin' word, till by-and-bye he burst out with
 "' say, Hammer, Elk Waters is goin' to hey a little party tonight, and he wanted me to ax you
 "'rd like ter go,' says I, looking sideways over to mother, for the little boys were giggling-'i if mother says so.' You see, girls and boys in them days didn't go off without asking.
 "' It's awful cold, says mother, 'ain't it, Jedediah?'
 Well, not so very, goin' through the woods
 "'Bear seen in them woods,' said father, his blue eyes twinklin', 'and not so long ago, neither.'
 "'Let lem comer said Jeddy; we called him Jeddy for short. I wasn't born in the backwoods to be scared of a bear
 We'll said father, quite sober-like, if you do meet one, don't let it run off with my Hanner'
 "'And mind you bring her home fore 'leyen,' said mother. I don't prove of girls of sixteen staying out all night to frolics. Now, Hammer, wrap up proper warm. It's desp'rit cold wind
 Well, put on my new caliker, with black silk apron, worked in herrin'- bone with pink silk, slicked my hair, and was down stairs in quick time. I never felt so grand in my fife as I did a-hangin' on Jeddy's arm. It makes me laugh to think of it, and how I asked him if his ma was well in such patron izing way. Of course there was fences to git over, and he let me fall at the very fust one.
 Dear me! how frightened the fellow was! Why, he stood there like spook and let me pick myself up, and then said, over and over, Oh, aint you hurtp Are you hurt badp Take hold of my arm eloser;' and snuggled up to his jacket again, trying hard not to limp, for did lame my ankle little. But when I got to the old farmhouse, forgot all about it. All the girls and boys were there for miles about, and the first thing I heard vas
 "' Oh, Tanners got beaur and felt kinder provoked, and kinder glad Well, we played The Weevily Wheat, and