Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1880-06-25

tourting. suppose You begin tonight
From that moment the idea got int
my head and there 1t stayed.
| dressed up and went to church
'rjust as | always did, but couldn't at
tend to the minister, nor the sermon
sat mighty uneasy, and father watch
cd me out of the corner of his eye
though LIE never said word. Ii,
knew plaguy we'll what was thinking
LOT, for he'd been there himself.
Deacon Billings pew was right in
front Of ours, and he had just the pref
tiest girl for daughter that ever wore
q bonnet. | watched her awhile that
day, and concluded | liked the way
she managed things very we'll. So at.
tier supper, thinks /:
"I'll 20 over to the old deacon's and
see how they are getting along"
Father saw he sprucing up, but he
didn't say anything, only gave me a
wonderful cunning look.
When got 10 the deaeon's they were
all out III the kitchen but Rachel, and
she was in the spare room; and so af-
ter l had talked spell with the old
lady, she asked me in there and left
us all alone. Ma'am Billings knew
what was what, can tell you.
Rachel she was sitting up by The
window, singing "0id Hundred" She
dld't look very good natured; but when
| came in she frightened up wonder
fully, and began to talk about the ser.
mon, and the minister, and everything
else that you can think Of.
Ny gracious How woman's tongue
can go when it gets started! II Rachel's
didn't ache that night l shall lose my
guess.
Tho old deacon brought us in some
apples and butternuts, and pitcher
Of cider, and then told Rachel to cover
up the fire when she went to bed.
The old man always was a sleepy
headed kind Of thing, and in about
ten minutes afterwards l heard him
snoring away as if he was on wager.
Rachel's two little brothers vent up
stairs to bed, and one of them yelled
out, right by the square room door:
GOSH Jenkins is counting our Ra
chel! Josh Jenkins is a counting our
Rachel"
His mother came along and boxed
his ears, and he changed his tune pref.
~ quicK.
looked at Rachel. Her face was
as red as a mahogany table, and her
mouth kept quirking, as ifshs want
cd to laugh and daren't. | swow she
locke pretty eLough to eat!
We'd got pretty sociable by this
time, and so | hitched my chair up
alongside OF hers. She didn't say any
thing, but looked down on the floor
and began to play with string Of gold
beads she wore on her neck.
"Let me tie them," says l., slipping
my arm over her shoulder.
"Thev amt united, and you musu't
hug me-" says she.
"Oh, pshaw!' says I, getting little
nearer; that isn't anything. You see
l can't talk to you without rest my
arm on something"
She laughed as If she would die.
you're q queer fellow" says she
"but If you will put your arm there,
l can't help it only you mustn't hug
me, nor kiss me-"
hadn't been looking ahead quite SO
far as that : but seeing she spoke about
IL, thought might as we'll try it. So
got up little closer still, and just as
she looked up to speak kissed her.
She lodged away after 1t was all
over, and boxed my ears but she
didn't strike very hard. and after lit
tie while tried 1t again.
That time she took it pretty quietly.
and after that l didn't stop to count the
kisses. Twas making up for lost time,
and worked pretty steady, can tell
you. I've had some pretty good times
since then, but none Of them ever came
up to that evening with Rachel Billings.
Il makes my heart beat to think OF it
even now.
Rachel got up at last and leaned
over my chair to get an apple. Some
how or other her foot slipped and she
,ame very near falling over.
taught her in my arms; and after
,nce had her there didn't care about
citing her 60.
Creation what a feeling that was
felt Just as | did the day when took
1old OF an eel Sam Jones had In tub {
an electric eel | believed he called
t. They keep 1t so as to have the fun
II seeing II give people shocks.
Well, as | was saying, Rachel was in
ny arms, and l fsncied was pretty
lear Paradise. thought what q nice c
hing 1t would be II | could have her
here always. Ia
There was chap that was almost 8
.lways hanging around Rachel. His
anne was Thomas Wilder. He and
lever had anything to say to each 8
ther; but hated him now, just be. i
ause he had been with her so much. 1
10 thought how nice it would be to q
ut him out. | was nineteen and my t
ather had nobody but me to leave his s
property to; and Rachel was a first rate d
and would most likely be
7illing to wait y year or two for me.
Iyen If hadn't ssfed cent, and no way t
0 get one, ishould have done the same a
hing she was 50 confoundsd pretty.
"Raohsl, says i, 1--WE been hunt 9
ng after q wife! for SIX months and IlJ
~ ~ 'ae'