The Rock Island Argus., 1881-11-01
I WENT FISHING.
HAT I eau HIT.

company Waoie tonS summer morn
ing.
The suggestion was by no means a
new one, for was five-and-thirty, and
it had been iterated and reiterated by
all my family ever since 1 was twenty
five. l, therefore, regarded my moth
er's remark as the beginning of a
kind of family ritual, and responded,
as usual:
''Why so, ma amp
Because" she answered, shortly,
deviating somewhat from the beaten
track, sits high time"
Granted" said /.
Yes pursued my mother, s'you're
old enough and you re rich enough. and
you're clever enough; and why you
don't get married / can't sec. You
would then be much happier .han you
now are, idling about here, with MOTH
ing better to do than to follow an old
woman about from cellar to pantry,
putting your hands to every bit of mis-
chief which Satan finds for idle hands
to do,-and all for want of some sensi-
BILE employment"
would petting a foolish wife be
a sensible employment" asked laugh
ing.
s.She need not be foolish" said my
mother.
''But the wise virgin win not have
me-" replied, ''and will not have a
foolish one; SO, you see, there is just
my trouble -..
You are too modest by half re-
turned my mother, as she was leaving
the room.
I pondered that last remark of my
mothers. 1 thought it showed discern
ment and Judgment, and wondered
more people were not of her way of
thinking. The melancholy general re-
Election that modest worth is almost
sure to be underrated threw me into a
pensive and sentimental mood, and
snatching up my hat and fishing-tackle,
/ sauntered out for a reverie, under
cove of my favorite sport.
The subject of my late conversation
continued to occupy my thoughts. The
truth is, my mother was not more anx-
ious to see me married than l was to
be so. l had always regarded the mar
ried state as the happiest; my heart
glowed as much as any mans ever did,
at the picture my fancy drew of low
ing family and happy home. But the
mischief of it was, | could not find any
one to please me. I did not consider
myself, nor mean to be, over-fastidious;
but among all the fat, futtering, furbe-
lowed fine ladies | met in society, |
found so little nature, so little good
ness, so little heart, that / could not
fall in love with them. let me try as
would.
1t was truly q lamentablo case. Here
was I, really clever enough fellow
well-to-do in the world-considered, rs
1 knew well enough, something of
catch - willing and anxious to bo
caught, and nobody skiiful enough TO
do it
Pondering this gloomy thought, I
wandered on quite beyond my usual
bounds, and at last. rather tired l cIam-
bered up a steep rock which overnung
the brook | had been following, and
sat down to rest.
It was a true summer scene-quiet
and warm and bright-nicely shaded,
however. where l lay, and the cool
sound of the ripping water added just
the only charm possible, where all was
SO charming.
/ listened with delight. but in doing
so became sensible that, beside the reg
ular monotenous babbling of the brook
let, there mingled other sounds of
splashing water, which occurred at ir-
regular intervals, and which seemed to
proceed from below the rock on which
! reclined. My curiosity led me to ex-
plore the mystery. l clambered to the
top Of the rock. and looked down over
its furthest edge.
Cupidi God of lovei how was re-
warded! The rock on the side over
which / looked descended sheer some
fifteen or twenty feet. when a project
ing ledge formed q kind OF natural
seat, below which the water rippled.
Il
shaded by trees and thick shrubs. 1t
was complete sylvan grotto. and with
in it, as seemed most meet and fitting,
was its nymph.
A young girl apparently about nine
teen, sat on the rocky ledge, bathing
her feet. Her attitude and occupation
reminded me strongly of the pretty
picture we have all seen in old-fash-
ioned -annuals of Oorothea - except
that my little beauty was evidently gay
and fresh and lively, while Dorothea in
the picture is weary and sad.
/ could not make up my mind for 8
time to disturb SO charming scene,
and therefore continued to gaze III si-
lence from my lurking place.
All! those dainty little white feet,
with their pink-tipped toes, which
cleaned SO fair through the clear
water, or flashed for o moment above
its surface flinging about the bright,
glittering drops, and then plunging
again beneath the cool blue-never
shall l forget them. The gracefully
bent head, with its bright golden curls
and braids, against which now and then
the sun sparkled from chink in the
leafy sereen-the lovely neck and arms
the cheek delicately tinted with pink,
of which now and then caught
glimpse, formed picture more en-
chanting than any thing L had ever
imagined. More than all the perfect
innocence and modesty which accom-
panied all the movements of my sweet
Diana charmed me even more than her
beauty.
My heart of ice suddenly burst into q
flame. ''Heavens" cried l to myself.
as | felt it humping against my side;
'swhat is this new sensation Bob
Brown, your hour is come. You're IN
lover
At the moment came to this conclu-
sion the float on my fishing-llne
dropped at the feet of my charmer,
and immediately-well. Pm not going
to lay before my confidential public an
account of all my delicate and skiliul
mannavring; enough that within half
an hour / was seated socially BY my
water faTry's side, trying to look as
much like Neptune or Massaniello, or
any other water-hero, i did not care
which, is / could. / gave sly tweak