, 1882-06-10
A Bashshi Maa.

Senator Sebastian Of Arkansas ~
native OF Hickman county, Tenn. o.
one occasion member Of eonsrsss. sas
!ament,ng his bashfulneas and asl1asd-
ness. Why" said the senator itoa
Rackensack, you don't know whas basA-
fuln.ss II. Let me tel you asory. and
wnen I st through I vii stand the bsh,
If you don't agree that you never knsv
anything about bashfulness, and il hans-
full effects Iwas the nost hashful boy
vest of The Aileghanies I wouldn't look
al girl, much less SPEAK TO maiden
bu, for al that fell drspsr.tsly in lore
sph sweet. beautiful neighbor ai,l It
was a desirable match ON both aides, and
the old folks saw the drift, add fixed Il
up. though, should die just thinking
of 1t Was g.wky, awkward country
lou. abou. 10 years via. She Was IN in.
telligent, refined and fairly veil educated
girl in the country and ct = time shsa
the girls had superior advantage. and
were therefore superior in culture to The
boys fixed the day a far - I eoaid
have put it of lay awake in . cold
perspira'ion Ss the time drew near, and
shivered with sgnny a. thought Of the
terrible ordeal
The dreadful day arrived. vent
through with the programme somehow in
dazad scr, Of way, like an ausomatoa
booty through supper where l cDuld sss
nothing. and through such games - "pos.
sum pie" ''sister Phoebe" and III that
sort Of thing. The guests one by ons de-
parted and my hair began to stand Ga
end. Beyond the awful curtain Of Isis
lay the terrible unknown. Ny blood
grew cold and boiled by turns vas in
fever and then All xgue, pale and dusbsd
by turns. l felt like fleeing to the woods,
spending the night in the barn, leaving
for the West, never to return. / was
deeply devoted to Saline loved beg
harder than a mule osn kick but that
dreadful ordeal-I could not, dared not
stand it. Finally the last guest wss goue
to bed and was laf; Alone-horrur Of
horrors, alone with the old man. ''John,"
said he, you can take that candle you
will find your ROOM Just ossr this. Good
night, John, and may the Lord have
mercy on your soul, and with mischiev.
Gus twinkle Of his small gray eye. the old
man left the room. l mentally said
Amen to his Heaven help you," and
when heard him close . distsat door.
staggered to my feet and seized the farth-
ing DIP with nervous grasp. ! stood for
some minutes contemplating my terrible
fate, and the inevitable and speedy doom
to overwLelm me- knew that it could
not he avoided, and yet l 'hssitsted to
meet my fate Ike man Istood SO long
that thr,e love letters had grown on the
wick Of the tnlloW dip. and 4 winding
sheet Was decorating the side Of tbs brass
candlsstick
A happy Thought struck me. ! hastily
climbed the stair. nIsrLed the pnsi.ion at
the landing and the door Of the bridal
chamber. | would have died before ]
would have disrobed in that holy chamber,
where awaited me trembling and beau
ful girl, blushing maiden, clothed up
on" with her own beanty and modesty-
and her snowy robe de nait. l would
make the usual preparations without,
blow out the Light, open the door and
friendly night would shield my shrinking
modesty and bashfulness and grateful
darkness at least mitigate the horror Of
the situation. 1t was soon done. Prep
arations for retiring were few and simple
in their character in Hickman, altogether
consisting in disrobing, and owing 10
scarcity of cloth in those days man was
somewhere near the Adsmie state vhsa
he was prepared to WOO sweet slesp Tho
dreadful hour had come; ~as ready. I
blew out tho light, graspsd the doof-knob
With deathly grips and nervous clutch;
one moment and it would Be over. One
moment and it want over By . d-n
sight. lesped within, and there around
a glowing hickory FIRE. With candies
brightly burning on the mantle and bu-
reau. was the blashing bride, surrounded
by the six lovely bridesmaids!