Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-07-20
JOHN AND I.

JOHN ANDI.
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"Come, john" said I, cheerfully, sit
really is time to go; if you stay any longer
shall be afraid to come do. and lock
the door after you"
Ny visitor rose-a proceeding that al
ways reminded me of the genii emerging
| from the copper vessel, as he measured six
foot three-and stood looking reproach.
| fully down at me.
"You are in great hurry to get rid OF
me-" he said.
Now didn't agree with him, for he had
made his usual call of two hours and a
half; having, in country phrase, taken to
sitting up' with me so literally that I
was frequently at my wits end to suppress
the yawn that knew would bring a troop
after it.
He was fine. manly looking fellow,
this John Crawford, old for his age
which WIS the rather boyish period of
and every way worthy of
being loved. But didn't love him. was
four years his senior; when instead of
letting the worm of concealment prey
On his damask cheek, he ventured to
tell bis love for my mature self, 1 remorse-
lesly seized all English prayer book
and pointed sternly to the clause, ga man
may not marry his grandmother" That
was three years ago. and 1 added encour-
agingly:
beside, John, you are child, and
don't know your own mind"
eff a man of nineteen doesn't know bis
own mind" demonstrated my lover, II
would like to know who should. But |
will wait for you seven years, if you say
so-fourteen-as Jacob did for Rachel.''
"You forget" laughing at his way of
mendlng matters. that woman does
not improve with age. But seriously,
John, this is absurd; you are a nice boy.
and like you-but my feelings toward you
are more those OF a mother than a wife. y
! The boys eyes flashed Indignantly, and
before | could divine his intention he had
| lifted me from the spot where stood, and
carried me infant fashion, sol the sofa, rat
the other end Of the room.
81 could almost find it in my heart to
shake You!' he muttered, as he set me
down with emphasis.
| This was rather like the courtship Of
William of Normandy, and matters prom
| 1sed to be quite exciting.
Don't do that again." 1 said with dig
nifty, when [ recovered my breath.
"Will you marry me?'' asked John
somewhat threateuingly.
| mot just at present." replied.
| 1.-The great, handsome fellow"
thought, as he paced the floor restlessly
why couldn't he fall in love with some
girl Of fifteen, instead of setting his affec.
tions on an old maid like me ? [ don't
want the boy on my hands, and won i
have him y
"As to your being twenty-six,' pursued
John, in answer to my thoughts, ''Yot
say it's down in the family Bible, and ]
i suppose it must be so but no one would
believe it; and don't care if you arr
forty. You look like a girl of sixteen
and you are the only woman I shall evel
love-"
0 John, John at least five millions OF
men have said the same thing before il
every known language. Nevertheless, wher
he fairly breaks down and cries, L relent-
for am disgracefully soft-hearted-an6
weakly promise then and there that viii
either Keep my own name or take his.
And John looked radiant at this con.
cession, for love is very dog in the
manger. 1t Was a comfort to know tina,
if he could not gather the flower himself
no one else would.
| A sort of family shipwreck had waited
John to my threshold. Our own house
mold was sadly broken up, and [ found
myself, comparatively young In years, with
a half invalid father, large house, and
very little money. What more natural
determination than to take boarders !
And among the first were Mr.. Crawford
and his son and sister, who had Just been
wrecked themselves by the death of the
wife and mother in foreign land-one of
| those sudden, unexpected deaths, that
| leave the Survivors in ddzed condition
because it Is so difficult to imagine the
gay wording, who has been called hence,
! In another state of being.
Mr.. Crawford was one Of my admirations
from the first. Tall, pale, with dark hair
and eyes, he reminded me of Dante, only
that he was handsomer and he had such
d general air OF knowing everything worth
knowing, without the least pedantry
however, that was quite afraid of him.
He was evidently wrapped up IN John,
and patient to his sister-which was ask
ing quite enough of Christian charity un-
der the sun, for Mrs. SheIgrove was. an
unmitigated nuisance. Such a talker !!
babbiing of her own and her brothers af-
fairs with equal indiscretion, and treating
the latter as though he were an incapable
infant
They stayed with us three years and
during that time I was fairly prosecuted
about John. Mrs. Shelgrove wrote me a
letter on the subject, IN which she inform
med me that the whole family were ready
to receive me with open arms-a prospect
that 1 did not find at all alluring. They
seemed to have their hearts set upon me
as a person peculiarly fitted to train John
in the way he should 20. Everything, l
was told. depended on his getting the
right kind Of a wife.
A special interview with Mr.. Crawford,
at his particular request, touched me con-