The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-08-11
JOHN AND

JOHN AND |.
"Come, john" said /, cheerfully
sit is really time to go; if you stay
any longer | shall be afraid to come
down and lock the door after you"
My visitor rose-a proceeding thai
always reminded me. of the genll
emerging from The copper vessel, as
he measured six feet three-and stood
looking reproachfully down at me.
"You are in great hurry to get
rid of me-" he said.
Now l didn't agree with him, for
he had made his usual call of two
hours and half; having, in country
phrase, taken to ''sitting up" with me
so literally that | was frequently at
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 was The raj tiYef 30 y1sI4 Defi0dof
twenty-two-and every way worthy
of being loved. But [ didn't love
him. l was seven years his senior !;
when instead of letting the worm of
concealment prey on his damask
cheek, he ventured to tell his love for
my matureself, [ remorselessly seized
an English prayer book, and pointed
sternly to the clause, ga man may
not marry his grandmother" That
was three years ago, and l added en-
couragingly;
"Beside, John, you are child. and
don't know your own mind"
eff man Ofnineteen doesn't know
his own mind" demonstrated my
lover, Il would like to know who
should. But will wait fer you sey-
en- years, if you say so-fourteen as
Jacob did for Rachel"
"You forget" laughing at his way
of mending matters, "that a woman
does not improve with age. But Sc
riously, John, this is absurd !; you are
a nice hoy, and I like yOu-but my
feelings toward you are more those
of "A mother than a WIFE"
The boy'S eyes flashed Indignantly,
and before | could divine his inten-
tion he had lifted me from the spot
where | stood, and carried me infant
fashion to the sofa, at 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
ofWilliam Normandy, and matters
promised to be quite exciting.
Don't Go tnat again. sara w1tn
dignity when recovered my breath.
"Willyou marry me?" asked John.
somewhat threateningly.
mot just at present." / replied.
1.-THE great, handsome fellow" l
thought. as he paced the floor rest
Iessly, "why couldn't he fall in love
with some girl of fifteen. instead of
setting his affections or an old maid
like me? / don't want the boy on
my hands, and wOn't.have him ~
GAS to your being twenty-six,"
pursued John, in answer to my
thoughts, "YUu say it's down in the
family Bible, ana / suppose it must
be so but no one would believe it;
and | 'dor't care if you are forty.
You look like "A girl of sixteen, and
you are the only woman l shall ever
love-"
"OJohn, John!at least five millions
Cf men have said the same thing
before in every known language"
Nevertheless, when he fairly breaks
down and cries, | reIent-for l am
diSgracefulIy soft hearted--and weak
ly promise then and there that | will
either keep my own name or take
his.
And John looked radiant at this
concession, for love is a very dog in
the manger. Ii was comfort to know
that 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 household was sadly broken up,
and | found myself, comparatively
young in years, with Il half invalid
father, large house, and a very lit
tie money. What more natural de-
termination than to take boarders :?
And among tn 2 first were Mr.. Gran
ford, his son and sister, who bad just
been wrecked themselves by the
death of the vile and mother in a
foreign land--one of those sudden.
unexpected deaths, that ave the
survivors in dazed condition, be-
cause 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 admi-
rations from the first. Tall, pale,