The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-09-25
ENDED IN SMOK Il.

Sootv retniner TO the vinel
Sorccrerl that mak'st us dote upon
Thv begrimed complex Xion,
Ard for thy pCrnicious sake,
More and greater Oaths 10 rcak.
Than reclaimed lovers take
'Gainst women! Thou the siege dost
Much, TOO, in the female way.
am sitting on the back porch of my
little vine-clad cottage this lazy May
morning, pulling immense volumes of
smoke from my old mcerschaum pipe.
undisturbcd by aught save the chirp-
in@s of the songsters of spring. and the
CHEEKY voice of my sister Bessie, as she
goes singing about her household
duties l am thinking dccply-think-
inm of my pretty next door neighbor,
Kittie American. She is wiiching
little girl with the blackest of hair and
the bluest of eyes. She does not look
her age by five years, which her
widowed mother innocently told me
was less than my own by ten years,
and | am turned thirty-five.
have known Kittie nearly year.
l have ridden with her, played with
her, and worked with her; and to-day.
for the first time, the startling reVela-
ton has dawned upon my obtuse
intellect that l am deeply in love with
her.
About fifteen months ago l came
from the North, bringing with me my
only sister, Bessie, and my cousin,
Basil Willoughhv, and settled down in
Bonnie Brae, one of the picturesque
little VILLAGES which comprise the
suburban belt of Baltimore. Basil is Il
literary man, and | am an artist. My
sister keeps house Tor us two Old
bachelors. though the term can hardly
be pIeperly applied to Basil, for he is
only tall, slender STRIPPING of
lwentv-four summers, as fair and deli
cate of feature rs n girl; while L am
dark, short, heavy-Set, weathcr-beaten,
and fast growing cray.
| puff and puff until | have thor
oughly made up my mind that to-day
shall settle my fate, at least so far as
Miss Kiitie American is concerned.
Carefully knocking the ashes out IF my
pipe, ] arise and walk leisureiv over To
Mrs. Americans. | find Kitlie out in
the ward, busily engaged i'll weeding
her flower beds and soiling her pretty
fingers. She looks up with Il sunny
smile rs she sees me, and eXciaims in
quirin~ly,-
Not painting this morning. Mr..
Borroughs?'
No. Miss Kittie." reply, 81 am
suffering from an acute attack of
spring fever, aud have come to you for
sympathy and consolation.
Il greatly fear you have come to the
wrong individual" she says, laughing
merri.y, for l am going to ask you TO
turn gardener and help me to rid my
flower bed of these horrid weeds"
Let us compromise. Miss Kittie. by
taking Il STROLL in the woods after wild
flowers" | reply.
"Doncn' she eXclaims, as she runs
into the house after her bonnet; and soon
we are strolling along together in the
most contented manner possible.
/ never noticed before how graceful
her 1.-the, petite figure really is, how
lustrouS her eyes. or how tempting her
rosebud mouth, and / am seized with
an almost uncomfortable desire to take
her up in my arms and imprint kiss
upon it. What vivid fool n man is
when he has been badly hit! but what
man very deeply in love ever yet pos
sessed vestige of practical common
sense of which the all-absOrbing pas
sion did not wholly deprive him?
We stroll lcisurely through the leafy
woods, conversing on various topics of
art and nature, culing wild flowers
here and there, and finally, when we
have done, Kittie seats herself on the
trunk of fallen tree, and l stretch
myself indolenlly at length upon n
l., AE I
| shall have the courage to carry out
my original design, and con over what
l shall say and how l shall say it.
gaze ut Kittie long and searchingly.
Although she is looking the other way,
she must be aware of my scrutiny, for
presently she turns to me and asks
quizzically,-
''Are you thinking of putting me on
canvas. Mr.. Borroughs?"
81 confess l was not. but indeed l
would like TO, Miss Kittie." l reply
earnestly-so earnestly that Il faint
color mounts to her forehead.
A long pause ensues, and then 1 say
abruptly
''Kittie, l love you; will you be my
wife?''
She looks at me moment in utter
amazement, and then cooily replies
Mr.. Borroughs, l do not believe l
can"
.'Are your affections otherwise en-
gaged?"1 inquired eagerly,
mo, l think not" she answers
placidly.
Then why can't you?" ask calmly.
.Well, | have reasons"
'.But what are they?" Iquery trifle
impatientiy.
"Well, Mr.. Borroughs, you are 4
great smoker, and | do detest smok-
ing"
But why have you not told me so
before this?' exclaim. throwing away
my cigar. Il had an idea you en-
joyed seeing me smoke"
"Oh. / do like TO see you enjoy
yourself, but under certain circum-
stances it would be different, you
know, having u smoky breath about
one all the time, !" she replies, blushing
wildly.
Then 1 will give up smoking" 1
persist.
Il don't believe you can, Mr.. Bor-
rou@hs. saucily.
Miss American, you are triflin%
with Inc, Indignantly. "hittle, VIII
you he my vile if | promise you 10
abandon iobacco?"
"Ie-s. when YOU have given it up
for good and ALL" she replies doubt
fully.
| attempt to ratify our bargain with
kiss. but she is too quick for mr, and
up in arms in an instant. We'll. can
afford to wait. We slowly wend our
way homeward, and l am feeling
supremely happy, for is not my kiIlie
as good rs en- -aged to me?
think it wiscst to keep my heroic
resolution secret from both Basil anu
Bessie. so leave my pipe and pouch
in their accustomed place.
Fill up your old pipe and come ou'
on the porch. Dick; want to talk will,
you about that last scribble of mine'
Basil calls out to me after supper.