The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1884-01-24
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JOHN Ind |.

Come, john" said I, cheerfully,
sit really is time to go; if you stay
amy longer 1 shall be afraid to come
down and lock the door after
you
My visitor rose proceeding
that always 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 a great hurry to get
rid of me" he said.
Now I didn't agree with him, for
he had made his usual call of two
hours and a half; having, in coun-
try phrase, taken to ''sitting up
with me so literally that was
frequently at my wits end to snp-
press the yawn that / knew would
bring troop after it.
| He was fine, manly looking
fellow. this John Crawford, old for
his age--which was the rather boy
ish period Of twenty-two-and
every way worthy of being loved.
But I didn't love him. I was seven
years his senior; when instead of
letting the worm of coneealment
prey on his damask cheek, he ven
tured to tell his love for my mature
self, I remorselessly seized an Eng
lish prayer book, and pointed
sternly to the clause, ga man may
not marry his grandmother That
was three years ago, and I added
encouragingly:
Beside, John, you a child, and
don't know your own mind
eff man of nineteen doesn't
know his own mind" demonstrated
my lover. 81 would like to know
who should. But I will wait for
you seven years, if you say So
fourteen-as Jacob did for Rachel y
"You forget laughing at his
way of mending matters, that a
woman does not improve with age.
But seriously, John, this is absurd;
you are nice boy, and I like you
but my feelings toward you are
more those of mother than a
wife"
=, The boys eyes flashed indig-
,antly, and before I could divine
his intention he had lifted me from
spot where / stood and carried
me fashion to the sofa, at
the otssReSs the room.
81 could asaost find it in my
heart to shake ;Jed he muttered,
as he set me down with emphasis.
This was rather like the court.
ship of William of Normandy, and
matters promised to be quite ex.
citing.
"Don't do that again." I said
with dignity, when I recovered my
breath.
"WiIl you marry me!' asked
John, somewhat threateningly.
"Not just at present" I replied.
"The great, handsome fellow" I
the ught, as he paced the floor rest.
lessly, why couldn't he fall in love
with some girl of fifteen, instead of
setting his affections on an old
maid like me? l don't want the boy
on my hands, and won't have him J
GAS to your being twenty-six, ="
pursued John, in answer to my
thoughts, "Yon say it's down in the
family Bible, and L suppose it must
be SO; but no one would believe it;
and I don't care if you are forty.
You look like a girl Of sixteen, and
you are the only woman I shall
ever love-"
0 John, John |! at least FIVE mil
lions of men have said the same
thing before in every known Ian
guage. Nevertheless, when he fairly
breaks down and cries, I relent-
for 1 am disgracefully soft-hearted
and weakly 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. It was comfort
to know that if he could not gather
the flower himself, no one else
would.