The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-01-21

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ated by all my family ever since
was twenty-five.
therefore regarded my mother
remark as the beginning of kline
of family ritual, and responded a!
usual, "why so, ma'am"
Because" she answered, shortly
deviating somewhat from the beat
en- track, ''it's high time"
"Granted," said l.
eyes," pursued my mother, "yor
are old enough, you are rich enough
and you are clever enough; anC
why you don't get married, / cam
see. You would be much happier
than you are idling about here, with
nothing better to do than to follow
an old woman about from cellar tC
pantry, putting your hands into
every bit of mischief which Satan
sends for idle hands to do-and
all for want of some sensible en-
ployment."
would petting a foolish wife be
a sensible employment" 1 asked
laughing.
"She need not be foolish"
''But the wise virgin will not have
me, and 1 will not have a foolish
one, and there is my trouble"
"You are too modest by half
returned my mother as she was
leaving the room.
pondered over that last remark
of my mothers.
thought it showed discernment
and judgement, and wondered il
more people were not of her way of
thinking.
The melancholy general refec-
ton that modest worth is almost
sure to be underrated, threw me into
a pensive and sentimental mood
and snatching up my hat and fish
ing tackle, l sauntered out for a
reverie under cover of my favorite
spot.
The subject of my late converse.
tion continued to occupy my
thoughts.
The truth is, my mother was not
more anxious to see me married
than was to be SO. l had always
regarded the married state as the
happiest; my heart glowed as much
as any mans ever did at the pic
ture nay fancy drew of a loving
family and happy home.
But the mischief of it was, ]
could not find any one to please me
1 did not consider myself, nor mean
to be, over fsstidious; but among
all the fine ladies 1 met in society,
1 found so little nature, so little
goodness, so little heart, that ]
could not fall in love with them, let
me try as l would.
1t was truly a lamentable case.
Pondering this gloomy thought,
wandered on and on, quite beyond
my usual bounds; and at last, rath-
er tired, clam bered up a steep
rock which overhung the brook
had been following and sat down to
rest. 1t was a true summer seen c
quiet, and warm, and bright
nicely shaded, however, where l lay;
and the cool sound Of the rippliu g
water added just the only charm
possible where all was so charm
ing.
listened with delight, but in do
ing SO became sensible that, be-
sides the regular monotoneus bsb.
bling of the brooklet, there mingled
other sounds of splashing water,
which occurred at irregular inter
walls, and which seemed to proceed
from below the rock on which / re-
clined. My curiosity led me to ex
plore the mystery. 1 clambered
quite to the top of the rock and
looked down over the furtherest
edge.
A young girl, apparently about
eighteen, sat on a rocky ledge bath
ing her feet. Her attitude and oc-
cupation reminded me strongly OF
the pretty picture we have all seen
in the old fashioned annuals Of Do
rothea-except that my little beau
ty was evidently gay, and fresh, and
lively, while the Dorothea, in the
picture, was weary and sad!
/ could not make up my mind for
time to disturb so charming a
scene, and therefore continued to
gaze in silence from my lurking
place.
All! those dainty little white feet,
with their pink-tipped toes, which
cleaned so fair through the clear
water-or flashed for a moment
above the surface, flnging about
the bright, glittering drops, and
then plunging again beneath the
cool blue never shall l forget them
The gracefully bent head, with its
bright golden curls and braids,
against which now and then the
sun glittered from q chick in the
leafy screen-the lovely neck and
arml
My heart of ice suddenly burst
into a flame. "Heavensw L cried,
to myself, as 1 felt 1t humping
against my side, "what is this new
sensation? Bob, your hour is come.
You're in lovep'
At the moment / came to this
conclusion, the float on my fishing,
4 1lQ0 OTOppSu az JuO IOCb VI IL y
charmer; and immediately-wsll
Pm not going to lay before my con
fldential public an account of my
delicate and skillful maneuvreing-
enough, that within half an hour
was seated by my water-fairy's side
trying to look as much like Nep
tune or Masssnillo, or any other
water hero, 1 did not care which, as
/ could.
| Moral soon discovered hel
sweet name-was most charminglJ
gay and chatty. No prudery o
Thought of evil ruff1ed the current
of her child-like innocent thoughts
She was a careless child at play
glad of play-fellow.
would have joyfully fingered
for hours in that enchanted grotto
bat ere long Nora rose and saun
tered away. 1 followed, endesvor
ing to beguile the howery way sh
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