Smyrna times., 1891-11-11
A Bashful Lover.
BY PHAN PHANTOM,

40 OhoIo any one you love very pal
ticular much, Miss Kate? l mean req
up and down, sure's you live aud di
love-"
"Of course, there is, you absurd lii
tie manakin There's my father I'm
rather particular in my love for him
and as for you Jenny, I've only seeI
your curly head within six weeks, an,
yet, I'm half tempted to wait for you
laddie."
THANK you very much, Miss Kate
aud I'd be too glad if I'd met YOU a
first; but the fact is, I've promised an
other girl, and l ,spect that wouldn'
be honorable to NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
that's what Aunt Jemima reads to me
out OF her story books; but then
didn't mean fathers or kids, like me
but grown, bang-np fellows, like your
self"
Katie Raymond gave a merry, ring.
ing laugh.
Il give you my word of honor
Jenny. I've never met a single man
for whom | would give rush. and
don't think the wicked little baby who
goes about with bow and arrows. has
ever tried his hand on me-"
Don't know nothin' about that kind
O'thing, hut, anyhow, I'll tell him IT'S
all right"
Tell who its all right, JENNY PD
Nobody-that is, mean my grand.
tather-Oh, no, l don't either-hain't
got any l wasn't thinkin' nohow.
guess I'm not very strong in the
inteIlec'."
Yes, you are, Jenny Bird, and !
believe you are up to some mischief
Tell me the truth, now, little manakin
quick ~
Cant do it; he'd call me tell-tale,
and ain't-sO there only he told me
to find out, and l didn't know how
'thOut askin' you"
Who told you to find out-and to
lind out what, Jenny ?"
warren Hastings-that is, / mean
ny grandfather-'n they-and he
and |, | mean, just wanted to know
Tor certain sure if you were in love
with any other fellow"
Jenny Bird, look me straight in the
eyes and if you do net tell me the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth, I'll tell brownie to sit
on your bed post and pull your hair
tonight p
will" "''
Every well. Now Jenny did your
grand father tell you to find out if 7
were in loveP"
mo, Miss Kate, honor bright"
MOI nor your Aunt Jemima, Jenny ?"
No, sure's live and die, and"-
"Nor-nOr-now be careful JENNY /!
Remember the brownie and how
dreadfully he tweaks-nor Mr.. Hast
ings ?"
oh, dear just knew I'd tell! I
did !! But l know the brownie'd have
It out with me anyhow. Yes. Miss
Kate, he told me to find out some
way not by askin' the question out
an out, he said, but by beatin' round
the bush ; buthe didn't give me moth.
in to beat with, an reckon he won't
care IS you don't let on that told |!
You won't will you ?"
mo indeed, Jenny dear And Won
are nice, truthful little fellow. Here
IS some candy for you. What more
did Mr.. Hastings say ?"
oh, all sorts o. things He told me
to come up to his room and told me to
sit down on q chair, and he sat on an.
other, and then he laughed and saidhe
loved splendid, magnificent girl, but
she was as far away from him as-as
mar from the earth, though l know
his mar lives at home, for he told me
so one day-but he was too bashful to
tell her so. He said he loved her a
Thousand million times better'n any
other fellow ever loved a girl, and
bought her something pretty every
time he went to the city, but he could
not get up courage to offer them to her
thanks, Miss Kate, these caramels is
uncommon nice-just a dozen or so.
please-an' then-an them
Yes, Jenny, dear, and them
oh! he opened a big borx an
showed me such heap o. things A
6Orx o. kid gloves, all cOlors, a case of
fumery, he called it, in four bottles all
over crinkle an gOld-Oh, such a lot
A beautiful fan, that opened an shut
like 'cordian, am was all over funny
business on both sides an swan feath-
ers on the top; a little watch that he
said come from Genevy an was all
blue and shiny, with row of little
stones around the blue; twas lust
big enough for kid like me. and I
told him I'd look up the girl and tell
her all about it if he'd give it to me:
but he laughed am put it back in the
borx, an then-Oh, yes he took out
little bOrx and showed me a ring
beautifulest you ever did see, an he
said 1T was worth all the rest put to-
gether. 1t had three stones, lust like.
for all the world as if they were sparks
OF hire, an he said he meant to put il
on that girls finger, if ever he got
courage to tell her an she would let
him. told him what l said to Mary
Jane when | asked her, an he laughed
an said if I'd find out if you loved
anyone he would give me a bright
new So gold piece. asked him what
he wanted to know for, an he said. oh.
nothin' only the girl he was in love
with was somethin' like you, an he'd
have more courage if you were-fanci-
fee. l believe he said, an told him
that was just like my Mary Jane. and
got the fever was going to set nm
hOusekeepin' with her right of: SO I
came down an he's waitin' up in his
room for me-"
Eyes, Jenny, boy; take some more
candy, whole handful, dear. And
what more did Mr.. Hastings saw ?"
"Oh, he talked, an read some verses
an said he had plenty of money. but
that no one loved him cause he was
so bashful, an if he could not get his
girl to marry him he'd go am hang
himself-leas'ways, he said he'd do
susanside, an that's hangin' amt it,
Miss Kate ?"
Certainly, dear; but didn't YOU ask
him the name of this charming mai
den ?"
"Yes'm he said here initials were
X. r. but he wouldn't tell me any
more"
Yes, Miss Kate-oh, forgot though!
He said her eyes were almost as big
an every bit as blue as my alley that
he gave me, an her hair as yellow an
shiny as the new gold piece he was
going to give me, an her cheeks as
rosy and beautiful as the peaches on
his table-an' then he gave me two of
the splendidest, bouncing fellows-an'
the cunningest little hands am feet
that ever was an l asked him how
he knew bout her feet, and he said he
saw her footprints on the garden walk,
IAN he bent down an measured them.
asked him when she was here, an
he laughed and said, oh, once upon a
time, an then he held up a IS gold