Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1892-02-27
BASHFUL DICK.
The Difficulties That Beset Him
in His Wooiug.

Ing. Driving your sister is not the
most &c cxcitfnR. occupation imaginable,
and when that sister and her betrothed
occupy the back seat and arc totally
absorbed in each other the situation is
almost dreary. Dick was feeling
gloomy.
If Jim Gardner and Carrie were q
pretty picture Of devoted happiness,
Dick was no less pleasing as a sample
of sturdy young manhood-sturdy and
yet shy.
Dick was . bashful fellow. but he
was SO handsome and blue-eyed. and
fair-haired and sun-burned, that his
modesty was only an added charm.
'Drive into Mrs. Rausom's, Dicls,"
said Carrie. Mother wants me to get
her spiced-picklc recipe"
Something blue and white was visi-
bic in hammock in Mrs. Ransom's
rear yard.
''Oh." Carrie murmurcd, Its Mrs.
Ransom's niece. Miss Faulkner, from
the city-some city. Sallie Decker
was telling about her. She says she's
.Awfully rich and stylish; says she's
been hero before, but she never dared
call on her. She says she's been to
Europe twice, and-well. that she's
too stylish for anything"- Carrie GUIDED,
hurricdly.
Jim gave decisive laugh, but Dick.
sat painfully blushing. To be forced
to encounter such a creature! He pre-
ferred being swallowed hge an earth
quake.
Cordial Mrs Ransom came out at
sight OF the buggy. ..
Come here. Maggie" she called.
"My niece, Miss Faul<nr-Miss Cor
win, Mr.. Corwin and Jim Gardner.
I've heard you were engaged to q Jim
Gardner, from Mccklinville. Carrie,
and suppose that's the young man"
1t ended in good general laugh.
But Dick was too bewiidered to laugh.
For there was added to his awe the
element best. CALCULATED to reduce
shy young man to the depths Of misery
-admiration.
Miss Faulkner wore some airy sum-
ncr garb fn which blue predominated-
blue stripes,a a blue felt hat, blue lacings
In her blouse. She was black-haired.
dark-eyed, pinls:chcekcd and the pos
SCISSOR of a deep dimple.
"Yon must come with us for a drive,
Miss Faulkner, said Carrie, promptly.
''tfo on, Maggie" said Mrs. Ransom.
Dick stepped down, and Mss Faull<-
ner, with a laughing word of depreca-
ton, stepped up; then Dick drove on.
Forgot the pickle recipe"' Carrie
cried.
1t Dick could have laughed with
them! But he could not. His mood
was almost solemn. He was not only
stiff with embarrassment, but he was
startled. Had he ever seen her be-
fore? Where? 1t might have been in
some angelic vision.
Miss Faulkner was charming as she
4.,,-v vHr,I L, a.. ~ e.
the oddity of the situation.
I'm rather unconventional to come
like this" she declared to Dick. Jim
and Carrie had settled back to a duet
''But I do love to drive"
You do?" said Dick.
He meant it to sound genial, but he
knew it sounded stiff.
II think the roads about here are
beautiful" said Miss Faulkner. But
the names you call them! I've heard
of the crab road and the old cider mill
road"
.'And the Josiah Hinckley road,''
Dick managed to add.
II should think you'd call this the
rick-raclS road" she said, scanning it's
winding length.
Dick laughed. If only the blood had
not gone tiugiing into his face the next
that Miss Faulkner had been twice to
Europe which made it.
Aunt Mary thinks there's no place
like Norwood" said Miss Faulkner,
brightly. ut is very pretty"
Not SO very" said Dick.
Her blue sash blew into his lap, and
he did not know what to do about it.
But it is," said Miss Faulkner. Are
there uany. young peQple?"
Not very many" said Dick
he wished Carrie and Jim would
help; him out, but they were fathoms
deep in a1ow-toned dialogue. -.
II think ] should know" said Miss
Faulkner, whispering and smiling,
that yonr sister was engaged, even II
! hadn't heard it"
"it's plain enough" said Dick.
If she were not SO stylish, SO rich
hadn't been abroad SO frequently!
And if he were not haunted by that
queer notion of having seen her before.
IF didn't bring my book along!'
she CALCULATED, thumbing her hitherto
forgotten pamphlet IA silly little
thing was reading in a hammock-a
regular Lamm ock novel-'Molly's
Lovers Molly has six frantic lovers
so far, and I'm expecting a seventh
every minute"
Why couldn't he think of something
to rejoin? He should think Of the right
thing later, he knew. He flicked the
horse and thought of saying something
about the length of her visit, but that
brought to mind the imposing glories
to which she would return. Rich,
stylish, Travelled, and Dick had never
been farther than Harrington in his
honest, healthy life.
But he mustered courage for q des-
perate final effort.
Haven't 1 seen you before?'' he,
said, rather bluntly.
"Me? Where?" said Miss Faulkner.
That's what don't know" he said.
1amety, "but I thought-why-some
haul dap't knnyy. / can't eNnlair IL