The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-02-11

II guess IL was week arter Went NJ
to the store with the valentine, and Silence
and me was settin alone one eyenin', when
all of a sudden she spoke up, and seq She
e'Cynthy Ann, how did Mr. Dawson
act when You give him the valentine?
"I'd told her afore, but I said it over
again. He acted as if he was goin' tc
drop right down, sez l.
!" Did he look pale? SEE she.
Look palep sez l, 'he alters looks pale
but I never see no live man look so pale
as he did then.
a'Then you think he felt sad? sez she.
dreadful wishful.
"'He looked as if he felt so bad he
didn't know what to do, sez l.
aThen all of a sudden, without no
warnin', Silence she jest threw up her
hands, and bust out cryin'. Oh sez she,
poor Amos, I've got to go, can't hold
back no longer! cant help If it amt
becomin' and seemly I've got to go l
I dunno as he cares anythin' about me, but
I've got to go'
'sI was SO scarf, didn't know what to
do. 1 jest burst out cryin' too, and sez
I-1ll go with you, Silence, I'll go with
you.
"Silence she jest kept right on cryin'
and talkin', She acted as if all the gates
was down, sure.
"'Oh, Cynthy Ann sez she, you don't
know nothin' about it, Poor Amos, he
used to go with me, little, and all of a
sudden he stopped, and never knew why,
and that valentine was the reason. He
sent it, and he thought | got, it, and was
too proud to say anythin about it He
was terrible bashful and sensitive. Poor
Amos Oh, I've got to go, Cynthy Ann,
I've got to
~, IL go with you, Silence, sez |.
"And afore / knew what had happened,
we had on our shawls, and we was going
up the road to Amos Dawson's. Silence
she gripped my hand hard all the way.
When we got there, Silence she went
straight ahead to the door and knookedI
she didn't hesitate none that time. We
saw the light movin', and then Amos he
come and opened the door. He looked
somehow as if somethin' inside of him Civ
great start, but his face didn't move a
muscle.
"'Good evenin', sez he, and stood there
with the lamp in his hand.
"He never asked us to come in, but
Silence she kind O. made motion to, and
he led the way to the settin'room. Inever
see such lookin' place in all my born
days. l never could see no reason for a
mans Twin like the pigs, if he was down
hearted, but I b'lieve Silence she liked him
better fort
"When we got into the room, Amos he
set the lamp on the mantel-shelf, aud then
we all stood there. Silence she had her
head hung, as if she couldn't say her les
son, but all of sudden she held it up, as
if she was determined to, whether or no,
and there wa MT no whip in creation that
could scare her, and sez she-'Amos did
you get that valentine2'
a'Yesl" sea he.
"'Well, sez she, lit was twenty year
comm to me. l dunno where twas all
that time Cynthy Ann found it in faith
coat jacket er's /. dunno whether he forgot
| it, or what. What | want to know is,
Amos-if-'twa to do over, if-you' d
send it again2'
"Amos he jest stood lookin' at her, then
all of sudden he went across the room to
his desk, and he jerked it open, and he
rummaged till he found that valentine, an
he brought it ever to her.
"'Here 'tisp sez he, will you take is?'
"And Silence took it.
II didn't know no better than to stand
right there lookin' on, and there was Amos
with his arm round Silence, and she was
cryin', and he was kissin' her, | didn't
see how she could have him, but l didn't
know 80 much then as did arterward,
when | learned that there amt no reg'lar
weights and measures for things of that
kind, and women, however sharp-sighted
they air other ways, air mostly meu-blind,
a:Why didn't you send back the valen-
tine by Cynthy Amp sez Silence.
"I didn't know that was what you
meant seq Amos, and then he give hel
another kiss, and me a-starin'.
THAT silly varseI sez Amos, 4 should
have thought you'd have laughed at il
now, Silence. | was young then.
thought you'd got it, hut met you the ant
arterward, and you didn't say nothin abou
it, and the next time | saw you, you acted
kind of stiff
That was because you hadn't been tt
see me, sez Silence. Il was pretty high
spirited in them days.
81 didn't come because You didn't sa,
nothin about the valentine, and ! wal
afeard you didn't like it, sez Amos. 4
was dreadful bashful and sensitive.
"Then he kissed Silence again.
thought they'd never stop talkiu', bui
finally Silence she said she must go, ant
Amos he went with US.
"Well, of course you know what cant
arier that. They was married right away
and Silence she he'd the handsomest pearl
colored brocade I ever see in my life, anc
IL I -