The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-02-23

you
boys and girls won't believe me, per-
haps, but WAS once painfully, horri-
bly, Shy and sensitive. Bashful, Why,
you can't imagine how felt as q lad
of sixteen or eighteen even at church
sociablc, and yet for the life of inc
couldn't keep quiet. l was always
fcvcrishly anxious to be paying some
one misunderstanding around refresh
ments you know, generally managing
TO spill chocolate or icc-cream over
some ones newest dress, and distin-
gushing myself variously. Oh! you
don't know how much | suffered"
We all laughed, because no more
sclf-possesscd man ever existed than
our uncle, and, whether in his public or
private life, he gave one the impression
Of shrewd, calm, totally una ffccted
nature, in every way the reverse of
what he pictured himself.
Aunt Kitty looked up from her knit
ting with twinkling eyes.
'.Iou ought to tell them the nose
story" she said, smiling. Let them
judge from that whether you were
bashful or not"
"Oh, yes, yes" laughed Uncle Joe.
Sure enough, that aods an experience"
Waiting to fill his pipe, uncle settled
himself comfortably in his arm chair
and began:
"Wcll, / was about nineteen at the
time, just young enough to feel old, you
know, and old enough to have known
better / was starting for town in
the western part of New York state,
where had been invited TO spend few
weeks Of college vacation, and my
Cousin Sar all was to accompany me.
Just as we were going to the train
gentleman knew slightly stepped up
to us to ask whether we would take
charge of his elderly aunt. She was go
ing to the same town, but was not only
in poor health but in deep affection. ow-
ing to the death of her brother. Here
was an opportunity for me TO display
my usual eager politencss, and l soon
had Mrs. Jones settled by Sarahs side,
opposite me in the train, and in ten
minutes had bought half a dozen comic
newspapers, which ! had fairly forced
upon her before / remembered that her
frame of mind was too melancholy to
be soothed by literature of that kind.
j subsidized only to buy her Il package of
prize candy when the boy came through
WV VI thii, tiiNt bitt III an Sitln
looks in my direction don't know what
other tomfoolery ! might have in
dulged in.
Now, must tell you that Sarah
had, and has, j am glad to say, Il re-
markably large nose-not an ugly one.
but prominent to an extent winch has
often made her the target for family
joking. had given Mrs. Jones, who,
by the way, was the most detected
looking creature you can imagine, u
brief rest, when my thoughts turned to
Sarah, and knowing her timidity on
some points, / resolved to have little
sport in the very DARK tunnel we were
nearing Accordingly | leaned back
with half-closcd eyes and the air of
calm, for which, no doubt, my compan-
ions were grateful, and then no sooner
were we we'll in the darkness than
bent forward silently, and, taking
Sarah's nose between my thumb and
fin~cr, tweakcd and twisted it back
and forth, finally giving it Il little slap.
1--WE emerged into The daylight Mrs.
Jones seemed to glare on me. Sarah
remained absolutely unmoved and
looked out Of the window near which
she sat. bore the horrible suspense
for about five minutes and contrivcd TO
write on a paper which lsmugglcd into
her hands: Did anyone pull your nose
in the tunnel?
'Shc looked at me in blank amaze
mcnt Her expression seemed 10 say:
Are you entirely crazy?' while ahe
almost Indignantly shook her head,
and tossed my paper ont Of tho window.
~ sat stonily still. il you'll believe
me, for fully two minutes. as tie awful