Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-03-23
HER eAckwoops BEAU.
His Intentions Were Excellent, but Ian
Runge Failed Him.

guage Failed Him.
"When was a young woman said the
wife Of q well known New York lawyer, 81
lived in country town in Pennsylvania
Like that of many other country girls, the
height Of my ambition was TO teach dis
trict school. / passed my exspination be-
fore the rural school board and was as
signed to a backwoods district, where
had to follow the time honored custom
of boarding round l was rather a SEN
timental girl, 1 think, and after 1 had
been teaching a few weeks in the district
l was by no means displeased to discoT-
er that one of the well to do rustic swains
of that neighborhood, a good looking
wholesome young fellow, was inclined to
pay attention to me. He was looked upon
by all the red checked backwoods girls as
a great catch, and my natural feminine
vanity was in no manner made less by the
knowledge that all the girls were jealous
of me, although the yclng man had as yet
given no positive indication of his prefer
ence for me. One evening he called at the
farmhouse where 1 was then quartered,
and it was not until the family had one by
one retired, leaving me alone with him in
the big fireplace lighted sitting room, that
1t broke upon me that was actually keep
ing company with beau.
"I can feel now the blush that rushed to
my face when realized the situation, which,
must admit, was pleasing one. But how
embarrassing it was And the embarrass.
ment was made all the more painful when
l discovered that my company was most
annoyingly bashful. He sat on one side of
the fireplace, on the other. His eyes were
fixed on the hearthstone, and he kept them
there, while he fidgeted on his chair and
twirled his thumbs nervously. / was nat
urally self possessed girl and a lively
talker, but as 1 sat there opposite that bash
full youth l was unable to find word to
say and sat as awkwardly silent and nerv-
GUS as he was himself The old clock ticked
loudly, and, / thought, impatiently, in the
corner, and its hands went around the dial
| for one long hour without another sound
breaking the awful silence of that room.
The suspense was simply frightful.
"'Ohp kept thinking to myself, why
doesn't he say something or go homer
| "But still he sat there in the Pickering
light, fidgetr and nervous, his eyes never
moving from that one spot on the hearth.
Another half hour dragged its way around
the clock. Then suddenly the bashfui swain
raised his eyes and looked at me. There
was an animated but frustrated look on his
face.
"'Thank heavenp thought. He's going
to say something at last'
HE looked at me moment, still twirline
his thumbs, and then stammered out:
miss Paley-did you-ever-se owl?
"This was an unexpected and surprising
query, and although it almost destroyed
what little composure had left it was &
relief. welcomed it as probable breaker
of the ice.
"Oh, yes, Mr.. Cranep replied enthusi
astically. Many and many a time
my rustic beau grinned in a satisfied
way for "a moment, and was hopeful, bu
suddenly the solemn look came back to hi
face, and he dropped his eyes to the heartl
again and resumed his inspection of TIN
/ fascinating spot on the stone, twirling hi
thumbs and fidgeting as before. Paralysi
, seized my tongue again, too, and as tn
I clock ticked away minute after minute
felt that must either soon scream or die
Another hour passed. Twas on the poin
of springing from my chair and rushing
from the room when the bashful swat
showed signs of another CLEAN of intelli
] gence He raised his eyes and looked a
me as if he had been seized with brillian
! idea and suffered out:
i Say! What cussed-big-eyes they go
-hain't they9"
; "Well, that was more than human nj
u ture could stand. screamed with laughtt
at the ludicrous situation, and l think
cried to think that had been sitting q
that blessed evening with such stupi
pumpkin. Anyhow when l recovere
, somewhat of my composure my beau wa
gone, and went to bed and cried mysel
to sleep. The youth never honored m
} with another call, but learned soon afte
ward that one of the backwoods girls wa
v boasting that she had cut me OUT an
s that in speaking of me the rustic gallar
: had said, with much emphasis;
n "'Why, gosh! she don't know nawthinl
New York Sun.