Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-03-05
The Storu Teller.
LOVE LAUGHS At L0CKSMITHS.
AN OLD FELLOWS STORY.

many years ago-I managed to fal
desperately in love. 1 don't know ex
actly how it came about, but l was in
over head and ears, before 1 wei
knew what happened to me. Some
folks say that to be in love is to be II
purgatory. I think, however, it vii
be admitted that it is very fascinat
ing sort of purgatory. However
lads, as I was saying, l fell over heac
and ears in love. Perhaps 1 wa:
little infatuated-just little, say
but then I qualify it with perhaps
for I must tell you that only to see
Patty Doyle would have furnished any
man, no matter who, with good ex'
cuse for losing his heart.
All! Patty Doyle was something su
perfine I guess there never YET
breathed a creature that was her equal
nor, in fact, that could come anigh
her. Such nut.brown ringlets; such
smiling face; such lustrous, laughing
black eyes; such rosy, pouting lips,
from which sweet words, and sweeter
kisses, dropped like honey-dew; such
a merry, loving heart; so happy and
so kind; and such a pretty fairy fg'
ure, with dainty footsteps, falling
lighter than zephy's upon gossamer
were hers; so that to match Patty
Doyle was something impossible-ex'
cept in wedlock, and that was deter,
mined upon-but then, that's match
that won't bear any comparisons.
1 said that I didn't know how
managed to fall in love, and that's
true enough; but I believe that ii
came on at first with a case of strong
likings. After that my heart lost its
equilibrium, and got pretty considera
bly, cut of the perpendicular, until al
last it leaned so far over that it fairly
toppled into Patty's. Soon after this
happened, Patty's toppled into mine
and then such pleasant times com
menced-such continual interchanges
of soft words, melting looks, and deep
meaning sighs, that we never felt thor
oughly happy unless we were together
For my part, 1 couldn't bear to be away
from her minute-courtin' was such
delightful excitement; and, besides, as
all the other chaps used to look as il
they grudged me, shouldn't wonder
if there was spice of jealousy in my
hankerings.
was busy down at fathers whar
all day, but 1 used to contrive to see
Patty at dinner and tea-time; and al
night-every night used to be wait
ing for her near her house and then she
used to come out, and 1 used to walk
about with her for one or two hours
After a while, though, it came on to
three, then four, and at last till five
hours at night.
Then father interfered.
"Noah, boy" said he, "you mustn't
keep such late hours at the wharf
you'll injure your health. Diligence
and stick -to-w work are the right sort OF
thing, but you may stick too tight, for
all that. Go ahead, boy, only mind
YOU don't overshoot the mark"
Poor old soul He hadn't an idea
what I was after; he thought 1 was
busy with the "books" all the time.
Well, I didn't keep better hours ;
and at length the old man began to
smell a rat. I had written Patty
Doyle's name all over the cashbook,
and opened an account with her in the
ledger, where it ought to have been
Smith, Jones & Co. Father sat down
one day to make out our bill against
this firm, and then he discovered what
I had been doing. He didn'tsay much
at the time it put him to wrinkle
or two, though, for the next day after
be says to me, "Noah, boy, who was
that person with you last night ?"
"With me, father?" said l. felt
very stupid, and shouldn't wonder if !
looked more so.
eyes" said he; "and if I don't mis-.
take, 1 saw you with that snowy little
hussy, Patty Doyle"
"Patty Doyle, father" said 1, hall
choking, for felt my heart beating at
most unpleasantly high rate of speed
and somewhere, as l thought, too near
my throat.
was going to say something else,
but couldn't get the words together
Father saw how I was fixed, and look
ing quite red and angry, said:
"I'm surprised at you! What dc
you mean by it, sirrah, eh?"
I felt kinder riled when l saw how
his dander was riz. didn't say any
thing, though, and in few minutes he
cooled down.
"Noah," said be, "here's a bit o.
advice for you; take warning by me,
boy. Dark eyes are deep traps. Your
mother was just almost such another
Patty Doyle. Mind you don't put
your foot in it before you know what
you're treading on"
"Never fear, father. know what's
what,n said 1 feeling more courageous
like to hear him talk so.
"There are others who know the
same thing, too," said he, and walked
away.
Next day he tells me that 1 mus
house myself sooner at nights; ano
so l did for a night or two, but in g
weeks time l was as bad as ever. II
L