Year: 1860

ing young farmer reddened to the very roots of his hair, as though he had committed some very. wicked act, instead of asking g simple question. s....

 He was bashful, extremely so, was Josiat Hawley; at least in the presence of young ladies; most of all in the presence of tho girl he loved. No young farmer in all tho country possessed better-kept farm, ol talked with more confidence among his com peers of stock and crops, and on kindred subjects But the glimpse of some pretty face, or foot, coming in his direction, affected him like flash of lightning. On such oc Icasions he never knew what to do with hi. hands and eyes, always felt like screwing himself into mouse hole. How he ever contrived to approach Hester Thomas or the subject of his preference for her probably remains to this day as much a mystery te himself as it is to others.

 But that young lady had quite an amount of tact and cleverness slowed away some where in her pretty little head, albeit it was set ou the dimpled, inexperienced shoulders of seventeen. Josiah was worth, ill a world ly way, much more than any of her other suitors; good-lookiDg and intelligent enough to satisfy any one but an over.fastdious per son; uncxceptionable, ill short, barring his excessive bashfulucss, which was fruitful source of merriment among the young peo pie n their little circle. And so, when Jo siah in his awkward, blundering way, began to exhibit his preference for her in various little ways, such as waiting on her to and from singing school, constituting himself her escort when she rode on horseback to the solitary church in the woods, and singling her out at quilting parties, Hetty took it all in the easiest, pIeusantest manper possible. The girls laughed, and the young men crack ed sly jokes at the expense of her timid suit or; but Hetty stood up for him very inde- pendently him out of his shy ness-neyer noticed any unfortunate blum de:-and very likely helped him along con sideraby when his feelings reached the cul- minating point, one moonlight autumn eve ming, as they were walking home together from prayer meeting.

 That was week ago. Hetty had said Yes,' and agreed to bring father and mother around on the subject Josiah had not been to the house sincc-probaLly feel ing very much like dog yenturing upon the premises of the person whose sheep-fold he had just plundcred As yet neither had the courage to speak to the rciyning pow CTS" on the subject; and Hetty, feeling as if she wished to put the ordeal off as long as possible, ut any rate to have one more cen- fidentiaI talk with him on the subject said |:

 "Mothcr is going over to Aunt Rutl's to spend the evening, and wants me to go But 1 guess l won't I've been working fathers shirts all day, besides doing the dirty work, and Pm as tired as can be. So I guess they'll have to go without me. Don't come until eight o'clock. shall Le through putting things to rights then and then will let you in."

 Or course, Josiah was not too obtuse to understand that, aud forgot his bashfuness so far as to petition for goodbye kiss, which was peremptorily refused, of course

 "No, l shan't Do take yourself off, Think didn't see you fdgetng around Sa- rah Jones at Deacon Badgers yesterday evening? I've not forgotten that, sir!"

 "Now, Hetty--"

 But tue appeal was broken off by tan talizing little laugh; and as he sprang for ward to take pleasant revenge on his tor mentress. she slipped away and ran up the path to the house, where he saw her wave her hand as she disappeared within the kitch- en porch; and then he turned from the gate and took the road homeward.

 The tea things had been carried out, the 1 table set back against the wall, the crumbs brushed from the clean homemade carpet, and Hetty's work-stand drawn up in front of the blazing fire. A beautifully piled waiter of great red apples and plate of cracked walnuts were on it, in close proxim- ty to Hetty's work-basket.

 On one side of the fire sat Mrs. Thomas, fat and fair, and at peace with all the world, rocking and knitting, and refreshing herself at sundry intervals with bite from half eaten apple that lay on the corner of the table. and touching every now and then in carcssing manner with her foot sleek, lazy looking cat that purred and winked on the rug before her. Hetty sat on the other side, sewing, and busy in thinking how she should tell her mother that she expected visitor. She would have given the world to be able to say, in an off-hand manner, that she ex- pected MT. Hawley to drop in about eight. But she recolected, with a twinge of con. science, how hard she had tried to get the old lady to accompany her husband to Aunt Ruth's, in spite of her forewarnings of a spell of neuralgia; how she had also plead head ache as an excuse for not going herself.- And she knew her mother was quite sharp enough to draw her own inferences from these facts, and from her being dressed with unusual care to spend an evening at home "I shall not dare to tell her now. Shell be sure to think l wanted to get her out o the way, so I might have Josiah all to my self, and should never hear the last of it. , And like wise little puss she was silent.

 I'll venture my word on it, you would not have wondered at our young farmers des perats enthrallment if you could have sect Hetty Thomas as she sat sewing by the frt i, side that cold November evening.

 | Under pretext of being ready to go to he Uncle's (a thing she had no idea of doing, she had, just before tea, indulged in an in discriminate "ixing up" A neatly fitting dark calico, with the store look still on it, , fresh linen collar, and tasteful black sill , apron-these were the chief items of Hetty' toilet; but she looked as sweet and daint. in her plain dress as if hours had been spen in donning lace and jewels. Her rich hai of the darkest auburn tinge fell in shining folds close to her warm red cheek, and wa caught up in cunning net behind.

 Eight o'clock and past! Mrs. Thoma was dozing iu her chair-her shadow on th opposite wall nohhinp about in grOtesQu