Year: 1873

Inc Person VINO asked this question, q
tall, muscular, good-looking young farm
er, was leaning upon Squire Moore's front
gate talking to the Squire's pretty daugh-
ter, who stood inside Of it. As the simple
words passed his lips he reddened sudden
ly to the very roots of his hair, as if he
had just been guilty Of some great impro-
priety.


He was bashful-extremely bashful was
David Winthrop-at least in the presence
of young ladies, most of all in the pres
ence of the girl he loved. No young man
in all Wilkes county owned a better kept
farm, or talked with more confidence
among his cronies of stock and crops and
such like. But the sight Of a pretty foot
or face coming his way affected him
queerly. On such occasions he never
knew what to do with his hands and eyes,
and seemed always to feel like screwing
himself into the nearest mouse hole until
the danger-that is to say, the young lady
was past.


This state of things being considered,
no one ever understood how he contrived
to muster up courage enough to enlight-
en- Annie Moore on the subject of his pref
erence for herself The matter probably
remains to this day as much mystery to
him as it is to others.


Miss Annie, however, had fair share
of tact and womanly cleverness slowed
away safely somewhere, in the recesses
of her pretty little head, although it was
| carried jauntily upon the inexperienced
and rounded shoulders of fresh eighteen


She did not need to be reminded that
David was worth in worldly way. much
more than any of her other suitors, and
that he was good-looking, good-hearted
and intelligent enough to satisfy any one
but an over-fastidious person of her class
He was unexceptionable, in short, bar
ring his unconquerable and excessive
bashfuness, which, indeed, was never
failing source of merriment to the young
people of their little circle.


And so, when David in his awkward,
laundering. halEfrightened manner began
shyly to exhibit his preference for her in
various little ways. such as waiting on
her to and from singing school, constitu-
ting himself her escort when she went
Sundays on horseback to the lonely little
church in the woods, and singing her out
as the recipient of whatever attentions he
could find the nerve to pay, at the frequent
quilting parties in the neighborhood. An
ME did not frighten him out Of his budding
passion by any show, either of surprise or
marked preference, but took it all in the
easiest, pleasantest, most unconscious
manner possible. The girls Uttered and
nudged each others elbows, and the young
men cracked furtive jokes at the expense
of her timid suitor, but she stood up for
him like a real kind-h hearted, independent
Western lass, as she was, and tried to en-
courage him out of his shyness, as far as
she consistently could.


- I.
unfortunate blunders. and very likely
helped him along considerably when his
feelings reached the eliminating point,
one moonlight autumn evening. as they
were walking home together from corn
husking.


That had been just one week ago. An
ME had said yes" and had agreed to
take the responsibility of bringing father
and mother ''round' on the subject.
David had not been to the house SINCE
PROBABLY he felt very much like dog
who fears to venture upon the premises
of Il person whose sheep fold he had Just
plundered. Thus it happened that as yet
the powers that were knew nothing of the
momentous secret, which they kept be-
tween themselves, fearing to divulge
And now Annie, who wished to put off
the ordeal Of avowal as long as possible
at any rate to gain tune for one more
confidential talk with David on the sub
ject-said hastily in reply to that stam-
mered query of his with which we have


retaced this narration.


Mother is going over to Aunt Ruth's
with father to spend the evening, and she
wants me to go.too, but guess Iwon't.
I've been working on fathers new shirts
all day, besides doing the dairy work YES
terday and I'm about tired out"
Then before he could reply,


Don't come until eight o'clock, l shall
be about through putting things to rights
by that time 3"


or course David was not too obtuse to
understand that he was specially favored
by this arrangement, and and he so far
forgot his bashiulness as to petition awk-
wardly for a parting kiss. which was at
once refused in the most inexorable man.
ner possible.


NO, you shan't There, now Do take
yourself off, will you! Dye think didn't
see you tidgeting around En- Smith at
Deacon Anderson's sOciable last night ?
I've not forgotten that, sir ?"


"Oh, now, Annie! Just one' ~


But further appeal was broken off by
tantalizing little laugh, and when, rem
dered desperate by this, he tried to re-
venge himself. at the very moment when
he thought he was secure of the coveted
bliss and stopped his head triumphantly
over his struggling prisoner. the rosy.
laughing face vanished suddenly from
under his arm and was off and away up
the garden path leading to the house, al
most before he could realize what had
happened.


For Il moment David, who stood gazing
ruefully after her, thought of pursuit and
recapture. But before he had time to put
his plan into execution, his tormentress,
after stopping to give one mocking fare
we'll wave of her hand from the front
porch, vanished inside of the hall door.
So there was nothing to be done but to
turn reluctantly from the gate and take
the road homeward.


If you could have looked into the fam
lily sitting room at Squire Moore's shortly
before eight o'clock on that same evening
you would have had CHEEKY picture be-
lore you. The after supper clearing away
was over, for the sitting room was also thu