Page:New Peterson magazine 1859 Vol. XXXV.pdf/129

 ”/

124

-

W,”

FLIRTING

IN

of the house by side doors, to encountering that unknown and wonderful creature—a young lady.

Perhaps it was an instinctive feeling that members of this genus are ag dangerous as they are beautiful, that filled him with undefined dread of proximity—it might have been that, or it might have been simple rustic bashfulness: but at all events the only desire he evinced, with regard to Nellie, was to keep out of her way.

Of course the young lady was not long in dis- covering this determination on the youth's part, and from that time she did not want for amuse- ment. Her merriment was constantly excited, by observing the hurried retreat of her cowardly foe to the friendly covert of pantry, cellar, or stable, at her approach; and nothing delighted her spirit of mischief more, than by sallying forth suddenly twenty times a day, to put the enemy to ignominious flight. Seldom was poor

to drop his knife and fork st least once, during its course, to take refuge in some neighboring hiding-place, till the coast was again clear. Rarely did he escape from back or side door without being made aware, by some saucy token, that a pair of roguish eyes wore watching him from window, or porch. Even when at work in the fields, a little, jaunty form sometimes trip- ped by with bright eyes looking defiance, or a fresh, merry voice was heard singing odd ecraps of mocking songs. In the farm-yard he was no more secure; for no sooner did Nellie’s eagle eye detect his form moving about there, than down she came, and perching herself on the fence, wanted to know ‘when he was going to appoint that afternoon to teach her to milk, as he had eo faithfully promised?” Of course this promise only existed in the imagination of the relentless tease; Nathan’s patience was sorely tried.
 * Nathan allowed to enjoy a meal without having

Now, notwithstanding all I have admitted about Nathan's senseless bashfulness, he was a good, sturdy, manly fellow. Most men, even the bravest, have their cowardly points. I will even venture to say there is something every man is afraid of, and I am sure there is more sense in being afraid of s woman than many other things, for, there is nothing more danger- ous, as too many of us have found out; but, in time, Nathan’s timidity waned before his righte- ous wrath, at Nellie’s audacious persecution. He mentally passed a series of spirited resolutions. He would let this bold, forward girl know that he admired, as little as he respected her. He

_ Would give her to understand that his personal freedom was not to be thus interfered with. He would endure her saucy insolence no longer. Such his valorous resolves. His timid practice continued to be precipitate flight at the least rustle of a silken petticoat, whenever flight was possible. I am ashamed of such inconsistency in a hero, but people seldom carry out resolutions any better, so I trust they will be lenient to a fellow sinner.

Mesnwhite, Nellie, unaware of the revolution that was progressing in the mind of her victim, was gathering more and more audacity from his apparent total submission. Like a little poodle at sight of a flying foe, her valor rose in exact ptoportion to her security, and she grew so saucy and aggressive, as to be almost unbearable. Not content with routing the enemy at pleasure, she eometimes amused herself by cutting off his retreat, and many « forced parley, where the talking, however, was all on one side, was poor Nathan obliged to hold in some narrow exposed pasa of entry or stairway.

One evening, just before dark, the young man was engaged in the homely, but useful office of driving the cows home from pasture, when Nellie, and Nathan's sister, Priscilla, who had been taking s walk together, enoountered him at the cross-roads not far from the house.

Miss Priscilla stepped forward and joined her brother; and Nellie, nothing loath, followed. There could be little continued conversation be- tween the brother and sister, as the extreme deafaess of the latter required too violent efforts on the part of the person ambitious of reaching her tympanum, to be long of duration, or often repeated. So, in a little while, the whole party marched on behind the cows in solemn silence. At last, Nellie, overcome by the ludicrouaneas of the situation, burst into a laugh, in which, to her surprise, she was joined by Nathan, after a few moments’ inward struggle.

“What is it? what is it?” inquired Miss Pria- sills, in the eager manner of deaf people, ‘what are you talking about?”

‘“We have not said anything yet,” answered Nellie. ‘I am laughing at the good thing Mr. Nathan is going to say.”.

Nathan closed his lips firmly, as though re- solved no good thing should by chance slip through, # prudent precaution, but apparently uncalled for.

‘Well, Mr. Nathan,” continued Nellie, after a pause, “‘since you have determined not to say that good thing to me, I have # great mind to Bay some pretty things to you. Do you know,” pursued the incorrigible tease, as she simpered with affected affectation. ‘‘Do you know, sir, that, ever since I first saw you, I have been