The Blunders of a Bashful Man | Page 6

laugh.
"Does it lighten?" said she.
"A few," said I.
Miss Marigold coughed and looked out of the window. There was a
pause in our brilliant conversation.
"I think we shall have a rainy night," I resumed.
"I'm so afraid of thunder," said she. "I shall not sleep a bit if it thunders.
I shall sit up until the rain is over. I never like to be alone in a storm. I
always want some one close by me," she said, with a little shiver.
[Illustration: "I'M SO FRIGHTENED, MR. FLUTTER," SAID SHE; "I
FEEL, IN MOMENTS LIKE THESE, HOW SWEET IT WOULD BE
TO HAVE SOME ONE TO CLING TO."]
I hitched my chair about a foot nearer hers. It thundered pretty loud,
and she gave a little squeal, and brought her chair alongside mine.
"I'm so frightened, Mr. Flutter," said she: "I feel, in moments like these,
how sweet it would be to have someone to cling to."
And she glanced at me out of the corner of her eye.
"Dear Belle," said I, "would you--would you--could you--now--"
"What?" whispered she, very softly.
"If I thought," I stammered, "that you could--that you would--that it
was handy to give me a drink of water." She sprang up as if shot, and

rang a little hand-bell.
"Jane, a glass of water for this gentleman--ice-water," in a very chilly
tone, and she sat down over by the piano.
Bashful fool and idiot that I was. I had lost another opportunity.
After I had swallowed the water Jane had left the room. I bethought me
of the handsome present which I had in my pocket, and, hoping to
regain her favor by that, I drew out the little package and tossed it
carelessly in her lap.
"Belle," said I, "I have not forgotten that I spilled lemonade on your
sash; I hope you will not refuse to allow me to make such amends as
are in my power. If the color does not suit you, I will exchange it for
any you may select."
She began to smile again, coquettishly untying the string and
unwrapping the paper. Instead of the lovely rose-colored ribbon, out
rolled a long pair of coarse blue cotton stockings.
Miss Marigold screamed louder than she had at the thunder.
"It's all a mistake!" I cried; "a ridiculous mistake! I beg your pardon ten
thousand times! They are for the Widow Jones. Here is what I intended
for you, dear, dear Belle," and I thrust another package into heir hands.
"Fine-cut!" said she, examining the wrapper by the light of the lamp on
the piano. "Do you think I chew, Mr. Flutter?--or dip? Do you intend to
willfully insult me? Leave the hou----"
"Oh, I beg of you, listen! Here it is at last!" I exclaimed in desperation,
drawing out the right package at last, and myself displaying to her
dazzled view the four yards of glittering ribbon. "There's not another in
Babbletown so handsome. Wear it for my sake, Belle!"
"I will," she sighed, after she had secretly rubbed it, and held it to the
light to make sure of its quality. "I will, John, for your sake."

We were friends again; she was very sweet, and played something on
the piano, and an hour slipped away as if I were in Paradise. I rose to
go, the rain being over.
"But about that paper of fine-cut!" she said, archly, as she went into the
hall with me to get my hat; "do you chew, John?"
"No, Belle, that tobacco was for old man Perkins, as sure as I stand
here. If you don't believe me, smell my breath," said I, and I tried to get
my arm about her waist.
It was kind of dark in the hall; she did not resist so very much; my lips
were only about two inches from hers--for I wanted her to be sure about
my breath--when a voice that almost made me faint away, put a
conundrum to me:
"If you'd a kissed my girl, young man, why would it have been like a
Centennial fire-arm?"
"Because it hasn't gone off yet!" I gasped, reaching for my hat.
"Wrong," said he grimly. "Because it would have been a blunder-buss."
I reckon the squire was right.
CHAPTER III.
GOES TO A TEA-PARTY.
The Widow Jones got her stockings the next day. As I left them at the
door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that
"the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the
men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be
sure an' come, or the girls would be so disappointed," and she urged
and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her