Josh rode four times round the house before he found courage to alight; at length he made a desperate effort and pulled up under the lee side of the barn, where he dismounted, tied his horse, and approached the house with fear and trembling. At two rods distance he stopped short. There was a dead silence, and he stood in awful irresolution. All at once a terrible voice, close at hand, caused him to start with great trepidation:—it was nothing but a couple of turkeys who had set up a gobbling from their roost on the top of the barn. Josh looked up, and beheld, by the light of the moon, the old turkey cosily perched by the side of his mate; the sight was overpowering. “Ah! happy, happy turkey!” he mentally exclaimed, and turned about to proceed up the yard, but the next moment felt a violent cut across the broadest part of his nose. He started back again, but discovered it to be only a clothes-line which he had run against.—“The course of true love never did run smooth.” He went fearfully on, thinking of the connubial felicities of the turkey tribe, and the perils of clothes-lines, till he found himself at the door, where he stood fifteen minutes undetermined what to do; and if he had not bethought himself of the precaution of peeping in at the window, it is doubtful whether he would have mustered the courage to enter. But peep he did, and spied Hannah all alone at her knitting-work. This sight emboldened him, and he bolted in without knocking. What precise sort of compliments Josh made use of in introducing himself, never could be discovered, for Josh laboured under such a confusion of the brain at the time, that he lost all recollection of what passed till he found himself seated in a flag-bottomed chair with a most uncomfortably deep hollow in it. He looked up, and actually saw Hannah sitting in the chimney corner knitting a pepper-and-salt stocking. “Quite industrious to-night,” said Josh. “Don’t know that,” replied Hannah. “Sure on’t,” returned Josh. “Guess now you’ve knit from four to six pearl at the lowest calculation.” “Shouldn’t wonder,” replied Hannah. “Tarnation!” said Josh, pretending to be struck with admiration at the exploit, though he knew it was nothing to boast of. “How’s your mother, Josh?” asked Hannah. “Pretty considerable smart, Hannah; how’s _your_ mother?” “So, so,” replied Hannah; and here the conversation came to a stand. Josh fumbled in his pockets and stuck his legs out till they reached nearly across the room, in hopes to think of something more to say; but in vain. He then scratched his head, but there appeared to be nothing in it. “Is’t possible,” thought he, “that I’m actually here a courting?” He could hardly believe it, and began to feel very awkward. “I swow!” he exclaimed, opening his eyes as wide as he could. “What’s the matter?” asked Hannah, a little startled. “Cotch a ’tarnal great musquash this forenoon.” “Ah!” said Hannah, “how big was it?” “Big as all out-doors!”