Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1836-07-22
From the Knickerbocker, June Number.

band box down from the school !" asked
low and | thought young voice. I'VE.
here it is. Miss Smith," answered some on,
beyond The driver.
The lady assembled the steps, and as the
dim light from the lantern. which the
coachman held in his hsnd, es,ing for q
moment on her, strained first nv eye.
and then my neck TO catch n glimpse o.
her face, but | was unsuccessful, and wa.
only able to ascertain that she was sinal
OH slight figure, and that she wore a little
cottage bonnet.-Bul this was quite
nough. have q theory about bonnets, and
l had long previous laid it down as an
axiom. that cottage bonnet ,,rima Iacie
shades pretty or at least a young face
while DICE Uersa, an old or an ugly counte-
nance seeks the deep shade OF a pike.
The lady, :hen. was young. Ofths was
satisfied, from the tones of her voice. She
was pretty. Her bonnet settled that. And
beyond, and "better than this, than these.
than ALL" she was unmarried. Don't you
recollect, reader, the man called her Miss
Smith, when he answered her inquiries
about the bandbox?
81 have it," thought /; "what q Ounce
] was not 10 have surmised it before
There lie ladies' seminary in this city
She asked if her things had been brough,
down from 1.-THE school," She is some
dear little creature, who resides within q
days ride of the city, going to visit her pa
rents. He! father has not been able TO
leave his business to come for her, and her
brothers are all off at college; and as the
stage passes the door of herparenta home,
it has been thought safe for her to make
the journey alone. Poor little dear il is too
bad to make her leave her soft pillow and
sweet dreams, to ride clone with strangers
on such nigh, as this But | will be a
protector to thee sweet flower. ] will be
TO thee even as father and brother -
chill thy young blood-the winds which
howl around US shall not "vsit too roughly"
thy tender frame and if thy strength
overcome thee, thou shalt close thine eyes
ond rest thy head on bosom that will
support thee as tenderly and faithfully as
that on which thy infancy rcposed."
These were thoughts that fitted through
my mind, while my fair companion was ar
ranging her seat, as comfortably as cir
cumstnnces permitted, by my side. In o
few moments the coach was again in mo.
ton.
Il fear, Miss" remarked, as we reach
ed the outskirts Of the city, you will have
an uncomfortable nigh, of it,
%, no. she replied, Il nm fully pre-.
pared for the ride. and think shall get
through it very WELL
A long pause ensued. The school in
Troy, is very full now, understand p
again l cssayed.
Yes. Sir, we have now one hundred aud
thirty-fve pupils and hers are arriving
daily
Another pause succeeded. during which
l congratulated myself on finding my sur.
misses correct. Are you traveller enough
! askad, to know that your comfort during
the night will depend very much on keep
ing your feet warm'' And ] bent down
and gathered the straw from the bottom of
the coach, and placed it over them.
She thanked me for my attention, aud
we rode on in s'fpnce. Al length began to
grow drowsy, and at the same time observ
ing the head OF my companion begin to nod
] suggested to her that if she woulI lean
agans, me she would ride with greater ease
In q few moments her head fell upon nv
shoulder, and she seemed to sleep. Sleep
on sweet girl" thought !; "thy trusting con-
fidence in stranger is not mlsplaced.-
He appreciat es thy unsnspecting innocence;
he undersI and the unsophistlcated purity OF
thy nature, and would sooner lay down his
life than siarile thee by word or deed from
the full security Thy guileless heart secures
10 thee" An hour passed, and ! stirred
pot lest should disturb The gentle gml. -
Nv heart melted toward her; and as the
moments listened on. | grew yet more
sleepy and loving. Occasionally I gave
ven, to my feelings IN low. broken. whln
ing inquiries of how she felt 3--was she "a
tiguet - did she sleep well ?-was her
position easy ?-were her feet warm? etc
etc. have never been able TO satisfy my.
self whether | was dreaming part Of the
time. or whether was awake; out il ap.
pears to me that never loved any human
being with half the tenderness | felt foI
iny sleeping companion. So strong indeed
was nv devotion. that felt that ! woulc
have taken her, without farther knowledge
,for the wife of my bosom, and have given
her for life the place che then occupied b,
my side.
Another hour glided by. My drowsines,
got the better of my love.--Wearied will
sitting in one position, sank against lllt
cushion on one side OF the coach. Ny
companion sank with me-. My arm was
around her: and thus encirclng all that
then considered most desirable in life, feI
asleep.
The morning sun shone brightly in m,
face, and awoke. A bonnet was bobbne
in my face with every motion ofthe coach
NV arm was around a cloak which seemed
to cover human figure. In a moment the
recollection of my companion flashed across
my mind. AS raised myself up, and at
tempted to look under the bonnet, young
Frenchman en- The front seat, whom ! al
instant previously had observed with biz
features Strangely distorted, gave me q
short dry laugh, and put his head out o
the coach. ayailed myself of the oppor'
tunity to look under the bonnet. Do mol
laugh reader, but pity me. There was q
little lean woman sleeping on my breast
with a dark beard on her upper lip. longer