The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-12-09
MtsrellatIsnuS.
From The Lady's Book for December.
ADVENTURES In THE WRONG
HOUSE.
ny DIR. r. MONTGOMERY BIRD.

ny DIR. n. MONTGOMERY BIRD.
KNOW not what extraordinary conjunction Of
the stars took place on the fist Friday Of Jane,
lS3, nor how my own planet in particular, came
10 perform so many antics, in or out of lis propcy
sphere Before that day, hid never had an nd
venture in my lile the current Of my existence had
flowed as evenly and quietly as the stream Of II
mill pond; and no wit or skill Of aulhor-craf could
have spun out my biography beyond the compass
off single paragraph was born, and lived for
twenty five years-lhat is ALL lived in village,
too, and my nlme was Gas it slhl ISL James j.
Smith. There was nothing further in my history
worthy of being mentioned; except that, at twenty
five years old finding myself unencumbcrcd by
any near relatives, and possessed of moderate
estate, sufficient for all my reasonable ones,) be-
gan to be weary my rather dull and lonely cx-
istence, and cast about for means of relief was
balancing between two great projects, one Of tray-
81, the other of malrimony; (bolh, indeed, in Il
very general way, for | was no. in love with any
body, or any particular phce;) when letter from
my old college.male and correspondent, Harry
Brown Of Virginia, determined ne in favor of the
former. lie was just forming family patty for a
trip to Niagara; which party he invited me to join
u, Philadelphia, where he expected to arrive at an
early day; and he promised 10 bring along with
hun vcr. charming unmarried cousin Of his, who
might perhaps, he said, asss, me in trying the
thnrn cf I tirnI ,r all liz,
provided only that had the spirit (ani il required
great spiril) to WOO and win her all or which !
regarded as Il friendly pleasantly on the part ofmy
old chum.
Invent accordingly 10 philadelphia; and a, Hair
rvs suggestion, took lodgings Il, Il fashionable
boarding house, at which he intended stopping,
and whclo designed awaiting
1t was on friday, in the afternoon, tia, az
rived; aud having established myself in il comior-
table chamber, ! sailed out 10 see somewhat Of
the city and inquire at the post office for letters,
from my friend. received two letters, one
from Harry, Of somewhat mysterious quality: the
other from stranger, and Of character still more
inexplicablc; both Of them written f,om Ba.inorc.
Harry informed nc that he was on ihi way with hi-
party, and hoped to be in Philadelphia, the fol.
lowing day; and he added (and this was the mys.
FERROUS part of his letter. that his aforesaid hand
some cousin was about to be sna,rhGd away from
me by particular fatality; yet he did not despair,
he said, Of my yet winning her, provided he should
Immediately find ne, upon reaching PhIadclp ha,
find me with lnctlc sufficient TO undertake most
his handsome cousin" said ], "whom never
heard of before, except in his last letter. and
found his splendid adventures" And with that,
with the greatest equanimity, i banished the memo.
~ of both, to examine and wonder over the second
letter from my unknown correspondent. |, was
US folows:-
Nh Dear Bay:-sha'l be in Philadelphia Fri
day evening, with T., 10 sign seal kiss and SQUAD
bic, according 10 compact: pace aforementioned
Shall expeat you rings. posies, bushes aud by
,e,cs. Always promised your dad would, dnd
wW. Yours resoIuely,
r. B.
This letter was formally directed TO James J.
Smith. Esq Posie resante, Philadelphia; was
manirestly written in old mans hand; and Us ril
as could gather any sense from its odd and bro.
ken expressions, alluded 10 marriage which wa.
10 progress, doubtless between L. (who was she y
on the one part, and Mr. James J. Smith on the
other. Bul who was Mr. James J. Smith No,
muselr, certainly; who had never dreamed Of mar
rage, excep, future contingency, and had ne, er
made serious love or proposals 10 any human be-
ing. No; 1t was apparent-nnh this was confirm
ed by the ausion 10 the aforementioned place, -
well known of course 10 the person written to, bu,
not TO Smith, besides dmy self, 10 the world, and in
Philadelph for whom this letter was designed
and 10 whom il was manifest from the terms Of ii,
lis loss might prove exlicmel, inconvcnicnt.
Under these circumstances, ! perceived that
had nothing TO do but TO return 1t 10 the post-or
flee, that it might reach my name. sake, and was
re,racins my steps for that purpose, when wa.
interrupted by gentleman, or a person DIRE ,sed
ike a gentleman, bu; thought there was some