Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-03-12

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ders, and in a voice not altogether steady
said:
"Miss Serena, think | win retire"
Certainly, sir" she quietly observed
you will lodge there, SIR" inclning he
beautiful head towards bed standing |
lew yards from where she was sitting.
proceeded TO uncase; entrenching mysel
behind a chair, the while fondly imagining
the position offered some security. 1t il
simply plain TO a man in his senses, that q
chair Of The fashion of the one Ihad thrown
between myself and athe enemy as mi
litaiy man would say, offered almost no
security at all. No more, in fact, than
standing up behind ladder--nothing in
the way of the artillery of bright eyes, as
apoet would say, sweeping one down by
platoons. Then | had dead open space
OF Ten feet between me and the bed; a sort
Of Bridge Of Lodi passage which | was
forced TO make, exposed to cruel rakine
ire fore and aft Although say it, who
should moi say it, an emergency never
arose for which | had not a resource. I
had one for this. The plan was the work
Of moment, de-'
Sab see, you stormcd the battery,
and--"
Bah! don't interrupt me. No! de.
termined by bold ruse de guerre to throw
her attention out Of the window, clear the
perlllous passage. and fortify myself under
the counterpart before she recovered her
surprise. The plan failed. You see am
a small man physically speaking. Body,
limbs, and head, setting up business on
one hundred and seven and half pounds,
all told, of flesh, blood and bones, cannot,
individually or collectively, SET up any We.
ny ostentatious pretensions. believe Tie
young lady must have been settling in her
mind some philosophical point on that head.
Perhaps her sense of justice wished to as
sure itself of perfectly fair distribution
of the respective motives. Perhaps she
did not feel easy until she knew that a
kind Providence had not added to general
poverty individual wrong. Certain it was,
she seemed rather pleased with her specu-
lations; for when arose from stoop.
ing posture finally, wholly disencumbered, !
| noticed mischieyous shadows playing
about the corners of her mouth. Il was
the moment | had determined 10 direct
her eve to some astonishing circumstance
oui of The window. But The young lady
spoke at the critical moment.
"Mr. Douglass" she observed, "you
have got mighty small chance of legs
there"
Men seldom have any idea Of their own
powers. never made any pretensions to
skill in ground and lofty tumbling; but il
is strictly true, cleared, at one bound, the
open space, planted myself on the centre
of the bed, and was buried in the blankets
in twinkliDg.
T" congratulate you," said !, ga lucky
escape, truly But was the young lady
"Modest, sirl--there is not in Illinois
a more modest or more sensible girl. It's
habit, all habit. think nothing ofitnow.
Why, It's only last week | was at fine
party, and large and fine assem-.
bly, of both sexes lodged in the same apart
ment with only three feet or so Of neutral
errilory between them"
"You asionish me, Mr. Douglass.n
"Faci, sir, upon my honor. You see
he people are the soul of hospitality, and
lever allow fine social party TO turn oul
1t twelve o'clock al night to 90 long dis
ances home. All that is more cleyerly
here. An Illinois bed has pow i
II OF elongation or expansion perfectly
nigmalical to stranger; and largo par
les will range themselves on opposite
ides Of the house os economically as can.
les in a box"