Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-02-21


words, 'enrobed himself in a narcotic
nightcap;' little cared he, from that
moment, whether the Darien encoun-
tered drift, sand bars or snags, but, hav-
lug thus concluded his arrangements,
he sought his room. The lamps in the
cabin had been with one exception ex-
tinguished; and all was dark within;
but that was of no consequence, for
he imagined no necessity of a particu-
lar exploration, and in few moments
was snugly disposed OF, in the upper
berth.
What were his dreams, this history
does not record; but when his mind,
unburthened by sleep, resolved itself
into indescribable confusion, it is not
doubted that thoughts of female love-
illness often arose above the general
chaos. Nor was his repose disturbed,
until the unwelcome tone of the mer-
CHESS first bell in the morning, recalled
his wandering senses from the regions
of fancy to the affairs of real life.
Upon his return to consciousness,
the rays of the sun were streaming
through the figured glass of the exte-
rior door. He cast glance about the
tiny room; something was wrong, evil
IDENTITY wrong; nothing special; but the
tout ensemble was in some manner
"out of joint.' He rubbed his eyes
and looked again.
Suspended from the pins of the par
tition, were the habiliments of a lady!
There they were-robe and, and
every thing; the whole paraphernalia
stood out in bold relief!
"Sure, and I am dreaming !" tho't
O'Dulkly; and he rubbed his eyes
again, to assure himself that he was
really awake, and did not mistake his
own familiar garments for those of one
of the lovelier sex; and he rubbed
them again and again.
"It's not me that's dreaming then;
Eve been sleep-walking, sure-and
stepped into strange quarters, jist;
faith! Pm in the wrong pew!
Thus thought my bewildered friend
and he blushed. too. for he may not
have met with such an accident for
many long day before. This, how
ever, is upon his own authority; the
crimson might have been only a re-
Election of the sun. But gIancing
again in the direction Of the dresses, he
deserted hanging over a chair his own
neither garment and residue of clothing.
"Good st. Patrick!' thought he,
recovering his courage, "sure. it's not
myself that's the lost sheep; but what
in the name Of the great patron is the
solution of this riddle?"
To solve it, he resorted to scores of
suggestions, and concluded that there
must be roommate about, probably
in the lower berth, and possibly asleep.
So, after mature reflection, he conclu-
ded to take immediate measures to in
form himself of the state of the case.
and effect speedy retrcat-peaceably
if he could, forcibIy if he must.
He gently raised himself and exten-
ded his head almost imperceptibly over
the border of the berth, his eyes to-
wards the floor. 1t so. happened that
the unfortunate tenant of the lower
berth had discovered her own predica-
ment, and, was also meditating upon
the means Of Withdrawing unobserved
She desired as first step, the infor.
nation that O'Bulkly was about to
seek with regard to herself. To dis
cover, therefore, whether her second
floor neighbor slept-she cautiously
raised her head and was slowly advan
cling little and little higher--wher
she met the full gaze ofO'Bulkly!
One mutual glance was enough
The fact that both were awake wa
fully ascertaincd: as O'Bulkly express
) ed it, 'wide awake at that, sure" Hi
authority, in this instance, is unques
tionable.
Instantly and simultaneously boil
parties retrogaded; or at least, thei
heads did.
O'Bulkly heard subducd noise, a
though proceeding from the very cen
ire Of bale of blankets; but whethe
it was sob or suppressed laugh, h
could not divine. For some moment
he remained silent; his calculation
, were defeated. Then mastering o
fresh courage, he would have ar.icula
. fod .ModanE huf his larynv seemed