Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-05-12

portunIty was SO favorable--he could
go and return wiihou, his sons
without any ones knowledge.
His satanic majesty fairly took
possession of the good old man !;
and he repaired to a neighboring
store, where dresses were rented or
sold, and selected the most appropri.
ate-tbat of a frlar of order grey
placed himself in voiture, and in a
few minutes was at his destination
tie entered-the scene startled him
beyond measure-the crushing roar
OF two hundred instruments, the
dazzling lights of chandeliers and Jets
which seemed to be glittering up and
up into a dizzy distance, lighting tier
after tier, where thousands of eyes
from behind black dominos reflected
back the rays, as they looked down
upon the myrlads of fantastic forms
which rolled and tossed under the
sway of the deafening music, like a
vexed sea by acknowledgements up a
whole TO dream of. not to see. Mr..
Jones was startled, then shocked. a
little, very little amused, and finally,
as | shall tell you, greatly alarmed.
A strange fascination possessed him.
After he had gralilied his curiosity,
he still fingered he wandered on
through the wild maze, and as the
hours wore en-, the fun grew fast and
fur'ous-monks and Knights jumped
higher and higher-devils twisted
gypsles, flower-girls, dibar1edeurs,
screamed as they fairly flew, while
hideous beasts roared, howled and
squealed. The musicians seemed
possessed, and rolled out without
ceasing the wild strains, that seemed
To madden every one. Mr.. Jones
was bewildercd +; many times was he
seized upon by some fearful creature
aud whirled through dances which
made him dizzy and sick.
Al last Mr.. Jones was frightened
he was captured by a group, that
in mad fit, seemed determined to
torture him to death. He could moi
get away one of the number, cir
scandalously habited, seemed to be
the leader. Her dress wps very i'm.
proper-her conduct disgusting
She was evidently intoxicated
smelled dreadfully of bad cigars and
brandy. She would not let him %
called him, in excellent English,
"her ancient garcon -" a regular
brick while the others laughed
shouted aud danced round him. Al
last he tore himself away, rushed
home at daylight, tore off his gown
thrust 1t into The CRATE, and by it,
warmth fastened to bed, fearing
every moment, the arrival of lis son
Wearled 10 death, he soon fell in
TO heavy sleep. When he awaked
he was conscious OF some one being
not only on the bed, but partly OF
him. lie aroused hlnseli-be look
ed-could he belIevt his ewes there
on his bed, in his room at home, was
that infamous female sound asleep
with cotton umbrella under her arm
WORSE and worse, the mask was of
and this female was his own innocenl
hoy. He sprang from the bed, fall
ing over and arousing some one, in
the guise of devil, asleep OH the
floor; another, tall savage, was on
the sofa-yet another on the table
they were all around him. Did he
dream? Was he yet at that infa-
nous ball? Neither. His son a
Weakened, stared stupidity at him, and
the slecpers, starting up, burst into a
roar, as one of them exclaimed, =
d" Why, Harry, Jim, here's The an
cienl garcon y Mr.. Jones happened
TO glance in The mirror-he had for.
gotten, in his haste, to remove hi,
mask. These gentlemen had kind,
brought his son home, and, being
somewhat fatigued, had remained
with him. The emotions Of the ell
der and younger Jones will leave tC
your Imagination"