The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-08-04
MISCELLAN EOUS.
From Pstsrson's National Magazine
A Mistake: and What Came Of 1t.
KY ELLA RoDMAN.

-~N---''-
Aun, Hisbee and cousin Sias OvcIing wer,
travelling 10 the city together.
Aun, Higbee who was rather deaf although
she never would admi, il; and The organs
of understanding pertalnin. TO Silas Over
ing were like The mirrors that present ev'
erything in distorted shape. These, with
The noisy engine were materials enough fol
even greater mistakes Than that which en-
sued Their conversation was carried on
in sor, Of suppressed screech, owing ic
the noise of the cars, and much more Than
wa, intended reached The public ear.
/ Have yoL seen the Squire new parlor'
commenced SilaS, thinking il incumbent
upon hIu TO entertain his neighbor.
"Trainsford's. you mean screamed back
ann, Hinbee, "no, aiGh bin there sence
the wing was put on But what OF airll
can he want OF a new pa:lor should think
he needed a wife n great deal more"
SiIas was just preparing 10 scream
"Whai?n in his hiahes, key, but having
cauuh, The word wife," he concluded he
had heart Alright, aud went on with:
"Thal's jest what was sayin'-ihere
is a wife in the case you may depend ont
"Eh I" said aunt Hi.bee, following the
: precept of doing as she would be done by
and screaming so that all the pssengers
around her started.
al say,repealed Slas, in voice that lel
not chance Of his no, bein. heard, iha
Squire TrainforI is going 10 be married y
This assertion was accompanied By {
series Of winks aud knowing looks, mean
TO arouse his cnmpanion 10 a conviction OF
MS shrewdness in guessing but aunt Hlg
bee was ob,use, aud far fIom Civ
ine Silas any particular credi, thought This
merely The ror Popuh speaking through {
single mouth.
"Wrll, declare said she, medila,ively
her fingers busy with the black bag which
she always carried, hadn', even heerd c
their bein' engaged !"
f" Engaged,n repeated Silas, though
iha, was? Who did you say she was en
gagged To : " he continued, bending eagerly
toward his companion.
Aun, Higbee, however thought this ques
ton merely ruse 10 erirap her into ;
display ofignorance and determined no
10 let Silas have the pleasure of supposing
tha, she considered him at all oversiockeC
with information, she answered quite ,arlly
s'To whom should he be engaged bu,
Mary Enfeldl Don't all the village know
that?
"Is i, possible ~ exclaimed Silas, delight
ed with this unexpected intelligence
"Well, I'm really glad of it-Mary's ii 0
uice gill"
ayes, replied Aun, Higbee, who had
only heard The latter part, "she's almost
pas, bein' girl, now-but can very well
remember when she was The beauty OF The
place. Tint was jes, after her father died.
" Gracious continued Silas, refleclvely,
how used 10 sci in the church walchin'
them eyes of hern, and ihiukin' that they
looked as though she'd bin polishln' Of them
with piece OF soft velvet, or somlhin'
They amt 50 bright, nowadays"
"Poor thngw said aunt Higbee, com.
misera,ively, Z" bu, even now,n she con.
iinued, "she's got kind Of look abou,
her--not proud exactly eilher-but then,
somehow or other never could take the
liberty OF asking her if she was engaged
10 Squire Trainord.n
Well" said Silas, 81 think that, all
things considered, she has done pretty vel
ior herself, and Squire Train.ord will get q
good wife. But they might jest as vel
have done it years ago."
Aun, Higbes made no.reply, and after q
while her companion relapsed into silence
The truth is the old lady was anythin.
but pleased that Sias should have gained
this information before her-she who 81
particularly prided herself upon knowing
Just what was going OIL among her neigh
bprs, and who, Us she 0iten informed them
could put hat and ina, together" Now,
too, she could take no pleasure in her,rip ,c
the city, 50 anxious was she TO get home
and inquire into particulars. She loved Il
make prominent figure in every occur
renee; aud alter pondering over The ma'le
a long time, she determined TO signaliz,
herself in manuer that will lranspire here
after.
Those who have attempted 10 converse il
the cars under The disadvantages befor,
menlioned, will not be surprised at the fab
ulvus nature of The communications siyer
aud received fo, although aunt Higbee
would have swOIn in any court Of law, tha
Silas 0seIing lad 'old her Of Mary lnfeld',
engagement 10 Squire Trainfori, and Sia
sloully maintained that aunt Higbee, her
sell, informed him, The nulh OF The malle
was that neither had told The other anything
OF ,he kind, aud that there was nothing o
The kind To tell. r.. ...
BuI while aunt Hisbee and Sllas 90 ihe
different ways from The car station, we may
as well lock in upon the paIties most inter
ested.
A Intle way off from the village, as though
too aiistocIulic 10 mingle with The residen
ces around stood The dwelling known a
Squne TaiDfoId's. Ii was beautifully stu
aled on piece oi rising ground, an,
clasped in from the ouler world by tail tree
that in summer time made an aim, 81 per
: pe,ual twilight.
Having entered the immense hall, whicl
} looked like a room itself, visitors wer
shown into parlor that seemed exactly il
keeping with the rest Of The place. Tn
cane boi,omed sofa and chairs locke,
, light and summeI-like-,he large flower
pot in The heath OF The great franklin wa
always arranged with particular CAFE an,
the asparaeus.lops over the looking glas
nodded complaccnlly in the summer bieez
iha, came IN through The open windows
Bright rays Of sunshine slanled down OF
the grass without; aud the wind mulmur
ed among the pines like a,ned child sing
ing i,seli 10 sleep. .- p. ...'
This was Mary's favoriie room and al
though, with her iasle for The refinement
OF life she would have liked pictures on tn,
walls, and books and bronzes sca,lere,
around she never mentioned these improve
menls 10" The Squire" who pretended L
despIse everything lha, was not mean, en-
. ,iTely for use.
, The Squire" as he was called, from
delcrence probably 10 his superior position