Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-04-13
confounded dog knocked into cooked hat
all ideas Of matrimony that ever had, and, of
course, lost me a wife.

4
course, lost me wife.
| 1t was in midsummer thatI paid my last
visit to the rural residence of Mary. The
weather was excessively hot, and of course an
opportunity to enjoy the refreshing atmosphere
of the country-the fragrance of clover-felds,
the perfume of sweet-scented flowers, and 9th
er rural luxuries-~and above all the society
of one SO dear to me as MaryAan opportunity
to enjoy all other luxuries, say / eagerly
embraced. Myself and my friend Charley Sc
cured weeks furlough from our employer,
and with happy hearts and anticipations of a
pleasant time, we left the city. That after
noon we arrived at our destination. Charley s
parents, sisters, and the rest, and Mary, par
tcularly, flattered myself, were delighted to
see US. All, never can forget how lovely
the sweet creature looked on that afternoon.
The very air seemed lighter from her eyes,
They were SO soft and beautiful, and rife
With all we can imagine from the skies
To add to the pIeasantness of our visit, also,
three or four female cousins had been invited
to spend few days at the farm. They were
all beautiful girls, too, but so enamored was |
of Mary, that paid but little attention to
their many charms. Charley romped and
f1irted with them, while | confined myself ex-
clusively to the society of his charming sister
How we picked berries, hunted birds nests
and four-leaf clovers together; what delight
full tete-a-tetes we indulged in beneath the
shade of fruit trees our moonlight rambles
through the garden of all these, and many
other luxuries l shall not speak further their
remembrance only serve to make me feel
gloomy, and increase my antipathy to-dogs
But to the catastrophe have so frequently
alluded to. At a short distance from the
dwelling, just at the turn of road leading
from it, ran fine stream of clear, cool water
1t was charming stream to bathe in and
Charley and myself early in the morning, be-
fore the folks were upA used frequently to in
dulge in the aquatic luxury. One morning,
however, Charley felt like sleeping little
longer, and | was obliged to take my usual
bathe without his company. | arose very
early, just as the day was breaking. 1t was
a charming morning-the air cool and re-
freshing. The rose-bushes were drying their
dewy tears, as if in gladness at the approach
of day; birds were carolling their morning
lay, and-I was thinking | was thinking of
a dream had the night previous. | dreamed
that / was in Paradise-saw angels in profu-
sion, and most conspicuous among them all
was-Mary. The rest of my dream / will
leave to the Imagination of the reader.
wended my way slowly to the stream, think
ing of my dream and various other things
Divesting myself of my clothes, in plunged
-bathed, swan, splashed and foundered
about, for half an hour, until day had fairly
set in. The people about the farm were up
and about, and then thought it about time to
dress. | went to the spot where | deposited
my clothing, but instead of finding every ar
ticle there as | had reason TO expect, nothing
but my hat, boots and coat remained. Heav-
ems Here was 4 dilemma. / looked all
around, faithfully and diligently, but the
missing articles could not be found Where
could they have gone to!' / asked myself
Surely, there can't be any thieves about So
early in the morning. Ha! ha chuckled
aloud, consoling myself with the thought that
Charley was playing off practical joke. Al
that instant cast my eyes up the road in the
direction of the house. Horrors Right in
the middle of the road, and but short distance
from the house, discovered huge New
foundland dOg-a gigantic, shaggy brute-the
pet of Mary and the rest of the girls-sporting
with what recognized as my new black cas-
simere pants, and other portions of my appar-
\ e The dog had followed me to the stream
unobserved, and the result was as have men
toned. Oh, how the thieving brute was en-,
joying himself-tossing high into the air my
pants, shaking my shirt, and apparently max,
ing merry over the perRlexing predicamenr
his mischievousness had placed me. in Wha
misery was in! feared to go into the road
to recover my clothes, lest my rather immod-
est appearance might shock some of the fe-
male folks, who could not fail to see me, if ]
did so, from the windows Of the house
Here, Ponto Ponto = / called out, but
Ponto didn't come.
| whistled, coaxed, and made all sorts Of
gestures usually used in such cases, but Pom
to was needless of them all. As if in unboun-
ded ecstasies at my very ludicrous predicament
and apparently exulting over the trick he had
served me, he went 20 work with increased
liveliness, tossing my clothes high in the air
Taking my fine cassimeres in his huge jaws
he would run towards me, as if in obedience
TO my call, but before he got half way to where
stood, he would halt suddenly, snuff the
earth, bark and dart back again like lightning
carrying my pants in his jaws, tossing them
high up in the air again, and catching them
shake them in manner that appeared as if he
really enjoyed the sport. None but one in the
same position that Twas then placed, can prop.
erly appreciate my feelings at that time.--
What to do, could not possibly conceive
Every moment expected to see Charley anc
some of his female cousins-and probably Ma
~, too--issue in search of me, as had beer
absent long enough to excite their surprise