Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-03-02
EVENING STAR.
THE STORY OF AN ENGAGED YOUNG
PERSON
| FROM Chambers Journal I

| 1t seemed avery long journey that We moor
parliamentary passengers were taking. in tb;s
early November weather all the wav from
Eonoon 70 Liverpool. The stoppages were
frequently enough, but Of such short duration
that we had scarcely time to get Ourselves
warmed at the crowded gate before the inex-
orable bell rung for US to start again, and Off
we went with a shrek into the binding fog
1t was positively too dark to read with any
comfort, even if one was 50 Indifferent to the
biting air as to lend one of his hands to hold
| the book up; we put both of them in our pocket
instead, or more usually sat upon them 10
keep them warm. II was only when the
| guard came frem time to time to look at our
tickets, and trod upon our feet that we began
to feel we had them, so dead they were with
cold.
"Sir," observed a comical-looking tailor to
this official, "your seats are too narrow to be
sat upon after my cross legged fashion; so
| please be careful; for although my toes are
frozen they will not bear"
This produced a laugh, and then arose
little talk, principally about how miserable
We were, and then, as poor people use, we
| began to tell what our business was upon at
| LlVerpool; whereupon it seemed that half the
carriageful at least were emigrants. Each
had bis say; and every tale, however rough
| ly told, had more or less of interest, because
1t was real and human, so that we quite for
got our WEAKNESS and cold for a little time
Then, since this had answered so well, the
| sprlghtly tailor proposed that one of the party
should tell us regular story, Of his own life
| II ne chose, but not only of his present crcum-
| stances, but Of what had led to them-which
was of an idea We all received quite raTtur-
ousiy, expecting the tailor himself to begin
But he said no; We must draw lots for that
so producing some long slips of measuring
paper, be wrote a word on one, and shock
them altogether in hat, and sent it round
NO dao1 of
among the men, but for a long time nobody
pulled cut the fatal lot; at last burst of
laughter from those about one of the corner
seats announced that the victim had been
selected, and that from among the ladies.
she was certainly the plainest of the female
passengers. Her nose turned up and her
mouth had scarcely any turn at all; her hair
was red, andso were the rims of her ewes;
and her eyes themselves were far from being
good ones; but there was a certain piquancy
and sprightliness about her, too, as thou gh she
bad been French lady's maid rather than
an English one. She looked as if she could
put her hand and her we'll round arm to any
thing, and had been very good tempered and |
obliging throughout the journey. 1t was un- |
derstood-it had been expressed, indeed, al |
ready, rather triumphanty by the young lady |
herself-that she was an engaged young per- |
son, going out to Australia to be married. that |
there was somebody waiting upon the other |
hemisphere Win OuIStretcneQ nanQS yearnlDg /
to receive her as his bride. She would be |
capital wife for a settler without doubt, al |
though perhaps in England We should have |
called her rather a settler for a wife. She |
seemed to now very well, indeed, what we |
where all likely to think about this matter; |
but she didn't care.
If / had been little better looking-she be- |
gan her story with this might never have |
got husband, or at least not the money to |
marry him upon, which is the Same thing. |
The unsuitableness of my fsee to which may |
be allowed to call a very tolerable figure, has |
been literally the means Of bestowing hap
piness, as hone, upon Joseph, and of putting |
f400 into my own pocket. And this was how
II all come about; my late mistress, who was
very kind to me, and had intended, poor
thing-for she told me SOTO leave me com
fortably provided for, took me over with her,
seven years ago to Paris. She was a widow
lady. fond of gay life and brilliant amuse-
ments; and that place suited her 50 we'll, that
she made IT her home, and I, bu. little 10th,
remained there too, Joseph and kept com.
pany together before that time, but he was
not so foolish as to wish me to give up my ex
pectations for the sake OF hurried marriage;
he said, that he would wait patiently, dear
fellow, although the great salt sea was 20 roll /
between us, and there could be no chance of |
his getting letter more than once q day.
He was mason's assistant in London, and
very hardly worked, it seemed, for he him
self was not able to reply near so cften; how
ever, of course / was not a bird, so that |
could not be in two places at once, so 1 made
the best of it, and was happy as a confden-
tial lady's maid, under such circumstances
could hope to be.
One evening 1 had been preparing my mis-
tress, who was a very SPLENDID dresser, for
the opera; my only fellow servant was on
leave Of absence fer some days; and except
the porter in the courtyard, there was nobody
when the carriage had driven off that night,
in the whole house save myself therefore,
having nothing better-or at least nicer-to |.
do, and being in my mistress's bedroom among /
her beautiful robes and ornaments, it was
hardly to be expected that 1 should resist
such an opportunity of trying them on. The
room, besides being charmingly hung with
mirrors, had delicious full length swinging
glass, and before this 1 amused myself for a
good long while. I beheld how Mademoiselle
Elizabeth Martin-that is my present name,
but dear Joseph's is Andrews-how she look
ed in bareges, in silks, in muslins, for the |
morning; and how lace and satin, and how
sleeves, with pearls became her for evening |
wear; finally, equipping myself in a particu-
larly pleasant glace silk walking dress, with
a bonnet and falling veil fit for bride, l
could not help twisting round little, to see
as much of myself as possible, and contrast
ing the effect at the same time with that Of
madame-who was beautiful enough, but in
differently proportioned-I invOluntarily re-
marked aloud: Well, we may be plain in
the face, but We are certainly unexceptiona-
BILE behind"
1t was an absurd thing to say even to ones
SELF and remember blushing like a beet, as
though it were not quite out of the question
that / could be overheard There were sew
eral jewel drawers-this ruby upon my mid
die finger, q ring belonging to my mistress's
late husband, was in one of them-bst l had
no time for moro than to set off q handsome
necklace or two, and to very much regret that
nv ears had not been punched for the accom-
mod alton of an especial pair of diamond ear
rings, before heard wheels in the courty ard,
and nv mistress came home. Everything had
been put away carefully, and undressed her
and saw her to bed as usual She was more
than commonly kind and gentle in her man
ner that night, as I have since thought at