The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-12-16

ou pOt'iN INC uttls L lcil AWKWARD, as j
everybody was looking at ma l foune
Mr.. Bimby, as had suspected, young
and rising lawyer, mighty in Blackstone
in his own opinion. He insisted on pay.
ing for my ticket 1.-THE boat was regular
excursion packet, and purchasing enough
oranges, pears and candies, to set up q
street stand. Four or five times was on
the point of swearing at his impudent
officiousness. but bit my tongue just in
time to prevent the exposssags~. Assut it was
not with him that | found my role the
hardest to play.
No; the young ladies were the difficult
ones to deceive. For instance, there was
one among them, a beautiful girl of seven
teen, just returned from boarding school,
who had not seen Maggie Lee for three
years. OF course, she was delighted to
see me, when she found out that | was
Maggie, which, by the way, did not occur
until we had started. She threw herself
into my arms, pulled my veil aside, and
kissed me half dozen of times, in a man
ner that made my finger ends Jingle for
all hour. 1t was all very nice, but if I
had been in propria persona, | would
have liked it better. AS it was, | felt as
if l was "obtaining goods under false pre-
fences" and that lawyer Blmby might
issue warrant for my arrest, on that
ground at any moment.
A whole knot of crinolne then sur
rounded me, on the upper deck of the
boat, to the utter exclusion and consequent
disgust of Mr. Bimby and the other gen
tlenen. kept very quiet, only speaking
monosyllables in falsetto voice; but the
others-Lord bless you! how they CAB
bled. Under strict promise of secresy,
the little boarding-school maiden, who
had kissed me so affectionately, revealed
all her love affairs, and also became I'M
pleasantly confidential about other mat
ters-innoccnt enough in themselves, but
not crstomarily talked of between ladies
and gentlemen.
was terribly embarrassed, but it would
not do to give it up then.
AS soon as my trick should become
known, Bob Stiles trick would also come
out; and as news of that kind travels fast
in the country, he and his lady-love would
be telegraphed and followed before they
could reach Philadelphia, where the Stiles
family lived, and where the knot was to
be tied.
The river breeze was very fresh where
we sat. and | noticed that several of the
ladies were glancing uneasily at me. l
couldn't divine the reason until Jennie, my
little friend from boarding school laid her
face dangerously close to mine, and whis-
pered:
'.My dear Maggie, your dress is blow
ing up terribly high-your ANGLES will be
town talk with all the gentlemen"
Now 1 was conscious Of having a very
small foot for man, and had donned q
pair of open work stockings, which came
nearly up to my waist, with pair Of gar
ters borrowed from servant girl, in all
of which toggery my running gear "
looked quite respectable; but the Idea of
the gentlemen talking about my ankles,
and Of being cautioned thus by young
girl, who would have been frightened to
death had told her the same thing yes
terday, ives too much for me. | burst
into sort of strangulated laugh, which |
could only check by swallowing half of my
filagree lace handkerchief
The young ladies all looked at me in
apparent astonlshment at such voice.
and 1 wanted to laugh all tie more
Fortunately, Mr. Bimby came to my res
cue at the moment, and edged himself ii
amongst the crinoline.
'May | sit heres" he asked, pointing
to q low stool near me. Certainly"
simpered, in high falsetto.
"Ah, thank you," said Bimby-witb
lackadaisical air, which nauseated me, a
coming from one man to another-"yo,
are as kind as you are fascinating"
"You f1atter mep'
az No: praise of you cannot be fiat
terry, Miss Lee"
80, sir, really you are very naught,.
man." / said. in the most feminine ton
[ could command.
He cast languishing glance at m
through my black lace veil, and fairl
began to fear for his feelings.
| We soon arrived at the grove, an
found our band-engaged beforehand
awaiting us. Of course, dancing was tn
first amusement, and lawyer Bimby le
ms out for a schottische. Il VAS hsr