Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1857-11-27
A TROUBLESOME SWAP.

ing story, which it declares to be true, of {
\ lady and gentleman at bathing place in
Long Island. They were engaged to b.
married, and one warm evening when walk
ing along the beach, talking nonsense, they
came to beautiful cove, which was divi
Ided by a rocky projection into two mic,
little bathing places. 1t was agreed they
should battle here, one taking one place
and the other the other, SO they would b.
ought of sight of each other. They went
in, were having first rate time, splash.
ing about and talking over the rock tc
each other, when little scamp, who had
been fishing there, happened to see them,
and straightway was possessed by the devil
to change their clothes. He did it, and
the result is thus related;
As the boy ran behind a sand-hill his
long shadow between her and the sinking
sun attracted the lady's notice, and in
some trepidation she FASTENED to don her
apparel. Fancy her feelings" on finding
not her own clothes, but the hat, coat, vest
and other articles IN erteuso, of the gentle
man on the other side of the promontory
How could it have happened-and what
was to be done? Was that fearfdlly long
shadow some spirit of the sea or shore,
who, offended at her intrusion upon his
solitude, had resorted to this method of
Furnishing her temerity? 1t were better
to imagine her situation than to attempt
to describe it.
In the meantime the gentleman, too, re-
paired to the shore to dress. Speechless
astonishment was depicted on his count
enance as it fell upon heap of woman s
clothing. "What in thunder" he NUT
tered to himself, "does this mean? Is the
place turned around, or am crazy 2''-
In the greatest perplexity he took up one
article of feminine apparel after another
to the number of about thirty, letting one
after another drop again upon the rock
where he stood, with many a half audible
ejaculation of wonder. There was no
doubt in his mind as to whom the things
belonged, but how did they get there and
where were his own clothes? With one
arm akimbo, he pressed his other hand
upon his forehead to collect his bewildered
senses, little thinking that the niischeivous
elf who was the author Of his embarrass-
ment was laughing at him from behind
the same sand-hill
After a few moments Of hesitation the
gentleman shouted to his lady love the
awkward intelligence and in return was
informed that his clothes lay at her feet.
All that was to be done was to exchange
the lot; but how in the name Of delivery,
was that consummation, so deYoutly wish
ed, to be affected? The sun was now
down, but it was not dark yet. Finally,
it was arranged that the lady should ven
ture into the water with her eyes seaward,
while the lover should exchange the
clothes and return to his side of the rocks,
Unfortunately, just as he was about to cut
around the other side to perform that
duty, he caught sight of a couple of young
ladies not far of, and he felt compelled to
to retreat precipitaly to his place again
His discomftted companion would have
then come out hastily and called to the
ladies for their help, but they were distant,
and between herself and them she saw a
boy passing along.
To cut the story short, the peculiarly
unpleasant predicament" lasted till the
young lady felt it necessary, to save herself
from being chilled to death, to attire her
self in her lovers clothing. He, on his
part, put her garments to his own use fol-
his own benefit, and pretty good fit il
was; for the two friends were about of a
size, and for the discrepancy of a full
beard he might, in less dusky light than
then prevailed, have passed for lady
1t was his intention, in some way or an.
other, he hardly knew how, to rectify the
matter Immediately; but when he had
ventured to reioin his laughing and blush
ing sweetheart, he saw the mischieyoui
boy little distance of, with a grin on
his impish countenance, closely watching
their motions. Quickly putting hand
kerchief to his face to conceal his tell-talC
beard, the gentleman took the lady's arm
and they sauntered on the shore until i
was dark, then entered the hotel as private
ly as possible, and making the best of thei
way to their respective rooms, lost no tim
in donning more appropriate habiliments