Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-12-03
A DAY IN PETTICOATS,
BIZ A MODEST MAN.


love Tor one day, to prevent any one from sus-
Pecting the truth-namely, that she had Joined
hin IN runaway marriage psrty-until it
should be too late for interference that is until
the minister should have tied a knot between
them, that nothing but special grant of the
Legislature could unite.
This scheme was not actually go absurd as IL
appeared at first sight. Maggie Lee was a tall
quesnly woman with an almost masculine air
and at that time / had very slight form al
most effeminate. that in fact there was really
but little difference in that point. Then had
light hair, tOlerably long, and fair com plex-
ION Part my hair in the middle. and put
bonnet on my head, and few persons would
have suspected but Twas reall one Of the softer
sex. These accessories also gave me quite
decided resemblance to Maggie Lee, especially
when, "a IN this case, the disguise was her own
Then, the day chosen for the match was an
suspicious one. Msggie's father was to drive
her to D, small village near which she
lived, and there she was to join a sailing party
down D river to the grove, three miles be-
low, from which the party was to return in the
evening in carriages.
Our plan was, that should be in waiting in
the village, and should go on the boat with the
sailing party, while Maggie after leaving her
father, should slip of with Bob Styles across
the country.
At last, got dressed, and presented myself
before Maggie Lee, blushing great deal
believe, feeling very much pinched about the
waist, and with an uncomfortable consciousness
that my-my-shirt sleeves were too short, or
wanting altogether.
Everything finished in the way of toilet
Bob Styles took me into his light wagon-droye
me over to D, by a secluded route and left
Inc at the hotel, where the sailing party was to
assemble Several of the picnicers were al
ready there, and they greeted my cavalier cor
daily, Everybody knew Bob Styles,) asking
If he was going with them, &c. lie told them
nc was not.
Pressing business engagements, you know
and all that sort Of thing. Deuced sorry.
can't go though. / had just time to bring Miss
Lee over, and now II m off. Mr.. Bimby this il
Miss Lee Miss Withergall, Miss Lee and
lie ratified of long string of brief introduc-
tIOns, which convinced me that but few of the
company were acquainted with the young lady
whom was personating-a very fortunate
thing Tor the preservation of my disguise
Mr.. Bimby, tall, legal-looking man, with
hook nose, and eye-glsss and puffy hair
seemed to be prepOsSessed with my D p-rSOHeHe
and overheard him whisper to Bob Styles, as
he went out
Nice looking girl that Miss Lee -
Yes," answered Bob, with a mischieyous
glance at me- " she is a nice girl. though a lit
tie gO-ahead sometimes Keep a little look
out on her, will yOu''-then lowering his
voice not bad match for YOU old fellow
she IL rich
Is she ," said Mr Bimby, his interest deep
ening.
On my honor. replied Bob Forty thou
sand dollars in her own right Day day ,''
and he was gone
Maggie Lee, artful creature that she was
had told her father that the sailing partp was
I" assemble at another hotel, and thither he
had taken her. Having business in ID. he left
her there. merely saying that he would send
the carriage for her at ! | O'Clock She. like a
dutlful daughter, kissed him. bid him good
bye, and before he had gone hundred rods
took a seat in Bob Styles light wagon. which
had driven up to the back door as old Lees
carriage drove away from the front, and the
old story OF head strong love and preiudiced
age was enacted again.
As tor US. OF the picnic excursion we had q
delightful sail down the grove. but somehow. /
could not enjoy it as much as l ought to have
dOne. hen walked on board the boat felt
awkward. az If everybody was looking at me
l found Mr.. Bimby, as had suspected, :, a Young
and rising lawyer, mighty in Blackstone in
has opinion. tie insisted on paying for NV
ucket the boat was a regular excursion pack
et and purchasing enough oranges, pears and
candies, to set up street stand. Four or FIVE
times was on the point Of swearing at his i'm
Pudent othciousness, but bit my tongue Just in
time TO prevent the exposure But il was not
with hun that found my role the hardest to
play.
No; the young ladies' were the difficult ones
10 deceive. For instance, there was one among
them beautiful girl of seventeen, Just re-
turned from boarding school, who had not seen
Maggie Lee TOR three years. Of course she
wac delighted to see me- when she found ont
That was Maggie, which, by the way, did not
occur until after We had started She threw
nerseli into my arms, pulled my veil aside, and
kissed me half a dozen times, in a manner that
maae my hnger ends tingle for on hour. 1t
was all very vice, but if had been in propria
persona, would have liked it better As il
vas, felt as If was obtaining goods under
false pretences, :" and that lawyer Bimby might
issue warrant for my arrest, on that ground
at any moment
whole knot of crinoIine then surrounded
me, on the upper deck of the boat, to the utter
exclusion and dcOnsequcnt disgust of Mr. Bmby
and the other gentlemen. kept very quiet
only speaking mOnOsyllables in a falsettO voice
but the Othsrs-LOrd bless you how they CAB
bfed Under a strict promise Of seeresy, the
little boarding school maiden, who had kissed
me % afectiOnately, revealed all her love af-
fairs, and also became unpleasantly cOnfden-
ual about other matters-innocent enough in
themselves, but not eustOmarily talked Of be-
tween ladies and gentlemen
was terribly embarrassed. but il would not
do to give il up then. As soon as my trick
should become known Bob Styles trick would
also come out; and rs 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 Styles family
lived, and where the knot was 10 he tied
The river breeze very fresh where we
sat, and l noticed that several of the ladies
were glaneing uneasily at me. / couldn't di-
vine the reason, until jennie, my little friend
from boarding-schOol, laid her face dangerously
eloss to mine, and whispered: =. My dear Mag
gle, your dress is blowing up terribly high
your sncles will be town talk with all the gen
tlemen 80
Nor was | conscious Of having a very small
foot for n man. and had dOnned a pair of open
work stockings which came nearly up % my
waist, with pair Of garters borrowed from a
servant girl, 10 all of which tOggery my run
ming gear" looked quite respectable but the
idea Of the gentlemen talking about my ancles
and of being cautioned thus by n young girl,
who would have been frightened TO death IL |
had told her the same thing yesterday. was too
much for me. 1 burst in a sort of stranguated
lan1h. which / cnnld nnlY check by sxalln4in1