The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-09-05


Peak COVENTRY.
.1uyvst Is. 1857.
Woman's Courage and What Came
of it.
The New York correspondent of the st.
Louis Republican relates the following IL
stance Of female courage and what came Of
it
"A little romance in real life is pleasant
thing. sometimes. About one year ago a
fine old lady residing in one Of the pleasant
est ofthe many pleasant country seats on
Staten Island. departed this lic 50 suddenly
that several members of her family were aj-
sent at the time of her dcccaSc. As it was
desirable to preserve the body until their
return. it was packed in ice and watched
from night to night in the customary fashion,
On one of these evenings. Mr.. p. who
had just gone to the Island to board through
the summer, and who was still quite >tr;.n-
ger there was somewhat non pluS>cd hv a
request that he would 20 over to the house
Of mourning and make one of the company
of Watchers No other gentleman could hc
found would he BE kind enough to 20?
p had been promising himself a -ood
nights rest after the cares otbu>inc>> IN New
York. but nevertheless he GOOD na.vrcGiv
waived his right to til, sweet rc>tor,t and
consented to watch. He WAS ted that two
Young ladies. who were not disagree, able. would
be his companions in this melancholy bust
ness that his only care would be to change
once every hour cloth moi>t"ncd with some
ant>cptic and lay on the face of the corpse.
and that during the rest of the long hours he
mi ght smoke. read or talk, As the spirit mov-
cd him. SO about | | O'Clock in the evening
he went from his way to the house of mourn-
ing. and was there duly introduced to the fair
females who were to be his companions in
vigil. and the somhrc exercises commenced.
Time wore on. and Just after midnight. the
very hour when Sravcvar,ls vawn. the party
were started by loud noise proceeding from
the next room where the corpse WAS laid.
Whcreupon one ofthc Young ladies fa;ntcd
or pretended to faint. and was laid out on the
sofa The other. however. whom We will call
Julia. caught up candle and announced to
P. with quiet courage bcaminy from her
eyes. that she would accompany him, to as
certain. if possible. the cause Of the strange
disturbance. Though somewhat nervous. he
felt he could 60 almost anywhere with such 4
companion, and the two proceeded to tho
chamber Of death.
Imagine their feelings when they entered
the room and saw the venerable corpse in tn,
centre of the floor. leaning upon the long ic,
box in which it had been packed. one end OF
the box having fallen. Still Julia did no
faint, but saving with womanly thoughtful!
ness that it would be Il pity to disturb th'
family. who we've exhausted by care and grief
assisted P to restore the body to the DO,
and the box to its place. \ little phlosoph
ical reasoning suggested that the ice i'll on
end of it had melted much faster than in tn
other, and being carclcsSly balanced on it
props, it had suddenly fallen and had splice
out its contents in this sudden and startlin
. manner.
The rest of the night wore away withou
anv further alarm, but it may be suppose
that p did not read much. and was nc
, obliged to smoke much to keep himself awake
1t is reasonable to conjecture that he CONVEX
sed somewhat with the girl who impressed a
much with her calm courage and Sclf-contro
y as she charmed him by her beauty and goo
sense Not having been present, can Civ
; no further account of that evenings entertain
mcnt Nevertheless, "party" in this cit,
whom modesty forbids me to mention. ha
lately received some cards whose cabilist
inscriptions are meant to convey the idea tn;
this couple of young people, who obtained a
:. insight into each others character in tn
:. "house of mourning" are intending to becom
still more intimately acquainted in the 'hous
e of feasting." As Miss Mills was wont to sa
to David Copperfeld, 'sich islife.''
VIOLENT EXERCIsE.-A Young lady VII
II was recommended to exercise for tt
y, benefit of her health, replied will jun
at an offer of marriage and run my own ris