The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-02-18

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persmelle,, and | overheard him whispe
to Bob Styles, as he went out:
4" Nice looking girl, that Miss Lee"
Yes" answered Bob, with mischiev
Gus glance at me, "she IS a nice girl
though little go ahead sometimes
Keep little look out on her, will you 2
then lowering his voice, "not bad
match for you, old fellow; she IS rich"
as she p said Mr.. Bimby, his inter.
est deepening.
"On my honor" said Bob. Forty
Thousand dollars in her own right Day
day y and he was gone.
Maggie Lee, artful creature that she
was, told her father that the sailing party
was to assemble at another hotel, and
thither he had taken her. Having busi-
ness in D. he left her there, merely
saying that he wuuld send the carriage
for her at eleven o'clock. She, like a
dutiful daughter, bid him goodbye and
kissed him, and before he had gone hun
died rods, took 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 prejuiced age was enact
ed over again.
As for us, Of the picnic excursion, We
had delightful sail down to the grove,
but somehow | could not enjoy myself
as much as | should have done. When
| waited on board the boat | felt awk-
ward, as if everybody was looking at me-
| found Mr.. Bimby, as | suspected, a
young and rising lawyer, mighty in Black
stone and his own opinion. He insisted
on paying for my ticket (the boat was
regular excursion packet 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 otliciousness, but bit my tongue
Just in time to prevent the exposure
But it was not with him | found my role
the hardest to play.
No; the young ladies were the difficult
ones to deceive. For instance, there was
one among them, beautiful girl of sew
enteen, just returned from boarding
school, who had not seen Maggie for three
years. OF course she was glad to see
me, when she found out that was Mag
gle, which, by the way, did not occur un-
til after we had started. She threw her.
self into my arms, pulled my veil aside,
and kissed me half dozen times in
manner that made my finger ends tingle
for and hour. 1t was very nice, but, if
| bad been in pf0pria persona | should
have liked it better. As it was, | felt as
if | was obtaining goods under false pre-
lenses, and that lawyer Bimby might is
sue warrant for my arrest on that ground |
at any moment.
A whole knot of crinoline then sur
rounded me, on the upper deck of the
boat, to the utter exclusion and conse-
luent disgust of Mr. Bimby and the 9th
ar gentlemen. kept very quiet, only |
speaking monosyllables in a falsetto
voice; but the others, Lord bless you!
now they gabbled!
Under strict promise of secresy, the
little boarding school maiden, who had
iissed me so aifectionately, revealed all
Ter little love affairs, and also became
confidential about other
matters, quite innocent in themselves,
'ut not customariy talked of between
aides and gentlemen.
| was terribly embarrassed, but it
would not do to give it up then. AS
Don as my trick should become known,
Bob Styles trick would also come out:
nd as news of that kind travels fast in
he country, he and his lady love would
e telegraphed and followed before they
ould reach Philadelphia, where the
'tyles family lived, and where the knot
Tas to be tied.
The river breeze was very fresh where
re sat, and noticed that several of the
ldies were glancing uneasily at me. |
ouldn't divine the reason, until JEANNE,
~ little friend from boarding school,
nd her face dangerously close to mine,
nd whispered,-
My dear Maggie, your dress is blow ;
lg up terribly high, your ankles will be /
10 town talk with the gentlemen {
Now | was conscious of having very y
nall foot for man, and had donned a |
air OF open work stockings, which came /
nearly to my waist, with a pair of gai- a
RS borrowed from the servant girl, in $
i OF which toggery my running gear Q
oked quite feminine and respectable;
It the idea of the gentlemen talking s
,out my ankles and of being cautioned +
us by young girl who would have Fl
zen frightened to death if | had told t
IF the same thing yesterday, was too S
uch for me, and | burst into sort of
laugh, which could only b
leck by swallowing half of my little Ii