The Winchester home journal. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1858-06-17
,ut il had been in propria perSonae,

lhal ground, at any moment.
A whole knot Of crinoline then sur.
rounded me, on tho upper deck of the
boat, TO the utter exclusion and conse.
quent disgust OF Mr.. Bimby and the other
gentlemen. | kept very quiet, only
speaking monosyllables in lalsetto
voice; but the others--Lord bless you!
how they gabblcd! Under strict prom
Use OF secrecy, the little boarding school
maiden, who had kissed me so affection.
atcly, revealed all her love affairs, and al.
obecamc unpleasantly confidential about
other matters--innocent enough in them,
selves, but not customarily talked of be.
tween ladies and gentlemen.
was terribly embarrassed, but it
would not do TO give up then, As soon
as my trick should become known, Bob
Styles trick would also come out; and as
news Of that kind travels fast in the
country, he and his lady love would be
teIcgraphed and followed before they
could reach Philadelphia, where the
Styles 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. |
couldn't divine tho reason, until Jennie,
my little friend from boarding school,
laid her face dangerously close to mine,
and whispered: "My dear Maggie, your
dress is blowing up terribly high--your
ankles will be town talk with all the
gentlemen"
"Nor was | conscious Of having a very
small foot for man, and had donned a
pair Of opened worked stockings which
came nearly up to my waist, with a pair
Of garters borrowed from a servant girl,
in all ofwhich toggery my running gear
looked quite feminine and respectable;
but the idea Of the gentleman talking
about my ankles and Of being cautioned
thus by young girl, who would have
been frightened to death if had told her
the same thing yesterday, was too much
for me. | burst in sort Of strangulated
laugh, which could only check by swal.
lowing half of my little flagree lace,
edged handkerchief. The young ladies
all looked at me in apparent astonish.
ment at such voice, and wanted to
laugh all the more. Fortunately, Mr..
Bmby came to my rescue at the moment
and edged himself in among the crino.
line.
May l sit here?" he asked, pointing
to a low stool near me.
Certainly" | simpeted, in my high
(aIsclte.
"Ah, thank you," said Bimby--wi,h 4
Iackadistcal air, which nauseated me, a,
coming from one man to anothcr--"yoL
are as kind as you are fuscinating!"
"Y on llatter mel"
81? No indeed; praise you cannot be
0atery, Miss Lee"
ooh, sir, really you are very naughty
man." said, in the most feminine tone
could command.
He cast a languishing glance at me
through the black lace veil, and fairly
began to fear for his "leeIings."
We soon arrived at the grove and found
our band--engaged notwithstanding
us. OF course dancing was the first
amusement, and lawyer Bimby led me
cut for shottish. 1t was hard for me at
first to take the lady's part in my dance,
but soon got accustomed to it, When
a waltz was proposed, resolved to have
little amusement at the expense Of the
unfortunate Bimby.
had first made him purposely jealous
by dancing with two other young fellows
one fwhom knew, in my own charac
ter, but who never suspected me as Mag
gle Lee This young man, who was a
great woman killer--a sort Of easy devil
may care rascal. who made the ladies rur
after him, by his alternate wrath of &C,
ton and GOODNESS Of protestation--I Sc
lected to "play Off against my legaI
admirer. allowed him to hold me very
closely and occasionally looked at him
with half fascinating expression.--
When we stopped dancing, he led me to
my seat, keeping his arm about my
waist, and permitted it.
Having thus stirred Bimby up to feats
Of wrathful valor, | asked one of the gen
tIemen to direct the musicians to play :
waltz Bimby came Immediately.
"Ahen-a Miss Lee, shall Ia, have
the honor of-a-,ying waltz with
you"
smiled graceful acquiesence and we
commenced.
Now, am an old stager at waltzing.
can keep it up longer than any non.
professional dancer, male or female, whom
ever met. AS long as the Cachua OF
Schounebruunen ring in my cars, ! can
go on if il is for year. Not so Bimby
He plead want Of practice, and acknowI.
edged that he soon got dizzy.
"Aha, old boy" thought | "l'll give
you turn then %
! But only smiled. and said that should
probably get Tired first.
"Oh yes!" be exclaimed, "of course:
| can waltz as long as any one lady, but