Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-03-23
A SLIGHT MISTAKE:
AND WHAT GREW OUT oP IT

AND WHAT GREW OUT OF 1T.
One cool afternoon, in the early fall, L
chester +. LeRoy, 4 gentleman-stood On the
platform of the Albany depot, watching the
procession of passengers just arrived in the
Hudson river boat, who defiled past me on their
way to the cars. The Boston train, by which
had come, waited patiently as steam and fire
might, for their leisure, with only occasional
and felnt SnortS of remonstrancc at the delay !;
yet still the jostling crowd hurried past into
the cars, and fitted through them in search of
seats Their increasing numbers at length
warned me that l might find it difficult to re-
gain my own, and | followed them.
II beg your pardon, sr.''
l turned, in obedience to a touch on my
arm, and saw a respectable. looking negro man
before me, who bore the travelling bag and
shawl, and was, evidently, the attendant of a
slender and stylish young girl behind him.
"Do | speak," he said, bowing respectfully
and glancing at the portmanteau l carried, on
which my surname was quite legible, ''do I
address, sir, Mr.. Leroy i''
"That is my name-at your seryice-what
can do for you? ?''
The young lady, whose dark blue eyes had
been scanning me, as l could perceive through
her blue silk veil, now lifted it with an exquis-
itely gloved little hand, and extended the 9TH
er TO ME, with charming mixture of frank
ness and timidity.
~ am very glad to meet you, Mr.. Leroy -
said she. 81 thought should know you in a
moment, Jenny described you so accurately.
How kind it WAS OF you to offer to take charge
of me. l hope l shan't trouble you.''
In the midst of my bewilderment at being
thus addressed by the sweetest voice in the
world, / managed to see that | must make a
proper reply, and proceeded to stammer out
what | thought an appropriate speech, when
the servant who had left us for moment, re-
turned, and l abandoned it unfinished.
''Did you see my baggage, Edward 70 asked
his mistress.
eyes, Miss it is all on.''
ssThen you had better hurry to reach the
seven O'Clock boat. Goodbye, and tell them
You saw me safely off,
stood like one in O dream, while the man
handed me two checks for the trunks, and en-
dued me with the light baggage he had car
ried; but l was aroused by the young lady
asking me if we had not better secure our
seats in the cars, and answered by offering her
my arm. In ten minutes we were seated side
by side, and trundling out of Albany at a rate
that grew faster and faster.
had now time to reflect with that lovely
face opposite me, but where was the use.
Some strange mistake had undoubtedly hap
pcned, and 1 had evidently been taken for
another person of the same name but how
TO remedy this now, without alarming the in
a0cent young lady in my charge, how to find
the right man, with the right name, among
several hundred people, and how to transfer
her, without an unpleasant scene and explana-
ton, to the care of some one whose person
was no less strange to her than mine 4! While
these thoughts whired through my head, L
happened to encounter those smiling eyes
fixed upon me, and theiT open, unsuspicious
gaze decided me. fEI will not trouble or dis
tress her, by any knowledge of her position, -
| concluded, ssbut will Just do my best to fill
the place of the individual she took me for,
and conduct her wherever she wished to GO,
if l can only find where 1t is! ~ turned to
her with an effectation of case, which was
very far from feeling, and said, ''1t is long
journey
"Do you think so 2 But it is very pleasant,
isn't it Cousin Jenny enjoyed 1t SO much -
.sAh, indeed -
.sWhy, what a queer man 20 she said, with
a little laugh. sDoes she never tell you as
she does me in all her letters, how happy she
is, and that St. Louis is the sweetest place
sn the world to live in Dear me that
should have to tell her own husband first.
How We shall laugh about it when we get
there.''
So it was to st. Louis we we're going, and
I was her Cousins husband. | never was so
thankful for two pieces of information in my
life.
s.And how does Jenny look and what is
she doing and how is my dear Aunt Beman
do tell me the news!''
'sJennie,'' said 1, mastering courage ana
words, eis the dearest little wife in the world,
you must know, only far too fond of her scamp
of a husbands to her looks, you cant ex-
pect me to say anything, for she always looks
lovely to me-"
"Bravo!" said the pretty girl, with mali
cious smile ''but about my dear Aunt's rheu-
matism 7''
ssMiss, l mean, of course, Mrs. Beman is
very well.''
"Well!'' said my fair questioner, regarding
me with surprise, 81 thought she had not
been we'll for number of years 20
81 mean well for her, said /, in some tre-
pidation ssthe air of st. Loius,' (Which l
have since learned is OF the misty moisty or