The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-02-03
"A Slight Mistake" |"
NJ CAPRICE.

/
the procession Of passengers just arrived in
the Hudson River boat who defiled past ne
on their way to the cars. The Boston train,
BY which had come, waited as patiently as
steam and FIRE might, IOt their leisure, with
only occasional and faint snorts of remon.
STRANGE at the delay yet still the jostling
crowd hurried past into the cars, and fitted
through them in search Of seats their in.
creaSing numbers at length warned me that
| might find it difficult to regain my own,
and turned to follow them.
81 beg your pardon, sir"
turned, in obedience to the touch on my
arm, and saw respectable looking negro
man before me, who bore the travelling bag
and shawl, and was evidently the attendun,
OF slender and stylish young girl behind
him. "Do | speak," he said, bowling respect.
fully, and glancing at the portmanteau I car.
ried' on which my surname was quite Iegible
edo speak, sir, to Mr.. lie Roy-r"
"That is my name at your service-what
can do for you I"
"The young lady, Miss Florence Dundard,
sir. who was to join you at Albany, at six
o'clock-I have charge Of her," He turned
to the person hehind him.
"1his is Mr.. lie Roy, Miss"
The young lady, whose dark. blue eyes had
been scanning me, as could Just perceive
through her blue silk veil, now lifted it with
an exquisi,ely little gloved hand, and extend.
ed the other to me, with charming mix.
ture Of frankness and tmidiry.
II am very glad to meet you, Mr.. lie
Roy" said she. II thought should know
you in a moment, Cousin Jenney described
you so accurately. How kind it was of you
to offer to take charge Of me. hope shan ;,
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 O
proper reply, and proceeded to stammer out
what thought an appropriate speech. when
the serveht, WHO had left us for moment.
returned, and abandoned it unfinished.
"Did you see to my baggage, Edward ~
asked his mistress.
| ayes, Miss; il is all on"
"Then you had better hurry to reach the
seven o'clock bont. Good bye, and tell them
you saw me safely off,"
stood like one in dream, while the man
handed me the two checks for the trunke,
and endued me with the light baggage he had
carried; but | was aroused by the young
lady's asking me If we had not better secure
seats in the cars, and answered by offering
her my arm. In ten minutes we were seat.
ed side by side, and trundIing out of Albany
at a rute thst grew faster and faster.
had tow time to reflect, with that lovely
face opposite me, but where was the use
Some strange mistake had undoubtedly been
made, and had evidently been taken for
another person of the same name =; but how
to fethedy this now, without alarming the in!
nocent young lady in my charge, how to find
the right man, with the right name, ng
several hundred people, and how to transfer
her, without an unpleasant scene and explu.
nation, to the care Of some one whose per-
son was no less strange to her than mine
While these thoughts whirled through my
head, l happened to encoui1ier those smiling
eyes fixed upen me, and their opsh dnsispi'
cious gaze decided me. II will not trouble
or distress her, by any knowledge of her po.
sition," I concluded, "but will just do my
best 10 fill the place Of tho individual che
took me for, and conduct her wherever she
wishes TO go, il can only find where it ISL,
| turned to her with an atfectation of friend.
ly ease was very far from feeling. and said
at is long journey, Miss Florence"
"Do ycu think SO! But it is very plea.
SAINT, isn't it? Cousin Jennie enjoyed it sc
much -
"Ah, indeed I"
"Why, what queer mani" she said, with
little laugh. "Does she never tell ycu, az
she does me in all her letters, how happy
she is, and that st. Louis is the sweetest
place in the world to live in Dear me
that / should have to tell her own husba nd
first. How we shall laugh about it when
get there"
So it wac to st. Louis we were going, and
I was her cousin Jennie's husband. ! neve,
was 60 thankful for two pieces of informa.
ton in my life.
"And how does dear Jennie look -! and
what is she dcing' and how is my dear Aun,
Bemon! do tell me the news!"
"Jennie." said !, mastering courage and
words, sis the dearest little wife in the world
you must know, only fer too fond of heu
scamp of a hus6and--as 10 her loohs, you
cant expect me to say anything, for she al.
ways looks lovely to me-"
"Bravo" said the pretty girl, with NAL
icious little smile; "but about my dear aunty I
rheumatism -
"Miss, mean, Of course, Mrs. Bemau, il
very WE'LL"
swell !" said my fair questioner, regard
ing me with surprise, II thought she hadn't
been well for years!"
81 mean we'll for her." said !, in some