St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-02-03

know not what extraordinary con-
junction Of the stars took place on the
first Friday of June, 1888, nor how
my own planet in particular, came to
perform 50 many antics, in or out of
its proper sphere Before that day,
| had never had an adventure in my
life the current Of my existence had
flowed as evenly and quietly as the
stream of mill pond and no wit or
skill of author-craft could have spun
ont my biography beyond the compass
of single paragraph. | was born,
and lived for twenty-five ycars-that
is all: | lived in village, too, and
my name was as it still is, } James j.
Smith. There was nothing further in
my history worthy Of being men
toned except that, at twenty-five
years old, fiuding myself uncncum-
bered by any near relatives, and pos
sessed of moderate estate, sufficient
for all my reasonable wants, (and |
had no unreasonable ones,) began
to weary of my rather dull and lonely
existence, and cast about for means Of
relief. | was balancing between two
great projects, one of travel, the other
Of matrimony both, indeed, in a
very general way, for | was not in
love with anybody, or any particular
place y when letter from my old
college-mate and correspondent, Har-
ry Brown of Virginia, determined me
in favour of the former. He was just
forming family party for trip to
Niagara which party he invited me
to join at Philadelphia, where he ex-
pcctcd to arrive at an early day and
he promised to bring along with him
very charming unmarried cousin of
his, who might perhaps, he said, as
sist me in trying the other project, as
soon as | got tired of travelling, pro-
vided only that l had the spirit (and
it required great spirit) to woo and
win her all of which regarded as
a friendly pleasantly on the part OF
my old chum,
| went accordingly to Philadelphia
and at Uarry's suggestion, took lodg
ings at fashionable boarding-house,
at which he intended stopping, and
where designed awaiting him.
1t was on Friday, in the afternoon
that | arrived and having established
myself in a comfortable chamber,
sailed out to see somewhat of the
city, and inquire at the post-otficc foi
letters from my friend. / received
two letters, one from Harry, Of a
somewhat mysterious quality the
other from stranger, and of charac
ter still more inexplicable both o.
them written from Baltimore. Harry
, informed me that he was on the way
with his party, and hoped to be il
; Philadelphia the following day ; anC
he added (and this was the mysteri
: GUS part of his letter. that his afore
said handsome cousin was about to bt
snatched away from me by particu
, lar fatility yet he did not despair, HI
said, Of my yet winning her, provided
he should Immediately find me, upol
reaching Philadelphia, and find m,
with mettle sufficient to undertake
most formidable, but splendid adven
tuIc. SOulOuiiu ulS liuuuSoLlC Sous
in !" said ], "whom never heard @
n before, except in his last letter am
= confound his splendid adventures
n And with that, with the creates
equanimity, banished the memory &
both, to examine and wonder over til
second letter from my unknown col
respondent. 1t was as follows -
Ny DEAR BOY Shall be in Philadelphia Fr
day evening" with f.. to sign, seal kiss an
squabble, according to compact place afor,
ID mentioned. Shall expect you-rines posie
bushes and mysteries Always promised yo,
dad would, and uW
Yours Tcsolutely, Z. b.
* This letter was formally directed
d. James j. Smith, Esq, POste restant
Philad'a; was maniiestly written
T. an old mans hand and as far as
could gather any sense from its cd
and broken expressions, alluded to
marriage which was in progres
doubtless, between L. (who was she
- on the one part. and Mr.. James
Smith on the other. But who W;
;. Mr.. James J. Smith ? Not myse
> certainly who had never dreamed
marriage, except as future cont