Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-10-21

would stay at home; yet right or not
right, if that miserable little Fan did be.
tray US. d spend all my days in aveug
ing the wsong-that was certain. Was
| in earnest? Did | mean it? We shall
see.
How earnestly and anxiously / gazed
toward the chamber Of Janet, as after
fastening my nag by the road side,
walked cautiously up the long lane that
led to the doctors house. Oh, Joy mex
pressible the waving Of a white hand.
kerchief in the moonlight told me that
everything was right, and that in few
movements l should clasp Janet to my
breast, mine, mine forever All, how
happy | was-so happy, indeed, that |
stood still there in the moonlight; with
my two hands pressing firmly to ny side,
for fear my overloaded heart would burst
from me entirely. What figure [ must
have cut then What an Apollo must
have looked like, with my fine proper
tons wrapped up in my wedding suit
| was slender | was tall | was gaunt;
| was sure was terrible ugly. looking at
that moment.
What possessed me | cannot tell, but
from an old chest | had taken a blue
broadcloth swallow-tail coat that had be-
longed to my grandfather in the time of
the wars, and in the pride of my youth
had got into it. The tails came nearly
to my heels, while the waist was nearly
to my arm pits. The sleeves reached to
my fingers, hiding entirely from view the
luxurlant white silk gloves which | al.
lowed myself for the occasion. Above
this uncouth pile of blue cloth was perch
ed a hat. Oh, We stars and moon that
looked upon it, testify with me that it
was hat Ia hat and not stove pipe !
looking back at it through the mist of
twenty FIVE years, it seems to have risen
to the stature. of two full feet while its
brim appears little wider than my thumb
nail. My eyesight isn't quite SO perfect
as it used to be, and so | may not see
quite rightly. Make all due allowances
dear reader.
| say that l must have looked ugly at
that moment. Be that as it may, tho t
| was looking splendidly; and that the
figure cut was an honor to the name of
Brown, and | was proud of it; proud as
| stalked up to Janet's window, and
placed carefully there the ladder that
was to bear her to my side. EVERYTHING
was silent about the house. Fate was
surely with us. Fanny had been bribed
iato our service. AS | stood there
could see her little fingers fit noiselessly
to and fro by the window. and how /
blessed her-blessed her from the very
bottom Of my heart, for her sisterly kind
ness
at last JanetY.s Commenced descending
the ladder, and as she did so the moon
crowded in out Of sight under huge
black cloud. The heavens favored us ;
our success might be looked upon as fixed
Three steps more upon the ladder, and
Janet's dainty little feet would stand upon
terra tirma with my own. The steps were
taken, and she held for moment fondly
the sleeves Of my blue broadcloth, before
we looked up to the window, both with
appraised hands to catch small bundle
OF clothing that Fanny was to throw down
to US, and which we had no other means
to carry with us.
" Be quiet, Fam" whispered Janet, as
she appeared at the window and poised
the bundle above our heads. Be quiet,
Fan, for heavens sake, and drop it
quick
But Fanny stood there, swinging back
ward and forward the huge bundle, with
out needing Janet;s earnest entreaty.
DO, do throw it; Fanny, dear Do
have mercy on me What if father
should know Of this? What if he should
be awakened ?"
:" La, give it to her, Fan; don't plague
her, she is in hurry l'' called voice at
that moment from the closed blinds at
the parlor windows, which belonged in
none other than Dir. Stoddard.
:" Give her the things; and tell the
boys to carry out bag of corn. cheese,
and some wheat and butter, Janet must
have setting out-only be still about it,
Fan"
For moment we were petrifed on the
spot / thought | should fall to the
ground. What should we do-ruu, faint,
die, eyaporate, or go mad ~ While we
stood undecided, two huge mattresses
fell at our feet from the window at once,
followed by sheets, pillow cases, table
cloths, and sundry articles necessary to
the setting up Of respectable house
keeping establishment.
" Mother mother. don't one of these
feather beds belong to Janet?' called
Charlie Stoddard from another part of
the house.
/" Yes, yes, and a bolster, and pair Of
nice pillows. too. Garry EN- right out
of the front door," was the answer.
!" Whose horse have you, Janson?' ask
ed the doctor, pushing up the blind,
your fathers ~
"Y-e s." stammered.
Humph. didn't you know better than
that that old grey isn't worth a button
to go. Why didn't you come up to my
barn and get my black mare? SamySam,
hurry right away straight to the barn
and harness black Mi1Iv for Ianann r,