The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1859-12-23
there was no harm done.

there Waa no harm done
Most people vsuld hays put down this a.
trap 10 give me journey foT nothing i
did not 4 presenument impellsd me 70 90
cePt aud keep the engagement
This was 10 tho old coaching days, whal .
man bad time 70 make an aoquaintaBos 10
forty Mos, not as nov, vhsn Jou are ~ your
I.ausy's pHd bsiara sou hHvs lnaiod round
your company Ia q railway carriage, There
vere but two iusidss- uyself snd pleasant,
talkalye, hones'heed elderly gsntleu,hn.
Shy and timid ln female soolely, wAs VET
esteemed, animated and agreesbls enough
amongst my own seE. We had no trouhle
therefore, Ia making ourselves agreeable 10
one anotherI 20 much %. that ~ the coach
approached c., and the old gentleman
learned that msant 10 stop there thatnight
be asked me 20 waive ceremony and have
cup Of tea with him after had dined At ny
hotel, My "hIr engagement" vas not ell
next day, and, az liked the old gentleman,
accepted HE ofeE
Amer my pint ofshery, brlshsd H,y hair
and went Ia search Of my coach companion
and my promised cup Of tea, J had no diff
Guilty in finding him oui, for be vas q man Of
substance aud some Importance la lhs place
/ wm shown iuto the dmwing-room Ny
old hiend received me heartily, and intro
due~i-me 90 hii wife and five daughters.
FAN spyFlers, Dir" said be "young ladies
whom IN uudiseriminsling world seeus dis
posed 70 leave upon my hand"
&C. II We don't Gell, papa" said the eldest
who With her sisters seemed 10 reflect her "a
TIERS fun, "il ia not Tor want Of puapg, for
all your inlrodueIous are advertisements"
A. the mepuon Of the last word fel,
little diseomposed, and almost regretted my
engagement for The next day, when that very
night perhaps, my pro,idenual opportunity
had arrived,
med not trouble my readers with all our
sayings and doiuga during tea suffice il to
say that found them avery pleasant, friend,
ly family, aud was surprised TO fad forgot
all my ,hyness and timidity, encouraged BY
their good.lempered ease and eonyorsaton.
l., however. In the freedom Of the moment
volunteered the information Of my bachelor
hood ! thought / had no sooner eomn,ani.
Gated the fact than the girls passed round
glance Of arch intelligence from one to the
other ! cannot tell you bow oddly felt at
the moment My sensation was between
pleasure and confusion, as u suspicion cross
ed my mind, and helped, felt, to color my
check. Presently, however, the eldest, with
an assumed indifference which coat her an ef-
fort, asked where was staying.
"At the -- hotel, answered with some
sEEh=FFz8-azrut.
Il was with difficulty they restrained a
laugh thvy bic their lips, and I haA no lon
ger any suspieion-l was certain. SO, after
having some music, when l rose to depart !
mustered courage, as bid them good bye, to
say to the eldest'
"Shall T. 4. consider this ne interview P"
/ A blush Of conscious guilt, should rath-
cr say innocence, told me had sent my ran
dom arrow to the right quarter so pressed
the matter no further at that moment, but
did her hand.
remained in at my hotel next day until
an hour after the appointed time, but no enc
made their appearance. "Then," thought /,
brushing my hair and adjusting my eravat,
"sinoe the mountain will not come 10 Maho-
met, Mahomet must go TO the mountain !" 10
| walked across to my old friends. The
young ladies' werq all IN. The eldest wus.cn-
gagged with some embroidery at the window.
had therefore az opportunity, as leaned
over the frame, to whisper:
"S. S, is rot punetual.'
The eIin42aa in heT face aad neck was nov
so deep, that skcplie himself would no lon
ger doubt l need say no more that eve
ming in her fathers garden, she confessed
that she and her sisters had conspired TO
bring me up to c. on a FOOLS errand,nev-
er meaning, Of course, to keep the engage
mont.
Then" said /, "sinee you designed 70 take
me in, you must consent to make me happy"
"And what did she say, papa P' asks my
second daughter, who is now looking over
my shoulder as | write.
"Why you little goose, she promised to be
your mamma, and she has kept her word"
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How're PRoNUNcE "OUoH."--The ending
syllable "ough," which is such terror to for
eigncrs, is shown up in It's several pronunci-
ations in the following lines: