Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-06-02

den memory of business neglected, and faith
fully promised Nettie and Carrie that the next
day should see me down again at Hyatt's to
stay out the month that May Stevens, the
wonderful. was about to pass with them.
The raeklng of brain that day to create
grand ensemble of eostume-somet ething beyond
all criticism, that should at the frst glance
strike the beholder silent with admiration
was indeed terrible. The labor of writing
Paradise Lost was nothing to it. 1t was early
In the day when 1 arrived at my city rooms,
and, for six hours, 1 dressed and redressed,
compared, rejected and selected; and, at the
end of that time, had laid out those portions
of my wearable goods in which l had decided
to make my first appearance before May Ste
vens- 1t wanted still several hours to sunset,
having got safely through the great object of
my visit, L thought it would not be bad idea
for me to take the last train and return the
same night to Hyatt'S instead of waiting over
until morning. No sooner said than done I
packed my habiliments, and away / went
Whizzing and putting over an uninteresting
road is provocative Of sleep; 80 L found il
when the shades of evening fell; for to the
best OF my recollection, l was in the very
midst of dream, in which May Stevens, at
tired in book muslin and pale blue satin, sat on
purple cloud and admiringly inquired who my
tailor was, Just as | was about TO inform her.
there came crash, and for a moment was
not entirely certain whether it was the cloud
that had exploded, or myself had torn some por-
tlon OF my apparel that was oyerstrained. 1t
required but moment to awaken me to the
fact that both presumptions were wrong. It was
our train-the .26-that had run off the track
smashing things generally, and spilling the
contents of several baggage cars along the
road, to say nothing Of frightening half hun
dred passengers into a condition bordering on.
lunacy. This was a pretty state of things, and
n / ipht
miles from my destination, though, as it after
wards proved, not a mile from the next viii
lage, where, as heard it canvassed a tavern
supper and beds could be had. Twas disposed
to make myself agreeable, and, accordingly,
rendered all the assistance in my power to the
unprotected females for which got my reward
on arriving at the haven Of refuge-the prom
ised tavern-by being informed that such a
thing as bed for the night was an impossible
idea, and that with some twenty more of the
male gender, must be content with chairs.
while the beds were appropriated to the gent
Ter sex. Slightly disgusted, 1 swallowed nv
supper, and looked out upon the night. II
was beautiful moonlight, and verging on to
ten o'clock. By Jove / would walk over to
Hyatt's. No sooner said than done Giving
my carpet-bag into the hands of the landlord,
with the most emphatic charges for its safety
and punctual delivery at Hyatts next morn
ing, at any expense, / set forth. Eight miles
quarter after midnight, L marched up the lane
| that led to the house They were early folks
at the farm-early to bed, and early up 1
walked round the house, trying each door and
window for an entrance, but each and eyery
one was fastened. 1t was of no consequence;
my bed room window looked out upon the roof
Of the piazza; | would not disturb the house
by knocking; bit of climbing would do the
business, and should the window be fastened
would tap and awaken Horace, who was nv
room mate and bed-fellow The thing was
executed as soon as thought of, and my hand on
the window, which yielded, and stood in NV
own room; BY the moonlight which streamed
In saw that the bed was occupied and by the
heavy breathing I knew that Horace was in a
deep sleep. would not, therefore awaken him,
but save the story of my mishap for the follow
ing day. With this resolution l slipped uui-
city into bed and in three minutes was obtiy
ious.
What ought to have dreamed that night?
But l shall not anticipate. l lay facing the
windows as the sun peeped up above the dis
tant hills, and scattered the grey nists of the
| morning. My bed fellow was breathing beay
| lily, but it was broad daylight and there was
no more sleep in me- so l determined that
| Horace should wake up and hear my story of
the railroad breakdown. l turned quickly
and gave the sleeper a sudden shake. Asrap-
| idly as my own motion, my bed-fellow, who
had laid with his back towards me, sprung
| in sitting position. There are such sur
prises, as without a terror, which absolutely
| deprive us Of the power Of speech, until the
| brain has time to act and reason. Such sur
prises do not generate screams and faints
They are expressed by open-mouthed and silent
wonder. This was the case with myself and
my bed-fellOw, as we sat upright and stared
Right by my side, with her face within
Two teet OF my own, sat young woman, not
more than seventeen, with great, dark hazel
| eyes, and such great masses of brown curls,
| tucked away under the neatest little night
cap that ever was. She had gathered the
bed-elothes, with spasmodic jerk, up about
her throat, and with the most rigid, aston
ished look, as Though doubling whether she
was sleeping or waking, gazed steadily in
my eyes Memory serves a man but little
in like cases. but, if my memory serves me
| right, 1t was who first spoke. l blurted out
| with:
| "'How came you hereD
| "The figure stared still in speechIess aston
lshment, butin moment, as though awakened
| from its stupefaction, spoke:
"'Are you Charles Morgan9'
Yes,' was my rather subdued answer
"'Well, then, Mr. Morgan, said the figure,
oy this time speaking as calmly, and with
quite as much dignity as though in the draw
ing room, Il am May Stevens, and I was put
In this room, after an unexpected arrival
| Horace had gone over to a neighbor's a few
miles off, before I got here, and was not to re-
turn until to-day. That is how was put in
/ this ROOM r~
| $50 here was, sitting rts-a-vts to this Nav
Stevens, that mythical lady, for the first
meeting with whom had intended to get up
such superlative toilet. nice STYLE of in
PRODUCTION, and nice style of toilet And
she-she by this time was as cold as the 3lst of
December, and sat looking me right in the
eye, as made some scrambling Explanation
of my being found in that extraordinary posi-
ton 1t was lame explanation, wonderfully
mixed up with prevalent matter, and stam-
mered and suffered through in a way that
should have disgusted any sensible person. She
seemed to be seriously pondering during the
recital, and at its end, looking at me as though
asking the most simple question in the world,
| said
| "'What's to be done?'
"'Let me jump out Of the window, as I came
in,' SAID in sickly tone of voice; for the
thought came to me, that to achieve this end,
1 must make some desperate display Of my.
| self in a style Of costume which I depreca-
ted. She relieved me instantly with:
No, that will not do, there are people
moving about, and you will be SEEM
1t was my turn now to stammer out: