Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-07-06
MIS- r. l. l. A n Y.
From the New orlcsu. Daily Crescent.
MADAM MERGERS HAIRDREssER
nv MARY ASHLEY

my time in life. Bu, IL was jus, rs white
twenty years ago, aud then | was young
girl"
We expressed our As,oni.hm.nt, adding
that Marie. her twin sister, s,ill retained
the jrtty locks Of early youth.
" True" she answered, "yet IL was
through sister M,ri, that los, mine; bu,
I will tell you all about It"
She drew her easy chair closer TO tho
crate. shook her silver curls. and began
"lt wa. jus, such a night as this Wild
and stormy, twenty years Asn, tha, sister
Marie and myself "a, in our little back par.
lor at home alone. We lived IN long.
low stone house. which | belicso /. still
standing in the vicinity Of Fi.hkill village,
New York Mother had already been dead
several years. aud father was confirmed
invalid 90 that young as We were, We had
learned b b. more scli.rcliant than many
womep are at nv present age. With the
assistance ofan old negre-s named Lois, who
in our palmy days had hocn moihcr'. body
servant, and who, though Mauumiiied.
s,ll retained her place a' servant in the
family, We kept house. receiving our friends
who were numerous, a' - generally the case
whore tho family shows an independent
.piri, and M desire ,o u,s their friends. en-.
isrtainsd our suitor-. f1r Marie and zach
had our admirers, and attended .crupulou'.
ly 20 all Of fathers wants. On that plrtic.
ular evening. Mario and were ,alkin. OF
poor Guy Dewitt. who had bscn madly in
love with my SISTER. but conld inspire no re.
c,procal passion in her breast, She never
encouraged him from the very 6rst Ani of.
ten when We were going irom church or
a party, places where in country town,
young girl. ar' always sure 20 Gnl escorts.
she u.c,i 10 wink a, the 10 exchange place,
with her II Coy va. AZ her side. a. We we're
% exactly alike tha, poor mother hcr.sli
could no, ii'tinsul.h u' save ~ lifting Ma
ric'. hair lr1m her forehead where w,s an
almo., imperc.ptiblc freckls which had not
been given me. Olconr.s IL ras very easy
a. Ne as, dressed alike. O. deceive our VII.
lagc beau. who oftcntlmrs rouicI their con.
hisncc, IN this way into ear. that they
never intended should hear thsm.
wsaricl a, lac, Of Coy, ycr,-cuting At.
ientioa.. Mare forbade him tho house tel.
ling him II hs could 40, be q friend without
being lover, they must meet no more.
Twice after this he found an opportunity to
ure. h.. suii AMI when be found an OPP
ppriuuiiy 70 urge hi- suit, and when hc
found Marie Grn in her REJECTION OF him,
ani that his suit wa. hopeless. he went in
eunhly crazy. The event bad surprised
and srievel us both deeply aud talking II
IL that night, told her hold her guiltie'.
and believed the whole community I'D the
same, ofcvcr d.luins Guy with f'l.s hope.
We we're interrupted in the converse.
ton by the p,.Im,n- horn. ior the mail
in those day. va, carried By = man on
horseback who distributed hi. few letters
and paper, a, the door, OF those 10 whom
they were addressed, Or placel them in lii.
,lc wooden boxes put up on posts at the
meeting OF Gro. roads. Father, We knew
would send US letter by thl, post. lie
had been son. a week friend living IN
ih, nsishborhool Of Lake Mahop,c, not
then the fashionable rcs1rs oi the pre'ent
day having induced him to 60 and try the
air VI hi. quiet mountain home.
When We read tho letter which the drip.
ping po.,man bad cent in by Lois, We were
greatly troubled. II wa, written no, by
father himself but by his friend. IL stated
that father had M; been benefited by his
change Of air aud wa. sinking rapidly.
Unable u return home hln'cll. one or both
/ Of US must cnme at once o. him, the crl'l'
cal state Of his health admitted no delay on
our part. lle advised Us, however, by no
mean. to undertake the !punt alone, but TO
provide our.elye. with proper escort.
We decided to send at once and take our
places IN to morrow. stage but upon com.
municaiins our news - Lois, she fell to
weeping aud groanins, and passed into such
a state Of nervous excitement tla, IL be-
camo imperative for one OF us to remain
with her. This, i, was finally decided,
should be Marie.
| had never travelled alone, but this time
there was no alternative. The road be
tween Mahopac and fshkill was then but
little travelled, aud at this season OF the
year was almost impassatle. In fact i,
was rare thing for stage to be run
there, there being no regular line establish
ed upon that route. |, wa. only when pas
.sne.rs enough arrived a, Poughkcersio who
wished TO 90 on 10 Mahopac. that there VAS
any inducement to put tou an " extra" 50
il was an "eS,ra" coach with yellow b.
dy and black wheels. that drew up at
our door tho next morning; and kissing
Marie as shook tho hand ol Lois, wen,
out to take my place.
A man -at ON the box with the driver
and as approached, looked down "a, Inc
very earnestly; but he was muiled to the
very eyes 80 that did not believe him to
be any Of my acquainiances. was ensa.
ged TO Mr.. Mercer at this time; and our
marriage was only being deferred in hopes
OF fathers restoration TO health. wrote
to him before leaving telling him Of my pro-
posed j,un,, and that | would b, glad. II
possible to have him come up from New