New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-04-09
wristen fsr the New Orleans Daily Crescent
MADAME MERGERS HAIRDREssER


/ BY MARY ASHLEY
n have heard you WONDER saia on1 $50 10.
Madame Mercer, Eat my having grey nan ~ ils
time Of life But It was Just a. white twenty ses's
ago. and was then young SIR.
Il We expressed our astonishment, aadlns ~.
fsr. MI syyin lister. st retained the jetty locks
Of early youth.
t.r Marie that lost mine but win tell you all
about It 4
she drew her easy chair closer to the crate,
shook back her silver cnfis and began:
lit vas just such night as this; wild and
stormy, twenty years ago, that sister Marie and
nyself sat in our little back parlor at home alone
We lived then in a long, low stone house, which ]
believe il still standing, in the vicinity Of Fishk
village. n. Z. Mother had already been dead
several years, and father was q confirmed invalid
SO that young as NE were, we had learned to be
more selfreliant than many women are ut my pre-
sent age. With the assistance Of an old negress
named Lois, who in our plainly days had beer
mothers body servant, and who. though manu-
mitted, still retained her place as servant in thu
family, we kept house, received our friends, who
were numerous, as is generally the case where Q
family shows an independent spirit and no desire
to use their friends, entertained our suitora, fol
Marie and each had our admirers, and attended
scrupulousy to all Of fathers wants. On that par
ticular evening, Marie and were talking of poor
Guy Dewitt, who had been mady in love with my
sister, but could inspire no reciprocal passion in
her breast. She never encouraged him from the
very frat !. and oftan when re were roine home
from church or from party, places where in
co,,ntr towns oir,s are always sure n in5
ascorts a. ,,sad T. rr,nty 4 ~ &, axcban 8
IL III I'M a. Il ~ u 80 IA "a = -
were Is exartlv slLe tbat ,,,,or mother aersa,f
q. a;..;,,,,,,;.,, ". m I;f,;n
s;. sro,,, e,r.laaa ,,ta.a a1n.s,t =,
III sLls ,.,,;s,, ~ ,.,, y,
e $50. !, 80 als ,s..,.oa :.
.ctI,, .,, " I'M ~ haa,,s 49,
t;,,,ss ,,orraa tha;r onsdan.a. /, All. 49,
49,. .,s,,,,
wasr;s, - last - Co.
a m, ~ IN, t1at q i.
conld NJ r. ! fr;an5 ,v;tfont be;no ,ovar tte,
mnst meet M more. twice altar tbis he fanna an,
portnity to urge his suit and when lie found Marie
firm in her rejection of him, and that his suit was
hopeless, he went incurahly crazy. The event had
surprised and grieved us both deeply; and talking
of ii that night, told her held her guiItless, and
believed the whole community did the same, Of ever
deluding Guy with false hopes.
We we're interrupted in the conversation by the
postman's horn; for the mail in those DAYS was
carried by a man on horseback who distributed his
few letters and papers at the doors of those to
whom they were addressed or placed them in little
wooden boxes put up on posts at the meeting of
cross-roads. Father, We knew, would send us a
letter by this post. He had been gone o week
friend living Ii theneighborhood Of Lake Mahopac,
not then the fashionable resort of the present day
having induced him to 60 and try the air Of his
quiet mountain home
When we read the letter which the dripping post
man had sent in BY Lois, we were greatly troub-
led. II was written not by father himself, but by
his friend It stated that father had not been bene.
fitted by his change OF air and was sinking rapidly.
Unable to return home himself, one Or both Of us
must come OF once to him, the critical state of his
health admitting no delay on cur part. He adj
ysed Us, however, by no means to undertake the
jaunt alone, but to provide ourselves with proper
escort.
We decided to send at once and lake our n,acas
in to.morrow,s stage. hut mon oommun;ca t;na
our news to Lss. she fell to weeping and groan;nS
and passed into such state Of nervous excitement
that ii became imperative for one of as to remain
with her. This, it was finally decided should he
Marie.
had never travelled alone. but This time tbera
was no alternative. The road between Mabonac
and FishkilI was then but little travelled. ana Al
this season of the year was almost impassible. In
fact it was rare thing for a stage to he RIM there
there being no regular line established upon that
route. 1t was only when passengers enough ar.
rived at Poughkeepsie who wished to % On to
Malopac, that there was any inducement to mt ON
ali ert,sa.v So ii was an extra. d, with yellaw
body and block wheels, that drew M at our door
next morning, and kissing Marie AZ shook The
hand of Lois, went ont to take INV place. 4
man sat on the hox with the driver and as an.
proached. looked down at me very aarnastlr Int
he was mu1led ia the yerv ewes % that did not
believe him to " any Of nv aeanaintancas yas
engaged to Mr.. Mercer a. this fine ana onr MOI,
rage was only being deferred n homes If fathers
restoration To health. I wrote 10 hin, hafora La =
M. tellinp him II ~ nronosad ;annt 80 thatr
would he Glad if nossible to have him .an,a -,
from New York and meet ~ Il Mabonac &C. i
think II WAS The widest dov + 'ovar SOW, =,
which leff home Aha wind hia,v ho;stara,,.,,
and The only interrnntion 10 he continues
now and then snow sopall % hl;ndna and IA
nnmbinr the driver was obasd i, sta,, No., i
occurred fnrn the CARRIAGE nart;alIv aro,nd - a.
p 4 - - 80