The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1860-07-14

bring before me the object Of my thoughts
and of the two sisters continual converse
ton. In what this would have ended it is
impossible for me all this time to say. had
not heard, one morning as I entered the
breakfast room. the startling words from
Nettie:
"And so she is coming at last. I'm SO
glad ~
whether it was that the train Of my
thoughts was upon that pointnt the moment.
or what, l cannot say /; but l knew directly
the whole matter. / saw Carrie with an
open letter in her hand, and coupling it with
Nettie's words, | knew that the hitherto
] only. beard of May Stevens was about to
4 become a reality. I had no need to ask
questions. All the information was prof
fered. May Steyens-the Incompatible May
was TO spend a month at Hyatt's, and
they were to expect her at any moment
though, as the letter read, she might not be
down for a week to come. A week lit
was an age, a century and was in fiut-
ter Of excitement. My long standing pas
sion, of nearly two weeks duration, for
Nettie and Carrie, was forgotten i'll an in
slant, and my whole mind was absorbed in
making the best figure possible before this
new queen. With this idea, began to look
into my wardrobe. had come down with
sufficient clothes to answer all ordinary pur-
poses, including, of course, Nettie and Car
RTE !; but the new goddess was certainly
worthy of new rig on my part, and GER
tainly should have it. This resolution was
made within fifteen minutes after hearing
| the announcement of her intended coming
and before two hours had gone by, was
whizzing on my way to town, to carry out
that resolve. NY choicest morsels of ward
robe should be offered on the shrine of May
Stevens.
II had absented myself on the plea of a
sudden memory of business neglected.
and faithfully promised Nettie and Carrie
that the next day should see me down at
Hyatt's again, to stay out the month that
May Stevens, the wonderful, was about to
pass with them.
The racking of brain that day, to create
a grand ensemble of costume-something
beyond all criticism, that should at the first
glance strike the beholder silent with admi-
ration-was indeed terriblue. 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 dressed
and re-dressed, compared and rejected and
i
/ laid out those portions of my wearable goods
in which I had decided to make my first
appearance before May Stevens. 1t wanted
still several hours to sunset. Having got
safely through the great object of my visit,
l thought il would not be bad idea for me
to take the last train and return the same
night to Hyatt's, instead of waiting over till
morning. No sooner said than done. I
packed my habiliments. and away I went.
Whizzing and putting over an uninteresting
road is provocative of sleep. So found it
when the shades of evening fell for, to the
best of my recollection, was in the very
midst of dream, in which May Stevens.
attired in book muslin and pale blue satin,
!. sat on purple cloud and admiringly in
quired who my tailor was Just as l was
about to inform her, there came a crash, and
I for moment I was not entirely certain
whether it was the cloud that bad exploded,
or myself had torn some portion of my ap-
parel that was overstrained. Itrequired but
a moment to awaken me to the fact that both
Prescriptions were wrong. 1t was our train
the 6:26-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 a
hundred passengers into condition border
ing on lunacy. This was pretty state OF
things, and to make it still worse, was
exactly eight miles from my destination,
though, as it afterwards appeared, not a
mile from the next village, where, as heard
it canvassed, tavern, supper and beds could
be had.
l was disposed to make myself agreeable,
and, accordingly, rendered all the assistance
in my power to the unprotected females, for
which 1 got my reward on arriving at the
haven of refuge-the promised tavern-by
being informed that such thing as a 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 gentIer
sex. Slightly disguised, swallowed my
supper, and looked out upon the night. 1t
was a beautiful moonlight. and verging on
to ten o'clock. By Jove l would walk
lover 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 Hy-
4 ats next morning, at any expense, i set
forth. Eight miles is trifie; and just as
my watch marked the quarter after mid
night, | went up the lane that led to the
house. They were early folks at the farm
early to bed and early up. l walked
round the house. trying each door and win
dow for an entrance, but each and every
one was fastened. 1t was of no conse-
quence; my bed room window looked cut
upon the roof of the piazza: l 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 my roommate
and bedfellow. The thing was executed as
soon as thought of, and my hand on the win
dow, which yielded, and 1 stood in my own
room. By the moonlight which streamed
in saw that the bed was occupied, and by
the heavy breathing knew that Horace was
in deep sleep. l would not, therefore.
awaken him. but save the story of my mis-
hap for the following day. With this res
olution slipped quietly into bed, and in
three minutes was Obvious.
i ''What ought I to have dreamed that
Il Rnk 81, 10