The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1860-03-15
How Seth uawItins stole thc Old
flE Lndy's NiHttt gown. 4ir

tlfiE Lady's Might gown. tn
The Rostun Nsws gives US the following, 81
having occurred in one ot the villages of 'le Or
Bay State, within tie recollection Of the writer
We donot know when we enjoyed so heat,y .
laugh, as on reading this incident in the life OF
Seth Hswkins s,--
Sunday night was The right season which Seth
chose to do his weekly devoirs, rs Mrs. HON
BY would say, aud his road to nrighbof jones
whose daughter Sally was the object Of his par
ticular hope, lay across three long miles Of hort
territory, stusppy rs en old woman's mouth and
ss irreck Unable as prodga son gone away for
the third time.
One all sufficiently dark night, unheeding tn
wind and weather, as gallant and spruce of n
lover ssever straddled stump. Seth, IN best
bib and tucker aud dickoy, aud all that start
ed upon his accustomed weekly pilgrimage to
the shrine of Sally Jones---a sweet grl, by the
way, as strawberries aud cream are sweet.
Seth inew every land mark if he could see it,
but the night was very dark, and in little
while he became confused IN his reckoning, and
taking the light which CLEANED from arm
Jones cottage in the di>tanCe tor guide h,
pushed boldly on, regardless of intermediate dill
fculties, sutging occasionally to the right or to
the left, as some obstruction rose in his path,
until he run stern on, as sailor would say, to
hHU IOlltN IlCOHtlHCutlN ONVl VII
other side.
He gathered himself up as ho,t he could, shook
himself, to ascertain that no boues were broken,
anl then re-started on his mission ol love, his
ardor somewhat damped by leeling the sharp cold
night wlni playing IN tantastic jets around Ills
body, deuoting that the co ocussi0n had preached
his oh.Ge. fur-shaines, aud that the seven audi
six penny Cashmere Were no more TO DO the par
SECULAR delight of his eye, in contemplation of
their artistic exceiency.
He knew not the extent OF the damage sus.
tained bat soon gaining tho house. his first
g,Dnce was over his person, TO ascertain if de
ccpcy would be violated by On unwontel dis
play, but SEEING nothing, and trusting to the
volumnous proportions OF his coat for conceal |
ment. he felt reussurcd, anl took his scat in II
profftrcd chair by the fire,
While cUnverlng with the farmer about the |
weather, aud with the dame upon the matter Of
cheese, he glanced at Sally. aud saw with pain
ful surprise, that she was looking anxOusly, and
somewhat strangely towards portion Of his
dress. She averted her eyes as she caught his
glance; but again catching her eye upon him,
he was induced tJ turn his in the same dirrc-
tion, and saw, good heavens was it his shirt :
DOSING out ot six inch aperture in hi ins e of
one of his inex pressibles liz instantly changed
position. aud from that moment was on netlles.
Was he making more revelations by the change
He watched the first opportunity to push the
garment IN little. Could he succeed iu hiding
IL. II woul relieve his embarrassment Again
he watched his chance. anl agnin slowed away
the linen. 1t seemed interminnble, like the
Doctors tupe-worm, aud the m)r1 he worked ut
it, the m there seemed left.
In the miln time, his cJnveTs1 lion took the
nue. oi his agony, and his answers bore Ms mach
relation to tha questions Sskc IA the first line
OF the Songs Of solomon does to the melancholy
butthen OF Old Marin PcttnyIl'
At last, with one desperate thrust, tho whole
disappeared, aud no cast triumphant glance
toward Sally. One look was sufficient to snow
that she had com pretended tho whole, and with
the greatest effort was struggling to prevent
laugh Meting his lince. she could contain
hersilf no lonssr, but screaming with accurnu.
lated fun. she fed from the room; aud poor th
unable to endure the last turn of agony, sezing
his hat, and dashed out midly from the house.
clearing the stumps like a racer in the dark and
reaching home he hardly knew wh,n or how.
AS soon us he was gone, Mrs. Jones looked
about Tor clean Nght-gown that she had out
for service on The back of the chair on which
Seth had sat She was positive she had took it
out, but where upon earth it was she cou, dnt
conceive.
Sally I cried the oil laly from the doc r.
have you secn my Night gown
Yesm, echoed her voice. as if in tina last
stage OF sn0ocation -'yes'm. Seth Hawkins
wore il homer
II was unfortunately the case, and poor th
had slowed it away in the crevice OF his pAntsr
1t was returned the ncxt day, with an apology,
an he subsequently married Sally but many
years afterwards. il any article OF any descrip-
tion was missing, of apparel or otherwise, the
first suggestion was that Seth Hawkins had stow
ed it away in his trowsers.
Soth Hawkins Is now prominent and innuen-
tial merchant in tho city ct Boston, aud often
relates the story himself for the amusement of
his young friends.