Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-01-14


The driver hcldup, and Mr., Meirs, in spite
of the half-formed rcmonstancc of the bewil-
Icrcd John Peters, hurried him into the
| bus and in five minutes more they were
ascending tic marble steps Of the MERCHANTS $
residence. ~
f" Is Bella at homc?' inquired Mr.. Meirs,
of the servant on the landing.
lroth, an think it was the young mis-
tress voice / was tsr hearing just now in the
pcanny room"
MIR. NIeirs led the way in the direction IN
dicatcd while John, much embarrassed, fol.
lowed. tIo felt it was high time some oy-
! PLANTATION was offered But Mr Mers was
too much pre-oceupied with the QUO idea
the identity of John Peters, and his proposed
connection with the Meirs family-to heed
the confused and broken sentences of our hero,
| aud the next moment found him face to face
with the most bcwitching beautiful creature ho
| had ever seen
"rhis is Bella, said Mr.. Meirs, with some
pride; "you doubtless remember her. This
is your cousin Johp. hope.you have not
forgotten him What in the world makes you
stare so, hussy? | told you his hair would
be as dark as your own BY this time, but you
didn't believe It,"
Here Mr.. Mcirs consulted his watch, and
said,--
But | must be in Wall street by ten: so
| shall be obliged to trust you to your own
government till dinner"
With this Mr., NIcirs departed, leaving our
hero indescribably confused. No sooner was
he gone, than Bella burst into ringing lauqh,
and exclaimed" How funny ~
Mcrrimcnt is said to be contagious. John.
Peters laughed a response to Bella, and lie
mad a most beautiful way of doing it, which
Bella, in spite of the novelty of their stua-
ton, readily acknowledged with blush.
There has been great mistake made"
SAID John, bowing sorrowfully, as though he
would ga tale unfold"
g see, said Bella, "you are trying to
cover up your red hair with wig. [ hate
rcd hair, and the change makes you look so
funny, it does indeed.
1t is all a mistake" persisted John, red
dcning; never wore q wig IN my life"
Then you must have colored it, for it was
red ten years ago, and used to laugh at YOU
when was angry, and advise you to keep one
eye open when you slept, lest it set the bed
curtains OH fire."
"Whatan awkward situation " cried John,
| desperately; cit is true, am John Peters
but not the John Peters you take me for, aud
as for having red hair, never had that honor,
| assure you"
1t was now Bea's turn to look surprised
And who arc you, then Z" cried Bella,
care you not John Peters, of Baltimore % Z
On the contrary, am John Peters, of
Connecticut, graduate from the mercantile
college, and at present in search of situa-
ton. am not your cousin, and never saw
| you, tC my knowledge before day Though
i must confess you are the pretticst girl / cv
er did see, and much envy the genuine John
| Peters, your lover, for | cannot help liking
you a great deal already"
You do? Indeed, how funny! Then
you are not my cousin from Baltimore, and
what is stranger still, my father thinks you
are I-detest my cousin for my husband,
and, above all, rcd-haircd husband. But
how did it happen that father should make
such an odd mistake? Tell inc all about
it,"
"Wcll, the fact is, the whole thing is a
mistake, from beginning to end, and was at
tributablc to an advertisement in the morning
paper Your father wanted book-kcoper
and advertised | saw the advertisement, and
applied directly for the situation Before sta
| ting my business, introduced myself as Pc
ters, whcrcupon your father, forgetting there
might be another John Peters in the world,
bundled mo into an omnibus, and hurried me
here before | could offer any explanation"
| "llow odd" exclaimed Bella. "And YOU
are not my cousin, then, after all but rath-
er like you, and am not little pleased with
the adventure, because we can both laugh to.
gcthcr over fathers mistake, and the absent
John Peters red hairs"
" But must explain the matter immediate
| ly, though confess | dislike the idea of gi
wing you up to the absent John Peters," an
swercd our hero with the same winning smile
Especially as you have natural antipathy tc
cousins with red hair"
q don't see the use of explaining. Sun
posing we both keep quiet, and let it 60 fol
granted that you are cousin John-what
harm 2"
"And then supposing that lie, thinking
me cousin John, should insist on your beine
married before the genuine John Peters
comes 7"
ooh, it would be delightful do so hate
to marry my cousin; besides, like you a
thousand times better. There isn't the least
romance in marrying ones cousin as John Pc
tcrs of Baltimore"
/ Here Bella laid her pretty white hand on
Johns arm and said, But you don't care
for me; of course you wouldn't like to be
married to please me. [ don't blame you Ell
ther, for | wouldn't marry MY cousin JOHN if
[ could help its"
"On the contrary" cried John claspine
the little hand warmly, I" / would give the