M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-12-20

and am obliged to confess they were
much luckier than their guest. But
they did not shoot, though | shall not
cxult over their lack of this accom-
pliehment-they were charming enough
without. lam sure shall excite no
i alousy by declaring that with one
exception, which shall not mention
here, Carrie and Nettie Hyatt were
the most charming girls that had evl
er seen, ard / was just hesitating as to
which Of them should fall desperate
ly in love with, when my calculations
were all disturbed by an aOcident-for
so I suppose | must call it-though
really seeming like special Provi
dence. What this was, | shall tell in
the best way know how.
For some days after my arrival at
the farm, my curiosity had been much
excited by the occasional panegyrics
lavished by the young ladies upon
one schoolmate Of their own, May
? Stevens by name, who was, according
to their highly colored account, the
most perfect thing in the shape OF a
woman then living. | tried to per
suade myself that nothing in that line
could surpass Nettie and Carrie, but
still the reputation of this May Ste
yens haunted me, and came like q
shadow across my newborn passion.
formed, at last, an imaginary May
Stevens, aud, do what | would, the
figure was with me. At last | was
worked into an agony ofcuriosity amt
tremb!ed with some great purpose
which should bring before me the o.,
iect Of my thoughts and Of the two si'-
tor's continual conversation. In what
this would have ended it is Impossible
for me at this time to say, had not
heard ore morning as / entered tle
breakfast room the startling words
from Nettie:
"And so she is coming at last
I'm so glad !"
= Whether it was that the train q
! my thoughts was upon that point d
; the moment, cannot say; but kneS
directly the whole matter. | sax
Carrie With m open letter in her har!
: and coupling it with Ncttio's words, J
knew that The hitherto only heard q
! May Stevens vas about to baconA
reality. | had no need to ask qnea
tions. All the information was prof
=, fored. May Stevens, the incompara
=, ble May--was to spend month a
:, Hyatt's, and they were to expect he
1T any moment, though as the lette
! read, she might not be down for
week to come. A weekl--it was al
=. age, q century and was in a hutteTo
= excitement. My long standing pas
" sion, Of nearly two weeks duration
4 for Carrie, was forgotten in an instant
4 and my whole mind was absorbed il
-" making the best figure possible bei0r
y this new queen. With this idea,
p, began to look into my wardrobe,
y had come down with sufficient clotAe
4 to answer all ordinary purposes, in
! Guiding, of course, Carrie and Nettie
;, but the new goddess was certain
70 worthy Of g new rig Oh my part, an
If certainly should have it. This res0r
Il ton was made within fifteen minute
70 70 after hearing the announcement Of he
y intended coming, and before tw
, hours had gone by, was whizzing 0
/ my way to !own to carry out that II
T. solve. NV choicest norsei Of ware
= robe should be offered at the shrine,
}, May Stevens.
81 had ab5ented myself on the pie
" of sudden memory Of business re-
ccted, and faithfully promised Nett
IN and Carrie that the next day shou
~ see me down at dyatt's again, to stt
|, out the month that May Stevens, Il
'k wonderful, was about to pass wi
ne them.
n The racking Of brain that day to CT
d, ate q grand ensemble Of costume,
ny something beyond all criticism. th
s, should, at the first glance, strike t
u. beholder with silent admiration-w
he indeed terrible. The labor Of writil
ne "Paradi8e Lost" was nothing to it,
1t was early in the day when | arriv
on at my city rooms, and for six hour;
Qy dressed and redressed, compared 81
rejected and selected; end at the el
Ter of that time | had laid out those pc
tions OF my wCarable goods in viii
vn ! had decided to make my first appef
to ance before May Stevens; it want
he still several hours tosunset. Havi
te, got safely through the great object
Dr. iuy visit, thought it would not be
ad bad idea for me to take the last trai
at and return the same night to Hyat
Ire instead OF remaining over till mornin
for No sooner said than done, pack
id, my habiliments, and away ! went
he Whizzing and putting over an uni
US teresting road is propagation Of slee
es- So found it when the shades Of eN
all ming fell; for to the best Of my rec