The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1861-01-03

sion on that point, but l knew that
in some way Charley was to come
off victor; so 1, merely saying that
[ would be back b few minutes,
stepped outlof tlld room and walk
ed about the garden suntil1,I felt
sure the poiptwa settled, when /
lWsntebaek and found Charley and
May looking as happy as birds, and
laughing the old laugh as usual
AS / entered Charley drew up the
rocking chair, and after seeing me
safely deposited in its depths, said
"Now, cousin Jane, l shall tell
You the story about how I met my
wife:
''It is just five years ago this
summer that | was granted the ex-
emption for a month from my desk,
and went down with my chum,
Horace Hyatt, to his fathers, in old
Monmouth, the garden of that un-
Justly abused State, New Jersey. 1
should never have forgotten that
visit, even though l had not there
met with an adventure that had its
influence on the whole future ofmy
life. | should remember it for the
real, true hospitality, the solid, old
time comfort Of the farm, and the
quiet way in which, withina a couple
of days after my arrival, / was put
in possession of it, and made to feel
that it all belonged to me to do just
what | pleased with. There were
plenty Of fish, and we fishcd; plcn-
ty of wood-cock, and we shot. All
this shall be spoken with a proviso.
| say wc-by which, let it be un-
dcrStood, [ do not mean IIorace's S
twin sisters, Carrie and Ncttie, as
having participated in all these
sports. They rode, to be sure, and
charmingly they did it; they fshcd
and | am obliged to confess they
were much luckics than their guest.
But they did not shoot, though l
shall not eXult over their luck of
this accomplishmcnt-they were
charming enough without it. lam
sure [ shall excite no jealousy by
declaring that which l. shall mon
ton here. Carrie and Ncttie Hy-
att were the most charming girls
that L had ever seen, and I was Just
hesitating as to which of them |
should fall desperately in love with
when my calculations were all dis
turbed by an accident-for so [
suppose | must call it-though re-
ally seeming like q special Provi-
dence. What this was, l 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
pNnegyrics lavishcd by the young
ladies upon q once schoolmatc of
their own, May Stevens my name,
who was, according to their highly
colored account, the most perfect
thing in shape Of woman then Fiv-
ing. | tried to persuade myself
that nothing in that line could sur
pass Ncttic and Carrie; but still
the reputation Of this May Stevens
haunted me, and came like a shad-
ow across my newborn passion. T.
formed, at last an imaginary May
Stevens, and, do what | would, the
figure was with me. At last | was
worked into an agony Of curiosity,
and trembled with some great pur-
pose which should bring before me
the object of my thoughts and the
two sisters continual conversation.
In what this would have ended it
is impossible for me at this time to
say, had l not heard, one morning
as [ entered the breakfast room, the
startling words from Nettie:
"And so she is coming at last
I'm so gladg"
"Whcther it was that the train
of my thoughts was upon that
point at the moment, 1 cannot say
but I knew directly the whole mat
ter. I saw Carrie with an open
letter in her hand, and coupling it
with Nettie's words, | knew that
the hitherto only heard of May |
Stevens was about to become a re-
ality. I had no need to ask ques-
tions. All the information was
proffered. May Stevens-tho in
comparable May-was to spend
month at Hyatt's, and they were to
expect her at any moment, though,
as the letter read, she ought not be
down for a week to come. A week
it was an age, century: and I
was in futter Of excitement. NY
long-standing passion, of nearly
two week duration, for Carrie and
Nettie was forgotten in an instant,
and my whole mind was absorbed
in making the best figure possible
before his new queen. With this
idea, | began to look into my ward
robe. l had come down with suf-
ficicnt clothes to answer all ordina-
ry purposes, including of course, /
Carrie and Nettie; but the now
goddess was certainly worthy a