Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-01-11


goddess was certainly worthy of new rig on
my part and certainly should have it. This
resolution was made within fifteen minutes
after the announcement of her intended COM
ing. and before two hours had gone by | was
whizzing on my way TO town to carry ont that
resolve MY choicest morsel Of wardrobe
should be offered at the shrine of May Ste
vens
Il had absented myself on the plea Of sud
den memory of business neglected, and faith
fully promised Nettie and Carrie that the
next day should see me down at Hyatts
again, to stay one 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 with silent admiration
was indeed terrible. The labor Of writing
Paradise Lost. was nothing TO lit was
early in the day whom | arrived at my city
rooms and for six hours l dressed and re-
dressed, compared aud rejected and selected
and at the end of that time ! had laid out
those portions Of my wearable goods in which
/ had decided to make my first appearance .
before May Stevens. 1t wanted still several
hours to sunset Having got safely through I
the great object of my visit thought 1t would .
not be a bad idea for me to take the last train
and return the same night to Hyatts instead
Of remaining over till morning No sooner
said than done. | packed my habiliments
and away | went Whizzing and putting ov-
or an uninteresting road is proyocation of
sleep. SO found it when the shades Of eve
ming fell for to the best of my recolectons,
l was in the very midst of dream, in which
May Stevens, attired in book muslin and pale
.. 4 Ia. oil. .ftA L
admiringly inquired who my tailor was
just as was about to inform her there came
crash, and for a moment was not certain
whether it was the cloud that had exploded,
or myself torn some portion Of my apparel
that was overstraincd. 1t required but mo-
ment to awaken me to the fact that both pre-
sumptions were wrong. 1t was our train
/ 2:26--that had run of the track, smashing
things generally, and spillng the contents Of
several baggage cars along the road, 20 say
nothing Of frightening half hundred passon-
gers into a condition Of lunacy This was
pretty state Of things, and to make matters
worse, | was eight miles from my destination.
though as it afterwards appeared, not mile
| from the next village where, heard it canvas
sed. tavern, supper, and beds could be had.
| was disposed to make myself agreea-
/ Die, and accordingly rendered all the assis-
tance in my power to unprotected females, for
which got my reward on arriving at the ha-
pen of refuge--the promised tavern--by be-
/ ing informed that such a thing 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 gentler Slightly dis
gusted, swallowed my supper and looked
out upon the night. II was beautiful noon
light, and vergng on to ten o'clock by
Jove, would walk to Hyatt's. No
sooner said then done Giving my carpet bag
intn the hands Of the landlord with the most
emphatic charges for its safety and punetual
delivery at Hyatt's next morning at my ex-
pense, set forth. Eight miles is trife, and
just as my watch marked the quarter after
midnight | went up the lane that led to the
house They were early folks at the farm
early to bed and early up. | walked round
the house trying each entrance but each and
every one was fastened. 1t was of no conse-
quence-my bedroom window looked out up
on the roof of the piazza F; l would not disturb
the house by knocking; bit Of climbing
would do the business. and should the win
dow be fastened | would tap and awaken Hor-
ace, who was my roommate and bedfellow.
The thing was executed as soon as thought
of, and hand on the window which yielded,
and | stood in my own room. BY the moon
light that streamed in, ! saw that the bed
was occupied and by the heavy breathing
knew that Horace was in heavy sleep. |
would not. therefore, awaken him, but save
the story Of my mishap for the following day.
With this resolution slipped quietly into
bed, and in three minutes oblivious.
What ought to have dreamed that night
But | shall not anticipate. lay facing the
windows as the sun peeped up above the dis
tant hill and scattered the grey mists of the
morning. Ny bediellow was breathing heav-
lily but it was broad daylight, and there was
no sleep for me, | determined Horace
should wake up and hear the story Of the rail
road breakdown. | turned quickly aud gave
the sleeper sudden shake. As rapidly as
my own motion my bedfellow, who had laid
with his back towards me, sprang to a sitting
position. There are such SUR rises as are
without terror, which ACTUALLY deprives us
of our speech, until the brain has time to act
and reason. Such surprises do not generate
screams and faints. They are expressed by
opened mouth and silent wonder. This was
the case with myself and bedfelow, as we sat
upright and stared. Right by my side, with
her face within two feet Of my own, sat
young woman, not more than seventeen,
] win great, uhrk, haHel eyes, ana sucn great
masses Of brown curls, tucked away under
the neatest little night cap that ever was.
She had gathered the bed clothes with
spasmodic jerk, up about her throat, aud with
the most rigid, astonished look as though
doubling whether she was sleeping or wax
ing, gazed steadily in my eyes Memory
serves man but little in such cases, but if
my memory serves me right, it was who
first spoke ] burted out with
How came you here
The figure stared still in speechlesS aston
ishment, but in moment, as though awak-
ened from its stupefaction, spoke:
Are you Charles Morgan
Well, then, Mr.. Morgan said the figure,
by this time calm, and with quite as much
dignity as though in the drawing room, Il am
May Stevens, and was put in this room af-
ter an unexpected arrival. Horace had gone
over to neighbor's a few miles off, before
got here, and was not to return till to-day
That is how | was put in this room.
SO here | was setting vis Uis to this May
Stevens, that mythical lady, for the first meet
ing with whom had intended to get up such
a superlative toilet. A nice style of intro.
duction aud nice STYLE of toilet And she