The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-01-18

tered, Charley drew up the rocklng.chalr,
and, after seeing me safely deposited in its
depths, said: c'ii s4t 1.issa ..'.a IS
"Now, cousin Jane, I shall tell You the
story about how first met my wife.
ut is just6ve years ago this summer that
I was granted exemption for q month from
my desk, and went down with my old chum,
Horace Hyatt, to his fathers, in old Mon.
month, the garden of that upjustly abused
State, New Jersey. q / should never have
forgotten that visit, even though ] had not
there met with an adventure that had its
influence on the whole future Of my life. 1
should remember it for the real, true hospi-
tally, the solid, old.time comfort Of the
farm, and the quiet way in which, within
few days after my arrival, / was put into
possession OF it and made to feel that it all
belonged to me to do Just what pleased
with. There was plenty of fish, and we
fished plenty of woodcock, and we shot.
All this shall be spoken Of with q proviso.
/ say we-by which, let it be understood, /
do not mean Horace's twin sisters, Carrie
and Nettie, as having participated in all
these sports. They rode, to- be sure, and
charmingly they did it; they fished, ard /
am obliged to confess they were luckier than
their guest. But they did not shoot, though
/ shall not exult over their lack of this
accomplishment - they were charming
enough without. I am sure l shall excite
no jealousy by declaring that, with one ex.
ception, which I shall not mention here,
Carrie and Nettie Hyatt were the most
charming girls that I had ever seen, and j
was just hesitating as to which of them I
should fall desperately in love with, when
my calculations were all disturbed by an
accident-for SO suppose I must call it
though really seeming like special Proyi-
dence. What this was, ] shall tell in the
best way know how. .a.-e -ai
For some days after my arrival at the
farm, my curiosity had been much excited
by the occasional penegyrics lavished by
the young ladies upon one school mate 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 persuade
myself that nothing in that line could sur
pass Nettie and Carrie, but still the reputa.
tion of this May Stevens haunted me. and
came like a shadow across my newborn
passion. I formed, at last, an imaginary
May Stevens, and do what I would the
figure was with me. At last was worked
into an agony Of curiosity, and trembled
with some great purpose which should bring
before me the object of my thoughts and
of the two sisters continued conversation.
In what this would have ended it is impos-
sible for me at this time to say, had not
one morning, as entered the breakfast
room, heard the startling words from Nettie:
"And so she is coming at last. I'm so
glad" IA ~ "a
Whether it was that the train of my
thoughts was upon that point at the moment,
l cannot say; but knew directly the whole
matter. 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
reality. had no need to ask questions.
All the information was proAered. May
Stevens-the Incompatible May-was to
spend month at Hyatt's, and they were to
expect her at any moment, though, as the
letter read, she might not be down for q
week to come. A week-it was an age, a
century, and I was in a futter of excite
nent. My long-standing passion, of nearly
two weeks duration, for Carrie, was forgot
ten in an instant, and my whole mind was
absorbed in making the best figure possible
before this new Queen. With this idea
began to look into my wardrobe. had
come down with sufficient clothes to answer
all ordinary purposes, including, of course,
Carrie and Nettie; but this new goddess
was certainly worthy of new rig on my
part, and certainly should have it. This
resolution was made within fifteen minutes
after hearing the announcement of her in.
tended coming, and before two hours had
gone by, was whizzing on my way to town
to carry out that resolve. Ny choicest
morsel of wardrobe should be offered at the
shrine of May Stevens. ,-o0 aa
had absented myself on the plea of q
sudden memory of a business neglected, and
/ faithfully promised Nettie and Carrie that
the next day should see me down at Hyatts
again, to stay out the month that May
Stevens,sthe wonderful, was about to pass
with them. useas jas. ts o.,.i- .A.
The racking Of brain that day to create a
grand assemble of costume something be.
yond all criticism, that should at first glance
strike the beholder with silent admiration
was indeed terrible. The labor of writing
Paradise Lost" was nothing to it. It
was early in the day when I arrived at my
city rooms, and for six hours dressed and
redressed, compared, and rejected and &C.
lected; and at the end of that time I had
laid out those portions of my wearable
goods in which I had decided to make nv
first appearance before May Stevens ~ it
wanted still several hours to sunset. Hav.
ing got through the great object Of my visit,
thought it would not be sbad idea for me
to take the last train and returnlthe same
night to Hyatts instead Of remaining over
till morning. No sooner said than done.
Ipacked my habiliaments and away went,
whizzing and putting over, an uninterested
road in provocation of sleep. Sol found
it when the shades Of evening fell, for, to
the best of my recollection, ! was ID the
very midst of dream in which May Ste
vens, attired in book mnslia aid pale blue
satin, appeared on a purple cloud and ad.
miringly inquired who my tailor was 2 Just
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