The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1862-01-14

y 8AAAAtftts AtA AfsAA4 y a. AtAtAA ~ AlNAMA8
alr,ady. One familiar face after another
was recognized Surely every body !
know Is present
Another look al my watch. Quarter TO
eight Suddenly lhc frantic Thought oc-
rurndiome, What If have lost my nanu-
scrip Nhervdid putits III IN Hene
d ny pockelsl Good gracious Has
any one seen my manuscript Come, Je-
rome no foollng al time like this Where
have you hidden att What You knoS
nothing about IL; Hunt for il, then =
Wonlda'i il be a charming scrape, il !
couldn't find my leelurei Isn't tai, il, in
the draNeri Oh, yes must have put
II IN there unconscously.
Being in high state Of perspiration,
and wping my forehead ineessantiy, dis.
arrange my hair, Where's that brush!
No one can tell. Agony Where's tie
brush! Here on the floor. Oh, yes -
There What blaze ms checks ale in !!
The audience will think they are flushed
with Bourbon No matter. That manu-
script has disappeared again. Confusion
Where is itS Here in your oyer-coal
pocket. All right.
Five minutes to eight. Grasping the
scroll. ! rush 10 tile side entrance. The
audience begin TO manifest their impatIence
BY applause. Suddenly hear the bel OF
the Old South church strike eight. The
last vibration passes like an ice-bolt through
my heart. Wrought up 10 desperation, |
thrust aside the curtain. This gives por-
lion Of the audience a sight Of me, aud |
| hear some one cxclaim, There he is -
Horrible exposure dodge back out Of
view, as if 10 escape the discharge of a
battery. A round Of impatient applause
rouses me, count three, and prrclpitale
myself forward TO the centre Of the stage.
| Tie hall is filled, all the seats and most
Of tie standing places occupied. But |
can no longer recognize any one. Friend
aud foe are coniounded in an undistingush-
cd mass or, rather, they are but parts
and members OF one hideous monster, my
ing Itself by one volition, wmking is thous-
aud eyes all at once, aud ready TO swallow
me with single degluttion. However,
the plunge is made. The worst is over
rallied from the shock, and in clear,
but unnecessarily loud and ponderous
voice, pitched many degrees too high, !
commenced my lecture.
For some ten minutes. il may believe
the tender reports in the newspapers the
next day, ! got on very respectfully. /
had won the attention If the AUDIENCE
But, al an unlucky moment, a fresh arri-
val of persons at the door made the mon
ster turn bis thousand eyes in that direc-
ton. ! mistook il for an indication that
he was getting weary OF my talk My at
tenion was distracted. Then came a sus-
pension Of all thought, an appalling para
lysis Of memory Having learnt the first
part Of my discourse by heart, had been
rcciting il without turning over the leaves
OF the manuscript; and now was unable
to rccolect at what point | had left off, or
whether had given five pages or ten.
FrightuI dilemma! Supplied with
horror, gazed intently on the page be-
fore me till the lines became all blurred,
and blue mist wavered before my eyes.
Then came il pause Of intensest silence
The monster lying in wait for me evidently
began to anticipate that his victims time
was come, and so, like crafty monster,
he remained still and patient. Who could
endure a nightmare like this :? ! felt my
self reeIng 10 and fro. Then pleasant
thrill like that, perhaps, which drowning
men feel, ran through my frame. All be-
came dark, = and the strong man dropped
like iellcd OK, scnseless on the stage.
When consciousness returned | was ly-
ing fiat on my back, and several persons
were bending over me.
Keep down,--don't rise, some one
said
What has happcnedE r asked.
Nolhing,-only you were a little faint
Faint! A man who can lift a thous-
and pounds taint--at the sight Of an au-
diences Absurd Let me rise
And in spite of opposition rose, grasp
ed my manuscript, walked to the front Of
the stage, and resumed my lecture. Alas
Reaching above our nature does no good
VIC uuSt hllih UdIA SHu bNoh dii1 b4u0Is
| had not otproceeded far before | felt symp-
toms OF repetition OF the calamity aud
lest | should be overlaken before | could
retreat, stammered Jew words ot apol-
ogy, and withdrew ingloriously from pull
lie view. Fresh air and a draugat OF wa
ter, which some obliging friend had DASH
ed with eau de-rie, soon restored me. But
look the advice Of friends and did not
make a third attempt that evening.
The audience had it been wholly COM
posed OF brothers and sisters. could not
have been more indulgent aud considerate.
One scepiical gentleman WAS heard TO say,
] don't believe he can liit nine hundred
pounds
Aud another added
Nor l,-any more than that he can
shoulder a barrel VI -four
Or raise his body by the little finger
Of one hand said another.
Whereupon a venerable citizen. gen
L.. l..