Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-06-06
sLA m VI ERvILLE.
By MARY KYLE DALLAS.

By MARY KYLE DALLAS.
I spent . portion Of last year at Slsmmer-
yills, q village situated in the western portion
Of these United, or rather dfs-United States.
I have no intention of indicating the exact To-
cslity Of the town, and when call it Slam
merville, beg to state that the name is not
the proper one. Slammerville is not put down
on any map; 1t does not even figure on those
charts where cities yet unborn and railroads
not begun, nor even thought of, are marked
with careful accuracy for the temptation Of
unwary purchasers Of real estate. Slammer-
vile is the alias, so to speak, Of very res
peetsble, thriving village, somewhere In the
west, duly baptized, long since, by the name
Of one Of our first Presidsnts-no natter which.
Respectable as it is, however, I believe that I
should never have heard Of the place had it
not been that the Brown family, consisting Of
Brown pere, and Brown mere, and the nine
Misses Brown, took up their residence within
its bosom, and sent from thence a letter in
forming me of their location, and calling upon
me to fulfil my promise or suffer under their
displeasure. Now, the said promise was
neither more nor less than that would visit
them as soon as they were ''settled," /" and this
process the meaning Of which every house
keeper understands, having been duly per-
formed, they were, unless Miss Miranda
Brown INDUCED in the fabrication Of "white
lies" expecting me with the utmost imPa-
tience.
"It would be such an excellent time for you
to come, my dear Olivia" wrote the young
lady, 'for Mr.. SiIss Silkskin is In New York
making purchases for his uncle's store-and
will be delighted to be your escort back. He
will call upon you with letter of introduc-
ton, and if you don't come with him, I'll
never speak to you again in all my life."
OF course such . threat decided me, and
awaited Mr.. Silkskin's arrival with impa-
tisnce, and had my trunks already packs5
whom, one evening, some one was heard TO up
violently upon the panels Of the front door
an unnecessary exertion, considering the
close proximity of the bell-and an excessive
Iy grlf voice inquired Of Biddy-
Ssay, miss, do you know Of anybody by the
name Of 0-I-i-v-i-s-Olivy L double e-Lee
Miss Olivy Lee? Do you know Of anybody
of that name around hers?"
1t was Mr.. Silkskin, and he was reading the
direction from the back Of my friends letter
of introduction. was certain of it. And as
Biddy ushered him in, (he had accidentally
walked into the hall pantry in the 6rst place.
looked up expecting to see form which
mstchsd the voices hsavily-built man of
about forty-iye or fifty, red faced and double
chinnsd; an individual naturally associated
with the title Of Uncle John or Dick, with
broad shoulders, fat hands, and spacious
chest How was astonished! Mr.. Sllkskin
was perhaps eighteen. In hight he could have
no rival save Jack the Giant Killers beam
pole. His shoulders were narrow, his limbs
thin, and his gruf voice issued from mouth
which might have belonged to a baby. He
looked st me, made what he considered q bow,
said, "Miss Lee, spOss," and poked the let
ter towards me.
twas as 1 supposed; this was Mr.. Silkskin
When I turned towards him once more this
gentleman was sitting on the sofa with his hat
on, and with a hand on each knee; his coat
sleeves had climbed his arms, and his pants-
looms had climbed his lower limbs in assuming
thIs position, and there m0T1 freskled rod
wrists and grey worsted stockings than
thought vas ornamental. He was overwhslm-
ed with confusion when addressed him, and
nearly checked himself with straw which he
had been chewing. Recovering from this ac-
eident, he entered into conversation /; inform
Ing me that he left the Browns fright we'll :"
that ths weather was warm; and that Slam
nerTiIIs would be "right smart place if they
had little more female society ;" and finally
plunged into his pocket and drew forth a lit
lie note. 81 almost forgot il, ;" he said, Mrs.
Brown told me to give you this, just as 1 was
starting. It's about young woman TO help "
opened the missivs and read As follows:
GGEAR MISS OLIvIA-WiIl il be trou bling
you TOO much TO ask you to select girl for
met Hannah has left me to be married.
Choose the ugIiest one you can find. for they
Rsrry 90 soon if they are pretty, and send her
right en-, even before you come yourself"
Hannah married ~ I said, turning to Mr..
SiIkskin; II am surprised. She has lived in
The family twenty years never thougt she
HFemale society is scarce at Slammerville; :"
replied Mr.. Silkskin. II dome wonder q bit. 4"
Thereupon he lapsed once more into silence,
and cheEed perseVeringly at the straw until
he took his leave.
We we're to start in about week, and mean
while busted myself in selecting "a girl' for
Mrs. Brown. Many and many a single Hiber-
nian female was willing 70 "gO back west, but
by q strange fatality, nearly ell were fresh,
rosy, od-lOoking young women. / was in
despair, and was ABOUT leaving the intelligence
ONCE, when the door opened and q female en-
tered. She was perhaps thirty years Of age :
her face pitted with the small pox she had
but one eye, and her Left shoulder was higher
than ths other; add to this a head Of fiery red
hair, and ridiculous pug nose, and you will
not wonder that cried Eureka" Mrs.
Brown may keep her for life if she chooses,
said to myself and forthwith entered into ne
gotiations with the dsmsel.
She was fayorably disposed, and evening
saG her on her way 70 Slammeryille. Six days
after followed with my escort, Mr.. SilAs Silk
skin. That gentleman was unusually taciturn
and after rrmarkiDg that he was warm, and
politely Offering to ':Ote' q little basket which
carried, made no further remark until We
were tar upon our way, when he suddenly
thrust his head out OF the car window at in
teryals, and uttered the names Of the places
past which We few, as though be were q show
man, occasionally accompanying the word by
or Imagery place
do not know whether IL was the same
straw, but he had one in his mouth still and
chewing il whenever / saw him during our
four days journey. Throughout that time he
never said anything worth mentioning, and
geaerally appeared to be asleep. When we
arrived at our stopping place, however, he be.
came suddenly animated.
Your duds can be toted up" he said, sand
we can walk up to Browns house. It's only
few steps, just past the squire's. The house
with the red roof il the squire's; I'm going to
build my house after that pattern when
marry"
After vouching for this information, he of.
fered me his arm and We walked on until We
we're directly opposite the mansion alluded to,
when he came TO pause.
That there's the squirs's," he said.
Indeed" said I.
'sYss, that Is the squire's," continued Silas,
stil inzarinz: ..Miss Lee s,pose We 70 In llI