Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1862-07-04
MISC Gel N Y.
NOT A SPEC TIRE.
BY NARY KYLE DALLAS.

10 tho parlor. arranging plans for diver.
projects, as we called them. which werc 4
disclose tLe name, features. or the proiess
ion Of our future spouscs to our eIpeetan
hearts. we were oil girls, and the them
once started. We discoursed with volubIli'y
and at length, upon love. court'hip anC
welded bliss. handsome suitors and devoteS
husbands.
Tho eldest NJ US was barely sixteen. ant
among the whole group. no. one could nj
ye, boas, OF q genuine. living lover. Still
each girl had already enshrincd in her sou
some hero Of romance with whose proiotyp'
che expected to NEE, in after lilo. Lizzie
the eldest. had tor her beau ideal Thaddcu'
Of Warsaw. Kate cherished tender sen
,Iment for Doubcy and Son., Walter Gay
and am very much afraid that my pen
chan, vas decidedly for the handsome
though light fingered Paul Clifford.
How the little group would laugh TO-
night II could rehear.o for their benefit
every word Of the merry conversation which
passed that evening from LIP to lip. All
me the Elk year. which have flown since
then have changed us all to womcn-womeu
too sadly wise to try projects on Ail'liallow
Fen. or to think tenderly o, Paul Clifford.
Bu, am wandering from the past to the
present. and | mus, retracc my steps.
We had compared notes Of admiration a'
to our respective heroes; had burnt nuts
together upon the same coal. had thrown
apple parinss over our heads TO form the
initials Of the names which were come day
to be our own; had dropped molten lead
into water TO discover the profession Of cur
future lord. and masters. and were discuss.
Ing the propricty OF sowing hemp seed. and
eating an apple in the glass as midnight
when q -no,hercd cough or aush-we could
no, tell which-smo,e upon our ears and
made us all start with as,oni.hmen,.
'wha, /. ,bai7' wc cried, brca,hles.ly
and with one accord We made plunge tow.
ard the hall. In our excited state. the sp-
para,ion Of some hali.doren lovers wrai,h'
n, the samc moment would not have aston.
i.hed US in the least, and W, dreaded some
supernatural invasion.
.wha, is that? D. good gracious =
Nobody. nobody only |, replied man.
ly voice from the extension room beyond :
and the door. slowly uniolded, and revealed
nobody in the person Of Uncle Oliver.
.Grrl., girls. foolish girls be warned by
me, aud neither ca, the apple. or sow the
hemp seed, on peril Of your reason said
Uncle Oliver. in tone which wasa per
fec, mixture Of jjcs, and earnest.
why not, Uncle' Do you think /. is
wicked? I asked.
Il think IL !. dangerous, very dangerous,
replied Uncle Oliver, solcmnly. The eight
Of an appari,iOn summoned by an act OF
levi,y. such Us either Of those you mention,
is an overwhelming shock 10 almos. any
mind
Then you believe in i,' You have seen
something your-eli' Tell u. all about it
do tell US. Uncle Oliver - re-ounded on all
sides, and We crowded around the old gen
,lcman with eager and eSpecpnt faces, chat.
ting like 90 many msgp'es.
Uncle Oliver sat down 10 q srea. arm
chair in the middle Of tho room. s,ill look
ing a, US very seriously. So you want ms
to tell you what I have seen'' he said.
Well. have only one obiec,iou-you can't
be qniet long enough to listen
jus, try US Wen be mute as mice,
replied Jessie. Come, girls. DO quiet. aud
si, down.
In proof Of our acquieseence, we al
ranged ourselves upon chairs, which We
drew ip .emi circle about Uncle Oliver,
and awaited the forthcoming tale with the
creates, anxiety, for Uncle Oliver was Ia
nous story teller.
Years and years ago. began the old gen.
tleman,- won't say just how many, but
it was when I was little more than eighteen
years OF nge-l lived with my mother and
father in a small settlement within days
ride Of the city Of Cincinnati. My father
vas farmer. aud Of course we raised oul
own frui, and vegetables, and we were in
no wan, Of Seef, mutton, pork. fowls and
game but tea and coffee. loaf sugar and
.pice-, were only to be procured by pur'
ney to the city and as those articles
were IN constant use In the family. the shop
ping expeditions were not only important
but frequent. The duty Of undertaking
these excursions invariably devolved upon
myself; and rs young people are generally
fond Of such little journeys. esteemed the
performances privilege. and was in high
spirits, when any want was suggested
which would obligo me to saddle my old
horse, and start for Cincinnati.
Il can SEQ myself still dressed IN my
best suit. and mounted on old Trotter's back
with two baskets slung before the upon the
horse. anda capacious poke, book 1u'toned
up in my yes, pocket. making my way along
the road with as much importance as any
ambassador charged with State affairs could
possibly have felt; and can yet hear my
mothers charges no. to forge. tho tea on
any account
Yes, but dear Uncle. about All-Ilallow
Fen. and what you saw interrupted
impatient Jessie.
I'm coming to that, child replied Un'
Gle Oliver this Is a part OF tie story.