The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-07-07
story of headstrong love and prejudiced

story of headstrong love and prejudiced
age was acted over again.
As for us, of the picnic excursion, we
had delightful sail down to the Grove,
but somehow could not enjoy it as much
as ought to have done. When I walked
on board the boat, / felt awkward, as if
everybody was looking at me. I found
Mr.. Bimby, as had suspected, q young
and rising lawyer, mighty in Blackstone
and in his own opinion. He insisted on
paying for my ticket the boat was regu.
lar excursion packet and purchasing
enough oranges, pears and candies, to set
up street stand. -Four or five times
was on the point of swearing at his impu-
dent oficiousness, but bit my tongue Just
in time to prevent the exposure. But It
was not with him that I found my role the
hardest to play.
No; the young ladies we're the difficult
ones to deceive. For instance, there was
one among them, q beautiful girl of seven
teen, just returned from boarding school,
who had not seen Maggie Lee for three
years. Of.course she was delighted to sec
me, when she found out that I was Mag
gle, which, by the way, did not occur until
after we had started. She threw herself
into my arms, pulled my veil aside, and
kissed me half dozen times, in q manner
that made my fingers tingle for an hour.
1t was all very nice, but If I had been in
oropria persona, I would have liked it
better. As it,was I felt as if were OBJ
tanning goods under false pretences, and
that lawyer Bimby might issue q warrant
for my arrest on that ground, at any mo-
ment. IL
A whole knot of crinoline then sur
rounded me on the upper deck of the boat,
to the utter exclusion and consequent dis
gust of Mr.. Bimby and the other gentle
men. kept very quiet, only speaking
monosylables in falsetto voice but the
others-Lord bless you! how they gab-
bled! Under a strict promise of secresy,
the little boarding school maiden, who
had kissed me so affectonatsly, revealed
all her love affairs, and also became un-
pleasantly confidential about other matters
-inaocent enough in Themselves, but not
customarily talked Of between ladies and
gentlemen.
was terribly embarrassed, but it would
not do to give up then. As soon as my
trick should become known, Bob Styles
trick would also come out; and as news
of that kind travels fast in the country, he
and his lady-love would be telegraphed
and followed before they could reach Phil
adelphia, where the knot was to be tied.
The river breeze was very fresh where
we sat, and noticed that several of the
ladies were glancing .uneasiy at me. I
couldn't divine the reason, until Jennie,
my little friend from boarding school, laid
her face dangerously close to mine, and
whispered: 8
"My dear Maggie, your dress is blowing
dreadfully high-your ankles will be town
talk with the gentlemen.
Now was conscious of having a very
small foot for q man, and had donned q
pair of open-worked stockings which came
nearly up to my waist; with q pair of gai-
ters borrowed from the servant girl, in all
of which toggery my running gear looked
quite feminine and respectable; but the
idea of gentlemen talking about my ankles
and of being cautioned thus by young
girl, who would have been frightened to
death if / had told her the same thing yes
terday, was too much for me. burst in
to q sort Of strangulated laugh, which I
could only check BY swallowing half of my
little flagree lace-edged handkerchief
The young ladies all looked at me in spps.
rent astonishment at such voice, and I
wanted to laugh all the more. Fortunate
ly Mr.. Bimby came to my rescue at the
moment and edged himself in among the
orinoline.
"May sit here9" he asked, pointing to
a low stool near me.
"CertainIy,"I simpered, in my high fal.
setto.
"Ah, thank you," said Bimby, with a
lack-a-daisical air which .nauseated me, as
coming from one man to another, eyeu are
as kind as you are fascinating"
''You fatter me"
"If No, indeed; praise of you cannot
be fatterY, Miss Lee." I>s
"Oh. sir, really you are q very naughty
man." l said, in the most feminine tone I
could command. -
He cast a laughing glance at me through
the black lace veil, and I fairly began to
fear for his feelings.
W. soon arrived at the grove, and found
our bsnd.engaged beforehand-waiting
Tor Us. OF course dancing was the fret
amusement, and lawyer Bimby led me out
1or a schotNsche. 1t was hard, at first, for
me to take ladys part in nv dance. but I
soon got accustomed to it. When d waltz
was proposed l resolved to have a little
amusement at the experience ofthe unfor-
tunate Bimby.
had hrst made him purposely jealous,
by dancing with two other young fellows,
one of whom knew, in my own Character.
but who never suspected me as MAGGIE
Lee. This young man, who was a great
woman-killer-a sort of devil-may-care
rascal who made the ladies run after him.
BY his alternate wrath of action and cool
ness of protestation-I selected to play off