The mountain Democrat., 1865-08-19
A DAY IN PBTT1COATs.
BT A MODEST YOUNG NAN.

feminine apparel
His idea vas that I should personate
his lady love for one day, to prevent any.
body from snspecting the truth-namely
that she had joined him in runawSy
marriage party-uniil it should be tOc
latc for interference; that is until the
minister should hare tied knot between
them that nothing but special grant OI
the legislature could unite.
:The scheme was not actuSlly 30 absurd
as it appeared at first sight. Maggie L$'
was tall. queenly woman, with an Sl
most masculine cir, aud, at that time
had very slight form almost effeminatc,
SO that, in fact, there Was really but little
Difference in that point Then | had light
hair which parted in the middle and put
n bonnet on my head and few persons
would suspect that | was not Of the softer
sex. These accessories also gave me
quite decided resemblance to Maggie
Lee, especially when as in this case the
disguise was her own.
Then the day chosen for the runaway
match was an auspicious one. Maggie
pa WAS to drive her 10 D., = small
village near where Ehe lived, and there
she was to jOin,a sailing party down De-
river. to the grove three miles below,
from which the party Was to return in the
evening in carriages.
Our plan ~as, that I should be waiting
in the village, and should 20 on the boat
with the sailing party, while Maggie after
leaving her father should slip off with
BOh Sly les across the country.
At last got dressed, and presented
myself before Maggie, blushing a great
deal, believe, feeling very much pinched
about the waist, and with an uncOmfort.
able consciousness that my-my shit
sleeves were too short; or wanting alto.
gcther.
Everything finished, in the way Of toi.
ht, Bob STYLES took the into his light
wagon and drove over to D., by a ST.
rluded rOute, and left me at the hotel,
where the sailing party was TO assemble.
, Several OF the pic nickerS were already
there, and they greeted my cavali,r with
c"tjiAlty Everybody Knew Bob Styles,
asking il he ~as going with them H.
/ told them he was not.
Pressing business engagements, you
know. and all that sort Of thing. Dcuced
>Ury can't 60, though. just had time
10 bring Miss Lee over, and nov I'm off,
Mr. Blmby, Miss Lee. Miss Wi,hergall,
Miss Lee and he ratified off long string
ni brief introducIions, which convinced
me that hut few Of the company were nc
quainted with the young lady whom !
MAS thus persOnati"g-a very fortunate
o IT, fh.. ,.e
/ Mr.. Bimhy, a tall, legaI.lOoking man,
with hook nose, and eye glass and puffy
hair, seemed to be prepossessed with my
pe's"ncllr, and overheard him whisper
TO Bod Sty y'eS, as he went out
Nice looking girl that Miss Lee
Yes, ansSeted Bob, with q miSchiev.
0us glance at me, she is . nice girl,
though little go ahead sometimes. Keep
little lookout on her, will yOu'--then
lowering his voice Sald mot bad match
for YOU, old f.llnw, she is rich.
Is she!' said Bimby his interest deep
rninS. .-...
ON my bonor,' replied Bob. Forty
thousand dollars in her own right. Day,
day! and he was gone.
Maggie Leet the ATt(ul creature as she
was, had told he' father that the SAILING
party was to assemble at another hotel,
and thiibeF he had taken her. Having
business IN D., he left her there. mere
ly saying he.vould send the carriage for
her at eleven o'clock. She. like dnti(ul
daugblef, kissed him and bid him good
bye, and before be had got hundred
rods, got into Bob SsyleSf light wAgor,
which had driven up tOithe back door as
Mr!lee's drove from the GFOMt, and the
old story Of head strong love end prCju
diced old age, was enacted over again.
As for us uf the pic mic excursion, We
had delightful sail down to che Grove.
hut somehow, | could not enjoy Il as
much as ought to have done. When
| walked on board the boat, felt aWk
Ward, a. if everybody was hooking at ME.
I found Mr.. Bimby. as ! had suspected. q
young and rising lawyer, mighty in Black
stone and his own opinion, He insisted
on paying my fare (the boat was regular
excursion packet aud pure Hasing enough
oranges, pears aud candies. TO set up a
street stand. Four or five times | was
on the point Of swearing at his impudent
OtficiOusneSs, but bit my tongue just in
. time to prevent my exposure. But It was
net with him that fornd my role the
hardest to. play. ..,i.........-..
No; the young ladies where the difficult
ones to deceive. For instance there wss |
one among them, beautiful girl Of seven
teen, just returned from boarding school,
who had not seen Maggie Lee for three
years. or course she was delighted to
see me, when she found that I vas Mag
gle Lee, which by the way did not occur
till after We had started. She threw her
self into my arms, pulled my veil aside,
and kissed me half dozen times in q
manner that made my finger ends tiHgie
for an hour. 1t wasAll very nice, butif
I had been in propria persona. would
have liked it better. Asit was, ] felt as
if was obtaining goods under false pre-
lenses, and lawyer Bimby might issue
warrant for the arrest on that ground at
any moment.
A whole lot Of crinOline then surround.
ed me. on the upper deck If Che boat, to
the utter and consequent disgust Of Mr..
Bimby and all the other gentlemen. l
kept Vey quiet. only speaking in pOno-
syilabIes, IN a iaIsetto voice; but me 9th:
ers Lord bless you how they gabbled +!
Under . strict. promise Of secrecy, cthe
little boarding school maiden Who had
kissed me SO atsctiOnslsly, revealed all
her love affairs and also became very IN.
pleasantly S6n aDt6 6tiaf about other mat
ters-innOcent enough in themselves, but
not 81 tshAs.csa1 a tly .talkea Of lbse~esn 5sdits
and gentlemen.
was terribly embarrassed, but it
weu!d not "a eqfi5ais SR,thssJAs soon
as my trick SHOULD become knowp. Bob
STYLES trek Would cone ont. and news