Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1865-11-23

were early folks at the farm-ear
iy to bed and early up. | walked
round the house, trying each en-
trance, but each and every one
was fastened. 1t was of no conse
quence; my bedroom window
looked out upon the roof of the pi.
azza; [ would not disturb the
house by knocking; bit of climb.
ing would do the business, and
should the window be fastened,
would tap, and awaken Horace,
who was my,room-mate and bed
fellow. The thing was executed
as soon as thought of, and my
hand on the window, which yield
ed, | stood in my own room. BY
the moonlight which streamed in,
| saw that the bed was occupied,
and by the heavy breathing |
knew that Horace was in a heavy
sleep. [ would not, therefore,
awaken him, but save the story of
my mishap for the following day.
With this resolution slipped qui-
city to bed, and in three minutes
was obliviouS. What ought | to
have dreamed that night? But |
shall not anticipate. | lay IA
cling the window as the sun peeped
up above the distant hills and
scattered the gray mists of the
smorning. My bed-feIlow was
breathing heavily, but it was
broad daylight and there was no
sleep in me, so | was determined
Horace should wake up and hear
the story of the railroad break
down. | turned quickly and gave
the sleeper a sudden shake. As
rapidly as my own motion, my
own bed-fellow, who had lain with
his back toward me, sprang to a
sitting position. There are such
surprises as are withouta terror,
which actually deprive us of our
speech, until the brain has time to
act and reason. Such surprises do
not generate screams and faints-
They are expressed by open
mouths and silent wonder. This
was the case with myself and bed
fellow, and we sat upright and
stared. Right by my side, with
her face within two feet of my
own, sat a young woman, not
more than seventeen, with great
dark hazel eyes, and such great
masses of brown curls, tucked
away under the neatest little night
cap that ever was. She had gath
cred the bedclothes with a spas
modic jerk about her throat, and
with the most rigid, astonished
look, as though doubling whether
she was sleeping or waking, gazed
steadily in my eyes. Memory
saves man but little in such ca
SEES, but if my memory serves me
right, it was | who first spoke. |
Numbered out with:
GLOW came you here?"
The figure stared still in speech
less astonishment, but in a mo-
ment, as though awakened from It's
stupefaction, spoke:
care you Charles Morgan
'.Yes,' | stammered out.
"Well, then, Mr.. Morgan, said
the figure, by this time calm, and
with quite as much dignity as
though in the drawing room, Il
am May Stevens, and was put in
this room after an unexpected ar
rival. Horace had gone over to a
neighbours a few miles off, before |
got here, and was not to return I'M
| til to-day. That is how l was put
in this room.
so here / was sitting ris-a-riis to
this May Stevens, that mythical
lady for the first meeting with
whom [ had intended to get mp
such a superlative toilet! All she
she by this time was as cool as
the 31st Of December, and sat
looking me right in the eyes, as |
made some rambling explanation
of being in that extraordinary po-
sition. 1t was a lame explanation,
wonderfully mixed up with irrele-
want matter, and stammered and
suffered through in way that
should have disguised any sensi-
] BILE person. She seemed to be Sc
riously pondering during the reel
tai, and at its end, looking at me
as though asking the most simple
question in the world, said:
! what's to be done?'