Litchfield enquirer., 1865-02-16
Alistellonp.
A Day in Petticoats,
BY A MODEST YOUNG MAN,

l cOalun tnlnK 0l such thiDp!'
 But you must. My happiness depends on IT; Here, put "n the thingumbobs, and ths whats hIs name' ! ;
 And my friend Bob Styles held up before my hesitaDt gaze whole suit of feminine ap. parel
 His idea was that should personate his lady-iove Tor one day. to prevent anybody ftom suspectlng the trnth-namely, that she had Ijoined him in runaway marriage party- until it should be too late for interference ; that is until the minister should have tied q Knot between them that nothing but a special Igranf of be legislature could unte. The scheme was not actually so absurd as it apl.earel at first sight. Maggie Lee was tall qneehly woman. with an almost mascun air and, at that time had a very slight form, almost ttfrrnlnate so that, in fact, there was really but little difference in that point. Then l had light hair, arted in the middle aud put q bonnet on my head. few persons will suspect that was not of the softer sex. These access sories also gave me quite q decided resem planes to Maggie Lee. especially when as in 'llis cas-" the disguise was her own.
 Then the day chosen tor the runaway match was an suspicious one. Magrie's pa was to drive her to D., a small village hear where she lived. and there sine Was to join d sailing party down D---- rver. to the grove ,h,vr miles below, from which the patty was to return in the evening carriages
 Our plan was that should be waiting in the village, and should gn on the bolt with the sailing party. while Maggie. after leaving her fat 'er should slip of with Bob Sykes across the country.
 hefore Maggie, blushing a great deal, believe | f,,li h., and with an uncomfortable consciousness that my-my shit sleeves Were too short, or waut- ing altogether.
 1 Everyt hing finished m the way Of toilet. Bob Styles took me in his light wagon and drove me over to D.. by sec u e route. and left ne at the hotel where the s.ing party WAS to assemble. Several pf the pick nickers were already there. and they greeted my cava- Tier with cordiality (evcrybody knew Bob Styles asking if he was going with them. lie | told them he Was mt.
 | Pressing business engagements you know, and all that Sort of thing. Duce'i sorry can't 20, though. l j"st had time to briny Mss Lee over, and now I'm off. Mir. Bimby. this is 1 Miss lee. Miss Wilhargall, Miss L."e.' And h. ratlrd off a long suing ot brief inlroduc l tions, which convinced me that but few of ,he ] company were acquainted with the young lady l whom was thus pprsnEa.ing---s, very forth nate thing for the preservation of my dis euise
 Mir. Bimhy. a tall. legal looking man, with q hook nose, and eyr-g ss and puffy ha'r, see,ned tu he prepn.se ,sr:l with my p.rsnn.a. :.nl overheard him whisper to Boo Styles, as he ! went out
 Nice locking girl that Miss Lee
 Yes. answered Bob, with q III i-ch .evons glance at me, she is a nice girl. though a lit tl. go-uhea,l snmetimes. Krepa i,tle lookout on her. will you!' Then lowering his voice he said. Not bad match for you, old fellow she is rich
 IS she said Bimby. his interest deep ening.
 On my honor,' replied Bob. Forty thou sand dollars in her own right. Day, day !- and he Was gone.
 Maggie Lee nr,fdl creature as she was, had told her father that tic sailing party was to aI- spmhle at another hotel. and thither h." had taken her. Having business in D., hr left her there, merely saying he would send the carriage fnr at eleven o'clock. She, like i,,- tiful daughter. kissed him and hid him good bye. and before he had got Il hundred rods, got into Bob Styles light wagon, which had driven up to the back door as Mir. Les drove from the front. and the old story of headstrong love and prejudiced age, was enacted ove, again.
 Az for us of the picnic excursion we had d delightful sail down 10 the Grove. but some how could not enjoy it as much as ought tc have done. When l walked on board the b at, felt awkward, as if feyerybody Was look ing at me. l found Mr. Ri,nhy. as had sus pected young and rising lawyer mighty il, Blackstone and his own opinion. He insisted on paying my fare (the boat Was regular ex curson packet and purchasing enough oran. grs. pears and candies to Set up a street stand Four or five times I was on the paint o swearing at his impudent o1iciousnes. but bi my tongue just in time to prevent my expo sure. But it was not with him that found my role the hardest {" play.
 | No; the young ladies were the difficult one: to deceive. For instance there was one nmong them. beautiful girl of seventeen. just re turned from boarding schoul. who had not seen Maggie Lee for three years. Or course she was delighted tn see mr. when she founl ont that Was Maggie LAe which bv the way did not occur until after We had started Sh. threw herself into my arms, pulled my vel aside, and kissed me half dozen times in g hummer that made my finger ends jingle for ar hour. ltwss all very nice. but II had beer in propria persona. would have liked it bet ter. As it was. felt as if l Was obtaining goods under ft.lse pretenses, and lawyer Bimby might issue a warrant for my arrest on thai ground at any moment.
 A whule knot of crinoline then surrounded me on the upper deck of the boat. t' the utte exclusion and consequent disgust of Mr. Rimb, and all the gentlemen 1 kept very quiet only speaking in munosyllables. in f,lsett, voice. but the 'oflers, Lord bless you hoy they gabbl.rl! Under a strict promise of Sc crecy. the little bo ling schnol m ii len wh, had kissed me 30 affec,ionately, revealed al her love att tlrs. and also beca,ae unpleasant confidential about other matters, innocen enough in themselves. but not customaril talked ot between ladies aud gentlemen.
 I Was terribly embarrassed. but it woull no do to give it up then. As soon as my tric should become known. Rob Styles trick woul come out. and news nf that kind travels fast i the country. hs and bis sla,ly love would be tel. graphed, and followed. before they couii reac Philadelphia, where Styles lived, and wher the knot was to be tied.
 The river br'rzs was very fresh where V s,t and noticed that several of the ladie wer. ehncing uneasiy at me. couldn divine the reason. until Jennie. aav little frien from the boarding school, laid her face ta, eerously close 10 mine. asd whispered NJ dear Maggie, your dress is blowing up terribl le high. Your ankles will be the town talk wit i'd the gentlemen
 m Now l was conscious of having a yer in> small foot for man. and had doHnsd pair