Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-01-24

Derby, painfully interested.
"Such goose p echoed Susan. "He
wouldn't think SO if be bad seen you eat
ing oysters with Dan Robbins"
Il only hope that he will keep away a
week longer" added Margaret Maria.
$50 that we can occupy his room p
"No-not exactly that-but Dan has
invited me to 90 to a ball on Thursday
night, and you know could not so if my
poor, dear, absent Derby should come
back in the meantime"
Derby was trembling with cold and
wrath.
You mean to marry Derby, then ?"
asked Susan.
Il suppose I SHALL" cried Margaret
Maria. gaily II like to frt with Dan,
and if he had as many dollars as my poor
dear. absent Derby"
''You would choose Dan 2"
s'To be sure [ would He amt such a
fool as
'sDerby-ha ha But what is this ?
A coat-a pair Of pantaloons.
Goodness gracious how did they
come there %
Derby was trembling with excitement.
burning with rage but now he felt new
source of uneasiness The discovery of
his pantaloons might lead to the discovery
of himself. Had he been dressed. he would
have liked nothing better than to confront
the perfdious Margaret Maria-but for the
present it was not to be thought of. He
felt himself blushing all over, in spite of
the cold To his relief, however, the girls,
after making themselves sure that there
was nobody in or under the bed, did not
seem disposed to inquire into the mystery
of the pantaloons. Margaret Maria ex-
claimed
''Tll tell you what I will do, Sue I
will dress myself in these clothes, and 90
into the widow Shades room. She'll think
its man, and won't she be frightened p
enlightened Mo- cried Susan ''She
has had two husbands. But do it. See
what she will say"
II will. There, help me, Sue. Ia! ha!
And here's hat, too. How kind in some
body to leave all his clothes in here"
Derby-poor, dear, present Derby was
breathing very hard He knew his worst
fears would be realized.
ooh, amt it ftp cried Margaret
Maria.
A moment after, the girls had left the
room. Derby stole quietly from his hiding
place. A happy thought struck him.
He enrolled himself in Margaret Alaria's
clothes and followed them.
During this time the girls had gone to.
~ IT,
tie frightened at first. but took things cody
when she was convinced that it was not
man.
They next proceeded to the attic where
the other girls were sound asleep. Jane
Wood was aroused by shower of kisses.
She uttered faint scream, and demanded
in whisper 'swho are you?'
Hush, said Margaret Maria.
Jane bushed accordingly, and saw the
strange figure 90 to the other girls, and be-
stow kisses which were succeeded by
screams, when the figure reiterated.
Susan caught up the lamp, ran in, and
enquired the meaning of all the fuss
s'There has been man in the room, y
they replied.
OuSdtI vas vel iIluGi ootVHiHfHu, vi
course and the girls were all very indig-
nant, and not one of them would confess
that she had been kissed, but the marks Of
Margarert's charcoal moustache were too
plain. Susan called the strange figure in,
when there was a great deal Of laughin 9,
aud Margaret Maria, having CALAMITY
: kissed them all again, set out to go down
stairs.
But now it was Derby's turn to have a
little fun, and Margaret Maria's to be as
tonished AS Susan advanced, the lamp
she carried revealed frightful looking OBJ
ject standing at the foot of the stairs. It
was apparently woman Of gigantic struc-
ture her dress was so short that her bare
feet and ankles could be seen distinctly, and
she waived her large bony hand at the teri
fed girls, majestically as ghost. Never
were two mischief makers more frightened
by an apparition Susan dashed herself
against the wall. Up went a scream and
down came the lamp The oil covered the
stairs, and Margaret Maria tainted and
stepped into it. At that moment the tall
woman-being Derby himself cried
Robbers, help, murder" at the top oe
his voice, and Immediately stepped into
his room and locked the door after him.
Before Margaret Maria recovered her
scattered senses, all the boarders were astir.
Susan ran into Mrs SHADES room, and
Margaret would have followed her, but
Susan. in her terror, shut her out. Next
Margaret tried her mothers door and her
mother, hearing the alarm. appeared at
that moment, and terrified at the coal
, moustache and smashed hat, took her own
daughter FIR the robber, dropped her lamp
and screamed fearfully Margaret as
, much frightened as herself, would have
caught her in her arms, but Mrs. Covcy,
who would hear no explanation, nor allow
her to approach, pushed her out Of the
J room with great trepidation. Then Mar
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