The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-08-24

scious of a certain listlessness which
weakens all my actions, could mora.
/ lie forever upon the injurious effects OF
J day y-dreaming if were writing al
essay upon the subject; but perhaps
some of the many instances in which
have suffered considerable annoyance
, from "absence of mind may amuse 9th
ers and serve to induce them to avoid
the habits which led to it. .gg--,
When l was about fve-and-twenty
or it may be little younger, was in
vited to spend week or ten days in the
house of "a great man." who is one o.
the most influential of his party and
perhaps the most gifted man of the time
His son was my college friend, and had
often pressed me to pay him visit
which | had promised to do again and
again, but was as often prevented by
some unforeseen circumstance. At last
on the occasion of a musical festival il
the ueighboring town, found myselt
at Broseley Hall, which was filled with
a large assemblage of persons bent, like
myself, upon hearing the most ccle'
6rated singers of the day. On my first
arrival, the novelty of the scene, the
Il manly llCCSy lLN y" nlNL
a new place and Il certain awe of my
host forced upon me, compelled me to
be more recollected and l conducted
myself very much like other people
only, should imagine | was duller
than most After became more at my
ease, L relapsed into my old habits, and
soon made myself conspicuous for my
idiosyncrasy. l never could, without
great effort, manage to be in time for
dinner. Why, cannot tell, but dress
ing-time was always specially dream
time; and though there was nothing
elaborate in my toilet, | always con-
sumed considerable time in it. On the
occasion to which / refer, and which
even now at this distance of time makes
me hot with shame, had dawdled more
than usual, and was reused by the loud
clang of the dinner-bell to greater alac-
rity. l hurried on my coat and waist
coat, snatched up my pocket-handker-
chief, and rushed down stairs into the
drawing-rOom, where considerable
number of the guests were already as
sembled rouhd good blazing wood fire.
Somewhat relieved at finding that |
was not too late, crept quietly into a
vacant space before the fire, and stood
there gazing into the logs of burning
wood and answering such questions as
were put to me. soon became con-
scioHs of lull in the conversation, and
of the fact that | was, for some reason,
the observed of all beholders. First one
and then another looked dewn at my
feet, shrugged their shoulders, and tit
tered Reused, annoyed, and wonder
ing, felt inclined to resent what ap-
peared to he such unwarrantable bad
manners. What could be the mat
ter with my feet ! They were not ugly
even if they were not beautiful: ::
they were net deformed. wore shoes
aud stockings like the rest of the world,
and as always hated whatever is called
loud" in dress, i felt sure l could not
have done anything to provoke observa-
tiOn or remark. Selling favorable
opportunity when the conversation was
Iesumed and attention was, or appeared
to be, diverted from me, L looked down
stealthily at my own feet TO see what
there could he to praise or blame. I'm
agine, then, my horror when found my
feet stockingless and encased in red mo-
rocco slippers What could | do' |
could only retreat into the background
and escape as quickly as possible TO my
room, where found my neglected silk
stockings on the table, where they had
been carefully placed by the servant,
and my shoes warming themselves be-
fore the fire. In shame and confusion
nut them on and returned to the draw
ing-room, which / found empty, and,
provoked with myself and every one
else, found my way into the dining
room and to an empty place which had
been left for me- i was chatfed consid-
erably upon my stupidity, and many
were the inquiries whether my feet had
suffered from cold.
In the same house, and during the
same visit, / made another mistake
which was infinitely more distressing.
On one of the vacant days when no one
went to the festival, / sauntered at leis-
ure over the gardens, which are celebra-
ted throughout England, and then re-
turned to the house, intending to dream
away an hour or two in my room. After
had mountedSthe stairs took by acci-
dent the wrong turn, which led me into
a passage OF corridor exactly similar to
the one which led to my room. The
doors of the rooms were similarly placed
and were the same in number. | opened
n door, found comfortable room which
did not doubt to be my own, and sat
down in an easy.chair by the fire and
| was soon envcloped in one of my usu-
iaI' mists of thought. After the lapse
of some time, | cannot tell how long,
the door opened and somebody
walked in, shut the door, gave one
startled exclamation, and rushed out
again. | concluded it was the house
maid, and, having been somewhat
reused by the exclamation, called to her
to come in. and assured her that she did
not disturb ME. No notice having been
| taken of my assurance, again relapsed
into my wonted habit and again. after
q while, the door opened slightly and
some one looked in and then retreated.
This opening and shutting of the door
was not sufficient to interrupt my
thoughts, and ] still occupied the chair
by the fire, when l felt the presence of
a hard on my shoulder which effectual-
" called me back to myself. Startled
by the interruption, looked up and
saw the lady of the house looking at me
! SteTnIy duu luQuIIluSly Us suc Sstiu
! "Mr. Slender, what arc you doing, and
why are you here"
why am here :" l replied. "Why,
| is not this my room"
f Your roomi" said Lady -. mo,
Indeed! Look around you and see if it
looks like your room! This is Miss
IS ROOM"
Ibid look around me, and then, for
the first time, saw an elaborately be-
laced toilet, table which might alone
have sufficed to prove that it was not
my own room. stammered forth apol-
ogies, entreated Lady - TO explain
my mistake to Miss =, if she was
aware Of it, or to conceal it from her
altogether if she were happily ignorant
of it. Lady =, who had heard before
from her son of my reputation as an
"absent man." understood the real cause
of my mistake, andcarried me off, in the
most good natured way, to her own
\ room, where she read me lecture on
the subject, and insisted upon the ne
cessity of my attacking the real root Of
the evil with energy and decision. She
\ told me that Miss - had gone into
her room and found me esconced in heI
Ioko;n and that sba had sonf,bt yody