Weekly Trinity journal., 1867-02-23
Over the Dam.

Over the Dam.
"Now, Lou, be good and tell us honestly how
| it came about that you, once Louise Crotton the
belle of Ivyside, became Mrs. Darwin, instead
of the wife of the handsome elegant, refined
| Charles Montain, the semi-millonare, to whom
Madame Rumor and all the rest OF US had you
more than nine-tenths engaged"
That is the question that l. as speaker pro TEN
! for n party of pettcoated pests, put to Mrs
Louise Darwin, the petted wife of an honest,
upright, very plain, not over educated, lndepen-
dent farmer, to whom she had been eighteen
months married. and whom she loved with her
whole heart; while Denton Darwin worshipped
her as the devoht Persian does his sun deity.
I s' Don't you know we went over the dam to-
gather ?" was the laconic question answer l
received in behalf of myself and inquistive
clients; which answer made US only the more
clamorous for details, and so we beseiged the
somewhat reticent Louise en- masse, threatening
her with suffocation by hugging-all of us
right round her neck, unless she surrendered
at discretion, and afforded us the information
demanded
40, W; most of us remember your going
over the dam in company with your husband
that is now: But then that is two and half
years ago, and we have never quite determined
how that simple circumstance could have so
entirely revolutionized Louise Croftons matri-
monial IDEAS
81 am we'll aware how widely you all guessed
of the truth in discussing the incident and its
results. But, as always argued, it was really
the business of no one except myself and the
man who is my husband, knew OF no
reason why you should not be permitted to
guess to your hearts content, without my volun-
teering explanation"
{" Now Lou. You re tyrant and barbarian
to snub us in this manner. We only wanted
| to"
| {. All, yes grls,-I understand. You only
wanted to add few more meshes to your man
catching nets. Well you shall be gratified not
that | approve of dimity man traps but that
one two of you are in need of an illustrated
argument, and perhaps all of you may deem it
advisable to go over the dam some day before
dropping your family identity at the altar for
ever and so I'll tell you the story"
| " All !! there's darling. Now you are really
good, Lou p And we all got closer around
Louise Darwin, finging ourselves down on the
velvet sward under the old elm out there o" the
lawn in listening attitude. Lou told the
story very prett;ly and briefly. l will endeavor
to be as brief; though | cannot hope to be so
entertaining with pen Mrs. Darwin was in
heI real communication.
q Several of you girls were eye witnesses of
the occurrence but as some of you were not, l
will relate the circumstances, in brief, as they
occurred.
\ party of some thirty persons, quite one-half
of whom were young ladies about my own age,
had crossed in boats the larger branch of the
river to a narrow wooded island about mile
above the Fairfield dam, for the purpose of
| wandering in the woods, and social enjoyment
generally.
Three days previously, Denton Darwin had
solicited my hand in marriage, and had rejected
him-not rudely and heartlessly, for as a friend
/ regarded him very highly but as neither
! l. I had daa Of criyi r
myself away until my heart had q word to say
in regard to the transfer. This frankly told
Darwin, and though he regretted his failure, he
was in no wise offended, and it was agreed that
our friendly intimacy should continue uninter-
rupted.
CHARLES Montan was my escort on the oc-
casion, and availing himself of opportunity
that occurred during a ramble through the wood
he declared his love for me in manner some
what impetuous, aad besought me to accept his
heart hand and fortune.
Mr.. Montain's attention to myself had fol
several months been so particular, that loca
gossip had declared an engagement, which as
sertion | never took the pains to contradict. In
deed was rather proud of such a possibility
for Charles Montain was rich, refined, of goot
family. unexceptionable in character, and knew
of no earthly reason why any girl, having he
affections enlisted in the right direction, should
not accept him on presentation. 1t was that my
own affections were not so enlisted that diC
not accept him Internationally. As it was,
declined the proffered alliance, but in manne
that gave him wide margin for the future pur
euit, of which he assured me lie should certainly
avail himself
Mr.. Darwin was of onr party, and although
unaccompanied by lady, he was very enter
tanning and serviceable, to all and before the
day was half over every one of US of the female
persuasion voted Denton Darwin an absolute
necessity in all future picnic, boating or WOOD
land excursions.
By the merest accident, about an hour pre''-
Gus to the time fixed for our return home, n!e oi
us--Charles Montain, Denton Darwin, fhihp
i Fallonsby:: Mary Wilson and myseif, met neaI M
where our littlA feet lay moored TO the river
bank and at some ones SUGGESTION IL was
solved that in one of the boats we snouiu Aan
an excursion around the foot oi lne s;,a -
! nuI;no nm in the eddy on the opposite sncre'
ro,,a;nder of our party, who had i'm
proysed an extempore ouSH
Fn,sr;ng light skif, the smallest OF the Meet
go ont ON our miniature voyage, and with
Es,lonsbv. who was an expert waterman, at the
oars we went gliding down the swift current as
,racefully and feet as the startled swan.
We we're in mid channel, and almost down TO
.he foot of the island, when our oarsman, by a
suddeu overstrain of his left hand oar in bring
inc the bow of the boat round toward the island
snapped the treacherous blade short off in the
row-lock The mishap sent FalIonsby sprawling
backward in the bottom Of the boat, and in his
tumble he lost overheard the remaining oar,
which in moment drfted from our reach, and
there we were helpless, drifting at the mercy of