Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-11-23
SELECTED MISCELLANY.
A FORTUNATE MISTAKE.

Coming out Of the opera one even
inc iostlFd in the crowd, / felt and
claspiug ms OVID, snd Smnsical voice
exclaimed:
You good for nothingl thought
/ had lost yOul What fearful crush
do believe my arm Is broken and lay
I was on the point OF replying that
agreed with her, hut restrained myself,
laughing inwarl!y at the novel position
10 which was placed, and wondering
u.bo nv fair companion could he. EYl-
IDENTITY She mistook me for her brother,
or posslblv her husband, Judging from
the familiarity Of her manner. for she
s.Ided Ia q sympathetic tone:
Forgive me. Ralph ~ your poor
beadl | am sorry / made yOu come
pardon me. madam, said |, "but-"
s.Ob. nonsense. Ralph" she inter
ruDted me. "Y6u have become hall
barbarian since Won went 10 the war,
TO permit me TO seat myself, while yon
stand there as II 1 we're yonr vile, and
You ten wears married. instead OF your
sister whose ready asslstant-in place
of batter-vou should be. Ralph, /
shall catch my death oi cold sitting
here; and such along r'de. 100! ,
Here the lady gave "A peIcePliDle
shiver, i.
.Doiump IN audsit down. OF will
What She would have done l did not
wait to hear; but, taking my place be
side her in the carriage, We were driven
of whittier L knew not.
Il won't ask you to talk to me- with
that headache. but | want YOU to listen
10 me, began my companion, the mo
ment we started Il wanted to talk 70
Won coming in, but that little chatter
boz. Maggie, prevented me from say
ing a word to YOU. You remember
moor little lucy Walters, Ralph. Her
mother die q about two months ago, and
the poor little girl has gone TO live
with the Deans. Mr.. ana Mrs. Dean
have been very kind to her, but 1t Is
impossible Tor them 10 a. more than
shelter her. How anY one can have
the heart TO wound LUcY's feelings Is
mystery to me, and yet every occasion
that presents itself IS seized upon by
the Wares and Kings 10 insult her,
even to commenting upon the poor
girls fathers actions, as 1t she could
have prevented that which occurred
twenty years ago; and 1 have seen Sa-
sab Ware Initiating her walk, regard
less of poor Lucy's tears. The doctor
saws that nothing can be done tor her.
If she had q good teacher she might In
time be Independent; but that would
require money, aud yOu know that /
/ haven't much, Ralph; but l have de-
termined to do something for our old
ulaymate. | can save ont Of my allow
snce one hundred and fifty dollars, and
now, If Won will double It, what wall
that do for Lucy? If ] am correct, it
will enable her to attend the School of
Design and take private lessons in the
art for a year; and at the end Of that
time, if Lucy is alive. she will show
the world whats Z woman can do. /
know you will 20 yOuI share towards
the sum like a good brother as you
are"
Here my companion became quiet,
and the question presented itself to my
mind.
"How can escape from this aWk-
ward position hOnoTsbly2 Here have
been guilty of listening to a eommuni-
cation intended for the ear of another
have been guilty of an inexcusable
deception, practiced upon a stranger
and a lady knowingly. Perhaps the
honest plan would be to acquaint her
at once with the mistake and solicit her
pardon" ----r -
/ was about 10 commence my we'll
studied speech, when my companion
gave little laugh as she said:
4" Really, Ralph, you are very enter
tanning in your own peculiar way but
II you are as dumb when IN the pres
euce of Miss Vernon as you have been
tonight, she Is to be pitied rather Than
envied. But here you are at uncle's,
and you know L promised to stop with
Carrie tonight so you viii have no
one to bother You the remainder of the
road. How singular you-de act tonight,
Ralph Z Well, viii not tease you any
more.
Suddenly the driver drew up before
an elegant residence. and imagining i
perceived a loop hole whereby l might
escape from my awkward predicsment,
L sprang out OF the brOugham and as
sisted the lady to alight.
"Is your head still aching, Ralph ?
Good night. Why, you did not kiss
me ?"
As the fair face was upturned to
mine, with its tempting lips awaiting
che kiss, / pressed my shawl down
from my mouth suddenly, and as sud-
DENY felt my head dlaWn down to re-
ceive the most delicious kiss that ever
was bestowed by maiden.
''You need not wait the door is
open, and there stands Carrie, bless
her - said my companion, as she trip
ped up the steps, while stood irreso-
lutte.
Seating myself once more, was
again driven OF, but whittier I knew
not. / only knew that / had lost a
charming companion, whose lips a mo-