The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1867-05-16

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the dazzle, and | betook myself to a few
gildsd volumes which graced a table, to
catch breath little III my natural element.
turned over few leaves, read few
verses of Tennyson, and raised my head to
encounter-was walking2 had not slip
ped into dreamland, amid the bright Hhirl
around me? No, awake, in tho full pos
session Of my senses. | encountered the
gaze of those large black eyes of Captain
Sunderland fixed admiringly upon me.
Thank fortune. | always had strong
nerves so [ did not faint, but kept on the
even tenor of my way. l beheld the gen.
tleman turn, seek out and address Mrs.
Burton !; that lady replied, glanced at me,
and in onother moment the two had ad-
vanced towards the corner where sat, and
Captain Sunderland was introduced to
'.Miss Smith"
Had the earth opened and swallowed us
up, could not have been more astounded
However, [ had little time for con- lectures,
as the gentleman seemed desirous to enter
into immediate conversation.
''An excellent party Mrs. Burton was
a very interesting lady-a superb lady
quite intellectual, too | was an old ac-
quaintance of hers, was l not? Was !
fond of attending soirees Z"
"Was not much in the habit of attend
ing soirees."
"Ah, he suspected Il was fond of in
tellectual pursuits He honored my
choice did not himself find salts faction in
these light frivolous amusements. He
was most happy to find sympathy in a
higher grade of enjoyment" &c.
Strange enough, the gentleman persisted
in remaining by my side during the rest
Of the evening, as much to the astonish-
ment of the fair rivals as my own, and not
a little to their chagrin.
And so, when | had at last established
myself in my chamber for the night, it
was onl y to puzzle my brain with vain con-
lectures us to whether the conduct of my
sudden admirer was due to some sudden
pique of his own, to disgust for the vani-
ties of the world, or to my own possible
charms
1t was only a few days after the soiree,
when, as sat in our parlor, reading the
newspaper to my uncle and aunt, we were
startled by loud double knock at the
door. Ia few moments our maid-Servant
announced-Captain Sunderland!
ga my dear Miss Smith do excuse
me Have too much assurance in hoping
that you still retain the faintest remcm-
brance of your cavalier cf Wednesday
evening 20
Now, | was sure | did not know what
to say to all this. So only assured hin,
to the best of my abilities that | recollect-
ed him, and invited him to sit down !
fancied he looked somewhat aStonished on
being ushered into our plain little parlor
and am sure my uncle and aunt did, as
introduced them.
Captain Sunderland was exceedingly
polite and affable, and conversed in quite
charming manner. Nevertheless, ]
thought could see his eye take in the
homely details Of the room, and Of my OWL
tout ensemble, and half-scornful look
play about his mouth. However, [ diGn
care in the least, since | had long ago made
up my mind that the Fates did not intcnt
should have beau, and L had become
submissive thereunto; so that if ever die
have any, it was so much clear gain, and il
they left, no loss My uncle and aun
were, apparently, not a little amazed al
they seemed slowly to comprehend tin,
idea that the handsome visitor was my
own
Captain Sunderland was literary "Ten
| l. 1
mine also. Did he not discover me look
ing over volume of that poet, at Mrs
Burton's 2"
81 had looked into it somewhat. Still
l could not say that Tennysor was my ia
vorite of favorites. l was not particularly
fond Of that class ofwrters. l liked thos,
of the Colcridge and Wordsworth staml
better"
Captain Sunderland bowed. "He ad
mired my taste. Coleridge and Wods
worth were also favorites with him. How
lid like Byron!"
l confessed to little admiration for
him."
Captain Sunderland twas not pleased
with him"
! | acknowledged, in the main, more in
terest in prose than in poetic writer's. IL
fact that 81 loved history"
Captain Sunderland was immediatel,
passionately fond of history. He declared
"Gibbon's History of England" to be
most iuasterly production-worthy com
parison even with Caesars Decline ant
Fall of the Roman Empire" Oh, how
screwed UP my lips to suppress smile
confess to feeling decidedly wicked
and determined to lead him into deepe
waters. But you would grow weary, deal
reader, and your heart perhaps would ach,
with pity, were | to relate all the peram
bulations of my unfortunate literary ad
mirer. And how he finally rose, with al
air of great satisfaction, and took his leave
delighted with tic assurance of my com.
pany for the following everiug to visit tn,
opera.
l like mysteries ! l like fun, too, as el
as pretty girls, Notwithstanding my plaiI
appearance. Moreover, l wa quite sur
had not spent more edifying Afternoon
T for long time; also, | was naught,
enough to rejoice in the chagrin of tn
fair bellies. So. all things conside red,
was bound to keep 1t up as long as | could
Matters now progressed at an astonish-
ing rate. Iattended operas, concerts, lee
lures, and whatuot, with the attentive aL'
gallant Captain Sunderland. A ne,
world was opened before me. Contac
!, With real, active, outward life invigorate'
, me. saw with my own eyes, heard with
my own ears, what before had only rcat
and imagined And all this, had my gal