The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-07-15

few sarcastic compliments on the glo'
siness of my hat and growth of m
whiskers, Osborne slapped me violentl
on the back, and allowed me to depar
, bruised in mind and body.
! OF course, however, l dined wit
} him at his club, and the night bein
warm, drank more champagne than m
young head could well stand. A stron
cigar, and still stronger cheese fin
ished me up, and when 1 jumped int
my friends carriage 1 felt most bliss
fully unconscious and utterly idiotic
Half an hours quick driving brough
US to our destination, large detached
house, brilliantly lighted up, standing
in what appeared to be extensive gar
den and grounds. The lights aud link
men, the sounds of music, the glimpse
I caught of serapbie beings foatet
airily in clouds of pink and blue vapor
partly sobered me, and caused me OF
entering the hall to rush anxiously tc
a mirror that adorned one side of it
in which to ascertain the state of my
hair, and that of my appearance gen
orally. Having finished my survey,
turned round, and found to my dismay
that my companions had deserted me,
and left me to introduce myself as 1
best could. This to a shy, nervous
fellow like myself was anything but
pleasant business, and tremblcd with
anger and embarrassment.
"Just like my good friends" 1 Kissed
to myself, "to leave me like a pig in a
poke. How can enter the room with
out an introduction to the hostess?
D-n their impertinence! What did
they bring me here for, and then treat
me in this fashion,"
Glancing anxiously around the hall,
[ ospied on my right hand a small
room, the door of which was open. 1t
was empty; and avoiding the severe
glances of a most muscular and mid
die aged set of female servants, gave
a nervous pull at few struggling hairs
it pleased me at that time to call my
whiskers, and precipltated myself into
the grateful privacy of the deserted
chamber on my right, closing the door
behind me. Here l fidgeted and FUN
bled for some minutes, and composed
neat, cutting, little speech, with which
with shame. Suddenly door on the
opposite side was opened, and in darted
the most radient. lovely being it had
ever been my happiness to behold
Her face was flushed, and her man
aer slightly hurried, as if she had been
making hasty toilette As she pass,
ed me. one of the gloves she had been
drawing on fell to the ground In n
moment, started out of all my awkward
shyuess, had the g'ove in my hand,
and was presenting it to its charming
owner, with bow and pointed glance
of admiration that would have done
credit to a man q 6onnfs fortunes Her
pleasant smile, the sweet voice in which
she thanked me for my civility, aided
doubtless by the amount of champagne
[ had so lately taken, so affected me
that forgot my friends, and unknown
hostess, aud myself, and begged with
much impressment for the honor OF her
hand for the next dance. Her easy &C
quiescence increased my boldbess, and
without giving one thought to the au-
dacity of my behavior, but with a
vague suspicion that if 1 entered the
ball room Osborne would manage in
some unpleasant fashion 10 nip my
q a;rta'ion in the bud, turned to the
French window opening to the garden,
and cff.ring my arm to the young lady,
sugg sted how much pleasanter would
be quiet stroll in that lovely moon
light than the heat and crush of tie
crowded ballroom. To this she at first
demurred, but as I stood firm, she gave
way, and with an adorable little mouc
of defiance, a shrug of her shoulders
and deprecatory side glance at me,
she put her arm in mine, wondered
family what people would think of her
non appearance, and allowed me to lead
her from the close oppressive atmos
phere of the house to the fresh, scect-
aden breezss of beautiful garden in
July.
BY Jove! how triumphant I felt! l
the sly, manue-less boy, the butt Of
that wretched Osborne! ], who was
supposed not to be able to say Boo to
a goose, much less to a pretty womanl
Here l was with the prettiest girl l
had ever met on my arm, pressing her
hand, gazing into her eyes, murm uring
soft speeches into her ear, and meeting
with no repulse. On the contrary,
there was actual encouragement in the
bright flush which came and went on
her young cheek, in the downcast
lashes, the pleading looks of her violet
eyes, in the unresisting passiveness of
the soft, small hands in mine. We in
stinctively chose those paths which
were least overlooked by the reception
rooms. This was not SO easy matter.
The gradens, though laid out in smooth
shaven lawn and brilliant flower bed,
had tusteless absence of shade about
them. Each path and walk were SO
open to inspection, and the bright July
moon, though SO fair and beautiful,
seemed that night to be too vivid in its
beams-exceeding its meter in fact,
and SO becoming rather unpleasant than
otherwise.
This idea seemed to strike my far
companion equally with myself, for,
with a gentle pressure of my arm, she
drew me into a side path away from the
house, which I had imagined IN my
own mind to be No Thoroughfare, it
being ended by high iron gate. Of
this, however, she seemed to know the
secret, for she quickly opened it, and
stood leaning against it waiting for me
to pass through. What e picture she
made standing there! the light breeze
stirring her golden hair, and the pale
moonbeams shedding an unearthly ra-