The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1868-01-22
MYSTERIOUS LAUGHTER.
A Lively story Explaining the
Cause Of "a.

in which he was ioiCed honestly by bis vile
my own cousin, May Stephens that had
been---a way that troubled my curiosity
much, until the eventful evening that | was
satisfied by hearing the reason why.
1t was simply this, that every time a
word was spoken that led to the period
when Charley Morgan first met my cousin
May they would both laugh very heartily,
but would always refuse to tell at whatever
they laughed This was certainly very pro.
| voking, and had little hesitation in telling
them so-not once, but many times--at
which they always ended bv kissing each
other and looking very aflectionate.
determined to have solution Of this
matter, if for no other purpose than it wor
ried me. / am but woman and having
pleaded to the possession Of curiosity, ] set
forth one evening, when we three-Morgan,
May, and myself--were drawn up before
the ile and early settled for talk. There
was no mincing matters, was my first idea,
and with this thought ! dashed boldly out
with
"Mr. Morgan Il usually call him Char
ley, but was desirous Of showing him that
was really in earnest. "Mr, Morgan,
why do you always laugh and look at May
when the subject Of your meeting with her
is spoken OFF,
This. / vas sure, was simple question,
and yet, instead uf answering in a a'u.iie
way, they went back, both OF them. on the
old plan. and laughed as if the words had
just spoken were the best joke IL the world.
| could do nothing, OF course, but look
grave and solemn, which in few moments
brought them both looking in the Saiqe
way, and then May spoke to me seriously
and said:
"Uousn Jane, you take our laughing
much more earnestly than ! thought you
would 1t is only memory between Char
ley and |. that brings up that laugh; to us
it is droll remembrance; hut perhaps, il
telling it, there would be nothing to amuse
any one.
The explanation brought back my good
humof in al instant, ami, with smile, /
said:
Now, May, this is really uni,iol Of you;
for 20 long you have excited my curiosity
that, even # the story was not worth tell
ing you should tell it"
"Well, cousin Jane shall have the story,
May, / will tell her. -
No, Charley, that is really too bad.
7 ou shall not do It. sir. II cousin Jane is
to have the story, | viii tell her myself "
Aud then, after pause she said, wv hen
we are alone.
You shall do no such thing, Madame
May" was CharIey's laUghable Response;
You shall do no sucA tiliag. This time /
will! have my own way, and ccGsin Jane
shall rot have her curiosity excited ANY
more without being aat,r6ad."
J saw there was ID ASCENSION on that
point, but knoW IN SGmc way chat Charley
was 30 come off victor, so mersy said
that | would be back in a few minutes;
stepped out Of the room and walked aoout
the garden until felt sure that poirt was
settled, wien | went hack and found CharN
ley and May as happy as birds, and laugh
ing the Old laugh as usual. AS entered,
Charley drew w the rock nF char, and at.
ter seeing me safely deposited in It's depths,
said:
"Now, cousin Jane, | shall tell you the
story how first met my wife. y
1T is Just five years ago this summer
that I was granted exemption for month
at ny desk, and went down with my old
chum, Horace Hyatt to his father in old
Monmouth, the garden Of that ,uniustIy
abused State, N. Jersey. should never
have forgotten the visit, even though it had
not it's influence on my whole future life.
| should remember it for the real, true hos
ptalty, tie solid, old time comfort Of the
farm, and the quiet way in which, lew
days after my arrival, J. was put into pos,
session of it, and made to feel that all be
longed to me to do what | pleased with it..
There were plenty Of fish, and we tlshed,
plenty Of woOdoock, and we shot And this
shall be apokon Of as d proyiSo. | say we
by which, be it understood, J. do not
mean Horace twin sisters, Carrie and Net,
tie as having participated in these sports.
They rode, to be sar3, aud charmlngly
they did il; they fished, and | am obliged
to, confess they were luckier than their
guest. But they did not shoot, though
shaIl not exut over their lack Of this &C
complshment. They were charming
enough without, ! am sure. shall excite
no jealousy by declaring that, with one ex
cpption, which [ shall not mention here,
! Carrie and Nettie Hyatt we're the most
charming girls / had ever seen, and ! wa.
| lust hesitatng as TO which oithem / should
| ian in love with, when my calculations were
disturbed By an accidcnt--tor 50 must cal
it though really seeming like a speca
Providence. What this was, | shall tel
you in The besr way | know how.
For some days after my arrival at The
| farm, my curiosity had been excited by thr
occasional panrgyrics lavisheJ by the yonnp
Indies upon one school mate Of their own
May Stephens bF name%ho was, according
to their highly coOoredsaccount, the mos
perfect thrgs in the shape ola woman thn
! living, | tried to persuade myseitthat moth,
ing in that line could surpass Carrie and
| Npttie; but still the reputation OF TINS May
| Stephens haunted me, and came like {
shadow across my newNborn passion.
formed at least an imaginary May Stephens
and do Yhat could, the figure was witt
me- At last | was worked into an agony
Of curiosity and trembling wib some grea
purpose which should bring bcioie me tht
object of my thoughts, and Of the two sis
ters' conversation. In what this woulC
have ended it Is impossible tor me at thi
time to say, had not | learned one morning
as ! entered the breakfast room, the start
ling words from Nettie:
"And she is coming at last. I'm 81
gladp'
L Whether it was that the train Of m,
thoughts was upon that point at the mo
ment, cannot say, but knew directly thC
whole matter saw Carrie with an oper
letter in her land, and compiling it will
Nettie's words, | knew that the hithert
only heard OF May Stephens was no doub
to be come a reality. had no need to asl
auestions--all the information was proher
ed, May Stephens--the Incompatible Ma
was to spend month at Hyatt and the.
were to expect her at any moment, though
as the letter read, she might not be dow
for week to come. A week, it wasan ag
a century, and | was in a state of excite
ment. My long standing passion, of near
ly two weeks, duration for Carrie, was for