Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1869-04-22

right" she drew her veil closel,,
over her face, and settled herself
back into the luxurious sofa will
an uneasy sigh.
Her companion hurried out t.
the street, and glanced up ant
down. Presently baggage-wag
on drove up, from which the dri
yer lifted two large trunks, conspic
uously lettered, "Mrs. NJ. E
Barnes, and carried them on boar(
the steamer. Then approaching
the gentleman we have remarked
he said, with a knowing grin,
"There, Mr.. Jeremy, I've
brought them ere trunks in gooG
time, and l shall have to have two
dollars, for I've had to drive fast
tell you."
''Certainly, my man, replied he
who was addressed as Mr.. Jeremy
"three of them, if you like" -
Then, handing the man a bank
note for five dollars, and also a
folded and sealed paper, he added,
"Here,-I shall give you five;
but you must promise to take this
letter to some one Of the newspa-
per offices, and hand it to the To-
cal editor; but don't, under any
circumstances, tell them from you
received it. Will you take the
five, and do this, or must l give
the three to some other messen-
ger?"
"Oh, I'll take the letter, of
course. with another grin
lido you think they'll print it?''
Mr.. Jeremy betrayed a little
surprise at the mans manner, but
answered, with a pleasant smile,
81 guess SO. Items are scarce" !"
Softly whistling a popular air,
Mr.. Jeremy stepped aboard the
Empire" The baggage-man
looked after him, admiringly, and
muttering to himself, "You're a
sharp 'un. It don't make no diff
ference to you whether Cass or
Taylor is elected, SO yeu gifts the
petticoats on yoasr side, Iknow,"
he jumped on his wagon, and drove
away, well contented with his
afternoons earnings.
The steamers bell rang out the
last note of warning; the lines
were cast loose, the cleaning en-
gine slid away with a eat-like
tread, the pcnderous wheels shook
off the flashing spray, and the
good steamer Empire" freighted
with inanimate value and pulsing
life, bearing the buoyance of youth
full years and pleasurable intent,
and the uneasy imaginings of un-
scrupulous and plotting guilt,
moved out on the bosom of the
lake.
The afternoon of the succeed
ing day was far advanced. The
westeling sun pierced his level
lances through the veil of grimy
smoke that settled along the busy
river, and far out across the green
bosom of the lake their golden
points were dimmed and blunted
against the purple east. The clat-
ter, rather than roar, which was
the business voice of the Chicago
of that day, was dying into quiet,
and over vast regions where one
now hears tie rumbling of the
horse-cars and the many-toned
voice of traffic, the air trembled
only to the faint bell-note from gre
zing kline, or their mellowed low
ing, as they lazily wandered home
ward.
The steamer "Baltic," from Buff
falo direct, had just arrived. The
hustle of landing was almost over
and a knot of idlers which such
an event at that day always drew
was melting gradually away. A
gentleman of thirty to thirty-fve
years stepped briskIy ashore, lead
ing by the hand q little boy of not
more than FIVE years. Both were
well but plainly clad, indicating
middle social rank; and the face
of the gentleman wore that ex-
preston of pleasnrable anticipa-
tion, not, indeed, entirely unmix-
ed with apprehension, which one
always feels upon a return home
after long absence.
"We'll soon be home now, Har-
ry, my boy; and l shouldn't won
der if mamma half chokes you
with kisses"
"Oh, I'm SO glad to come home!"