Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1871-12-23

To proceed Win my story. Inc
month slipped slowly away, as all
periods of suspense do. L should
scarcely dare to say how many mis-
takes the pre-occupied state OF IN!
mind led me to make, such as return
ing to a customer seTenty-tiYe cents
more than was due her, on which
occasion my employer, the senior
Mr.. Haberdasher, severely remarked
that when l made such mistakes L !
should take care to let them be on /
the other side-that while giving
back too much change was highly re- l
prehensible, giving back too little |
would be a Venial offence which he /
would readily forgive.
The month at length drew TO close,
and /, in an excited frame OF mlnd,
walked down to Messrs. Shave 3 (
| Co.'S Office in State street. The Of
! fee was already full of anxious tex
etholders, who were alternately
/ elated or depressed by their success
or want off I was particularly
amused by q scene which transplred
! Just before my own turn came. The
applicant before me was tall lady
| of thirty-nine or thereabOuts, ex-
ceedingly spare, and very prim IN
her ways. Though she did not re-
cognize me, / remembered perfectly
having been introduced to her on
one occasion as Miss Charity Bill
ings. She was the very picture OF
= prim, methodical old maid, and
professed to have very low opln-
/ ion of all mankind, possibly be-
cause they have proved so blind to
her varied attractions. L confess l
was surprised 10 see Miss Charity
in such place, as had supposed
that the pomp and yanities OF this
! world, including of course filthy
Elucre, were as nothing in her sight.
However, appearances are deceitful:
"Your number, ma'am!" inquired
the clerk.
Give thousand six hundred and
seYenty-three," primly pronounced
The clerk consulted his list.
When he looked up, his face vlo-
lently struggled to retain ITS SraFl-
"You have drawn, ma'am," said
he, can elegant roseWood-cradle!H
Miss Charity's face turned all col
ora, and her embarrassment was
considerably increased by q sup
pressed laugh, which her quick cars
did not fail to catch.
''Where shall send hf" inquired
the clerk. oregon .r-, ,l.,.,.
Miss Charity looked undecided;
but fortunately persOnwtth spec
ulation in his eye" stepped up and
offered to take it of her hands at q
reasonable rate. Miss Billings at
once recovered her composure, and
prepared herself for making the
most of her prize, which she event.
ually did.
SsNo. 1882. repeated I, taking
my place at the counter, after Miss
Billings had been fairly disposed OF.
The clerk, after "a brief examina-
ton, seized my hand with warmth
|ESir, 1 congratulate you'll" he e1-
claimed, "YOu are the fortunate
winner of our first prize"
Invent home on my head or my
heels-I am not quite sure which
not, however, until had ascertain
ed that the name of the young lady
whose hand / had won was Ethelin'
da Blackstone, and that she lived II
! Coventry, town in western New
York. -
When sober second thought come
: to my assistance, could not helI
regretting the conditions on which
l was to become the enViable pos
SCISSOR of twenty thousand dollars
|, | reflected, with sinking heart
that the lady might be as ugly as
: Gorgon, in which case she would
of course, insist on my performing
! my part of the contract.
n | at once petitioned Messers. Hab
y erdasher i Co., for months vaca
:. ton, merely alleging that importan
a business called me away. coulI
Y not help blushing, when l profferet
4 the request, which led to meaning
Il looks being exchanged by the Othe
! clerks. None of them, however
n were in my secret. .-.....
One pleasant morning in October
= found myself in Oswego, purchas
V ing a ticket by stage to Coventry
is which, as | was told, was distan
e some twenty miles from that flour
e, ishing city. The stage went tarth
i er, but Coventry was one of the pit
le ces on the route. Opposite me j
i the stage, sat q rosy-eheeked maiC
If en- of very attractive appearance
le She was somewhat demure, Witha
e. and only cast stolen glances at MT
" which 1 pretended not to see, Will
"a |, in turn, looked at her, and whe
IN our ewes chaneed to meet, they WEI
r instantly withdrawn. All this Wa
e. very foolish of course, but | alleg
ct in nv own defence, that my oppC
in site neighbor, besides being dec
V, dedly pretty, was the only present
g, ble-looking female in the coach
(? Close beside her was spinster,
a thirty-fiye or theFeabeuts, with
Id pursed up mouth, and two section
at of yellowish hair plastered to eat
he cheek. Her nose was long and thi
ty while she herself was lankness pc
RI sonified. Add to this pair of bl1
It. spectacleS, and you will readily II
to agine that the beauty beside h
ch was heightened by the contrast.
There appeared, however to |
o some acquaintance between them,
sh l observed the young lady speakil
ne Familiarity, with her less PROPOSES
n- ing companion.
- The road over W hieh we were ri
p ing was rough and hubby.
parts il inclined to one side, so th
~ higher than the other. On one
| lntSC OCCd64ODo AAAC "
4, 7 farther increased by the wheel
the upper end passing a stone
l.. The Jolt was such that the passC
n.y. gers were violently pTeeipitated
one side, and /, much TO my 81
lsr prise, but not at all to my, displ
a. sure, found my pretty neighbor {
posite seated in my lap. 1 ms
u, not the least effort to relieve Il
self Of the unexpected burden, I
ara the Young lady, half-blushing ha
laughing, withdrew as quickly
possible from her embarrassing p
dicament. On looking about, l
90 served that the gentleman at
side, bluff, stout gentleman, Y
20 in a state of ludicrous perplexi
The spinster whom / have menti
80 ed, had been thrown forward at
- same, time, and opening her Al
in the vain endeaVor to save hers
Ne they involuntarily elasped her
posite neighboF round the neck
. her bewilderment, she did not
g mediately release her hold, but
va tered 3 succession of pierc
H 'ht shrieks, which first alarmed, +;
-na' @ finally convulsed with laughter
nal the passengers.
5 of Fortunately for US, we were 1
!. on the end of our journey. My OF
r of site neighbOr and her compaI
Iadv got out at a neat-tWo-story bl
1gII house, about half mile from
case hotel where myself stopped.
sand After passing the night comic
Mill , bIv at the Coventry Arms, inq
lClu- ed of the landlord, IN the morn