Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-03-02

sonnet
But | was young, tired, and sleepy
and, while waiting, fell fast asleep.
was such sound sleeper that even the
terrible "rising- bell" at school had
failed to awake me. SO Nelly's gentle
motions about the room were not likely
to disturb my slumbers.
it seemed to be very early. Everything
was quiet but Nelly had left the blinds
When | woke up the next morning,
open. and the sun streamed into the
| room.
Nelly" | whispered, care you
awake? p
No answer came.
turned to look at her, and | was
surprised to find that | was alone in the
bed. Was Nelly up? or had she not
gone to bed at all
whats the matter, Nell and where
are you?" ] asked.
No answer. No sound.
Z" wish you would spak p said, as
jumped up, little alarmed.
Nelly was not in the room; neither
was she on the balcony.
Was she taking an early walk? And
what had become of my trunk | was
sure it was there the night before.
remembered throwing my dressing
gown upon it, and that garment was
now spread upon chair.
| Nelly's trunk was gone, too What
did it mean? Had she run away during
the night? But | should have heard
the noise. And why should she run
away?
Perhaps | was dreaming. | ducked
my face in cold water, wiped it hard,
and looked round again.
| was wide awake, but everything was
exactly as had seen it.
ooh, Nelly, Nelly |" l groaned.
"She must have left a note, |
thought And looked for it.
found no letter; but on corner of
the table, | saw, a cigar, half burnt,
shedding its ashes on the carpet.
Then suddenly | understood what
had happened. | had made mis-
take, | had entered the wrong room,
and
did not faint, but | fell on the floor
shivering, yet not with cold. What
should | do? Could ! remain in this
hotel, be seen again by this man, per,
haps pointed at and laughed at by every
body?
Then it occurred to me that "that
man." whoever he might be, had been
very careful not to let me know he was
there, and had taken himself and his
trunk out of the room very quietly But
| was too bewildered to be grateful. |
hated him, | hated myself, l hated
everything and everybody.
One thing must do, and that was to
leave that horrid room as soon as posi-
bic. | opened the door softly. No one
was about, and | saw what had done
| had gone into the room on the right
hand, and ours was on the left
Our door was unlocked. entered
quickly. The room was dark, and Nelly
said, half asleep:
Did you stay with Aunt Mary,
Belle ?"'
saw my way through the difficulty.
"St e kept me- 1 answered. "Sne
gave me a lecture. But, Nelly, please
don't say word to her about it. | don't
want to hear of it again"
~ won't" said Nelly. And ! knew
she wouldn't.
81 waited for you till fell asleep"
she said. :" thought heard you come.
There was some sort of noise in the
hall"
Il want another nap, Nelly please
don't tall any more"
It is useless to say that | did not
sleep. | saw too plainly that to save
myself | must plunge into deceit. But
anything seemed better than meeting
that man. AS for telling Aunt Mary,
that was simply impossible. She would
be so shocked 4! And she would men
ton the incident to her dying day |
could not bear that. SO, after much
thinking, laid my plan.
We were ready for breakfast. wore
my pretty white dress, and those little
slippers, with high red heels, which
were the pride of my heart Aunt
Mary called for us, inspected us, and
then we prepared to go down stairs.
As we turned the corner Of our pas.
sage into the hall, my left foot slipped
little, and | gave gentle scream.
l was red with pain-and shame
Aunt Mary was alarmed. "Could |
walk p No, not one step. Nelly was
tall and strong, and with her help
llmped back to our room.
My breakfast was sent up, and after
DiS'ehiosoe WIG NoSIoi was ociit lCI. ilc
came, examined my ankle, prescribed
cold water and arnica, and few days
of rest. | was saved
During my seclusion, | resolved, in
the first place, that | would never
marry, for | could not bring myself to
relate my adventure, and it would be
wrong to marry without having con-
fessed all my sins to my husband.
Secondly, that | would never again
mention my unfortunate sonnet to
Minerva, and that | sincerely repented
having written it. Thirdly, that would
never meet that man" again if could
help it, and that l knew who he was.
He was a short, Eght-hai ed man,
with red cheeks, and big blue eyes. He
wore white linen coat; he had stared
hard at me in the dining-room, and
had seen him smoking in the garden.
| could neither forgive nor forget him.
"Who occupies the room opposite
ours p | asked Nelly, one morning, as
she turned from supper.
Nelly laughed.
"How funny! | was just going to
tell you about him. He got himself in
troduced to us before supper. His
name is Black, and he comes from Bal
timore. He seemed quite interested
about you, and hoped you were better,
ETC., ETC."
i turned up my nose disdainfully.
How does he look, Nelly?"