The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-05-07

Maggie Lee artful creature as she was,
had told her father that the party was TO
assemble at another hotel, and thither he
had taken her. Having business in D.
he left her there, merely saying that he
would send the carriage after her at seven
o'clock. She like dutiful daughter, kissed
him and bade him goodbye, and before he
had gone hundred rods got in Bob Styles
light wagon, which had driven up TO the
back door as Mr.. Lee drove from the front,
and the old story of head-strong love and
prejudiced age was enacted over again
AS for us of the picnic excursion, we had
a delightful sail down to the grove, but
somehow, could not enjoy it as ought
to have done. When | walked on board
the boat, | felt awkward, as if everybody
was looking at me. | found MIR. Bimby, as
l had suspected young and rising lawyer,
mighty in Blackstone in his own opinion.
He insisted on paying my fare (the boat was
regular excursion packet and purchasing
enough oranges pears and candies, to set
up a street stand. Four or five times | was
on the point of swearing at his impudent
ofiiciousness, but bit my tongue just in
time to prevent my exposure. But it was
not with him found my role the hardest to
play
No; the young ladies were the difficult
ones to deceive. For instance there was
one among them, beautiful girl of seven
teen, just returned from boarding school,
who had not seen Maggie Lee for three
years. OF course she was delighted to see
me- when she found that was Maggie Lee,
which by the way did not occur until we
had started. She threw herself into my
arms, pulled my veil aside, and kissed me
half dozen times in a manner that made
my finger ends tingle for an hour. 1t was
all very nice, but if had been in a pr0pria
persona, would have liked it better. AS
! il was felt as though / was obtaining
goods under false pretenses, and lawyer
Bimby might issue warrant for my arrest
on the ground at any moment
A whole lot of crinoline then surrounded
me, on the upper deck of'the boat, to the
utter disgust of Mr.. Bimby and all the
other gentlemen. kept very quiet only
speaking in monosyllablos, in n falseHo
voice.
But the others-Lord bless you how
they gabbled. Under strict promise of
secrecy, the boarding school maiden who
had kissed me so affectionately, revealed all
her love affairs and also became unpleasant
iy confidential about other matters-inno-
cent enough in themselves but not custema-
rily talked of between ladies and gentle
men.
was terribly embarrassed, but it would
not do TO give up then. AS soon as my
trick should become known, Bob Styles
trick would come out, and news of that
kind travels fast in the country, he and his
lady-love would be telegraphed, and follow.
ed before they could reach Philadelphia,
where Styles lived and where the knot was
to be tied.
The river breeze was very fresh where we
sat, and noticed that several of the ladies
were glancing very uneasily at me.
couldn't divine the reason, until Jennie
my little friend from the boarding school
laid her face dangerously close to mine, and
said; "AIy dear Maggie, your dIess il
blowing up terribly high--your ankles viii
be town talk with all the gentlcmen?'
Now was conscious of having small
foot for a man, and had donned pair O.
open worked stockings which came NJ
nearly to my waist, with n pair Of gaiter
borrowed from a servant girl, in all whicl
together my ''running gear looked quite
feminine and respectable-bu the idea o
the girl telling me of the gentlemen talk
ing about my ankles, who would have beer
frightened to death if / had told her tn,
same thing yesterday, was too much fo
me, burst into a sort Of strangled laugh
which could only check, by swallowing
half of my flagree lace edged handkerchief
The young ladies all looked at me with ap
parent astonishment with such voice, ant
) wanted to laugh the more. Fortunatel,
Mr.. Bimby came TO my rescue at the mo
ment and edged himself in among the erin
oline.
"May sit here?" he asked, pointing t
a low stool near me.
Certainly" slmpercd in my high fal
|, setto.
:. "Ah, thank you," said Bimby, with
r laekadaisical air, which nauseated me, q
coming from one man TO another; you ar
: as kind as you are fascinating?'
"a Won fiafter me 2,