American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-10-21

hadn't given him occasion to set his
own bonesi
Thus chatting gayly, we wound along
through the pleasant river valley in its
early green, by-and-by-happy chance!
falling in with a peddler's cart, with
which John, unsolicited, kept pace till
it stopped before a cottage at the en-
trance of little village. We had a
dim consciousness of seeing a stylish
buggy in front of this same cottage,
but, engrossed in speeding John past
the cart, did not associate it with our
new acquaintance, till at the next
watering-place that gentleman again
overlook us. 1t was most secluded
nook, where we certainly had no
thought of being seen of men; and Cid,
after running out over the thill to drop
Johns check-rein, had perehed herself
upon his back to wait for him to drink,
and as the buggy drove up was tricking
the harness with leaves, meantime
mimicking in a high key scolding
squirrel on branch above. Suddenly
cognizant of the strangers proximity,
her voice died into a gasp, and she
Strengthened herself with despairing
struggle for propriety, while he, evil
IDENTIFY embarrassed for her sake, made,
in -alighting, some -urbane remark
about the pleasure Of meeting us a
second time.
You must think me the evil spirit
of these wilds, sir, bent on terrifying
unwary travelers,n said she, confused
ly, snatching at the check-rein, as John
ducked bis head precipitately., ga
"Oh no; a merry sprite, rather.
Pray let me make amends for interrupt
ing your solo by being of service!" and
he quietly replaced the rein just in sea-
son to save his horse from a vicious nip
on the nose.
Gid. relieved from duty, ran back
over the thill to me, and after few
more friendly words the gentleman
passed on. He too was to dine at Dix-
mont, he had said, and would herald
ON coming at thehoeT,i If we desired,
and thus secure US an early dinner.
AT North Chester we left the river.
N0more dallying for US in the lap of
th0 valley. We must scale the rugged
shoulders of the hills. Cid read aloud
the Adventures Of Phaeton," while
John crept drowsily up the heights, but
at the dizzy descents she always closed
the book. Though he never had stum-
bled, his very caution made US fear he
might, suggesting perils otherwise un-
thought of. With his feet drawn to-
gsther like the spokes of a wheel, back
arched, and head pendulous as a fuch-
STA blossom, he described segment of
a circle; and what If his curved surface
should not always stay uppermostp
Agonizing moments there were at the
steepest slopes, when he seemed on the
point Of sitting down upon the dasher
of the rockaway, and turning back
ward somersault into our shrinking
arms. But these moments passed. A
great many moments passed, indeed,
among those frightful ups and downs,
and dinner horns had sounded far and
near ere we arrived at the hotel at Dix
mont. -fs e-} s
Our friendly acquaintance sat oppo-
site US at the dining table, and con-
versed agreeably about the country
through which we were passing. He
had traversed it several times of late,
he said, in going to Sanford. All! was
that our destination also?-and were
we-not acquainted with the new and
more direct route from Dixmont thith-
err? Then might he map it down for
us upon his card? He should be oblig-
ed to take the old circuitous way him.
self in order to call on an invalid friend,
but might meet US at the ferry, where
the two roads conceded.
swooped down upon Cid and me in the
parior with q huge leather-covered
book. Would we be good enough to
write our names In it? 1t was sort of an
f" album she said, that she kept to
show to folks. Cid pointed to the sim
gle entry that day, with q significant
smile" Lemuel Harmon, Boston,
Massachusetts. 1t was satisfaction,
she whispered, to know how our cava-
ier was called among men. And when,
little later, detected said cavalier
porting over the " album" in the bar
room, mistrusted that he felt a like
Satisfaction in discovering how we were
called. -,5r
At our departure he handed Cid the
promised card of instructions, express
ing the cordial hope of a more formal
Introduction to us at Sanford. She
studied it as we proceeded, and idly
turned it over, engraved surface up
ward. Then she uttered little cry of
dismay. "Laura Elizabeth Curtis! will
you hear this! Professor LemueI
Harmon, prophetic, test, and business
clairyoyant; emblematic, pathetic; 81
Beach Street, Boston, Why, Laura,
the mans fortune eller!" If he had
been a convict, she couldn' t have shown
greater horror. "And to think of his
passing himself as a gentleman, Laura.
sEmblematic, pathetic indeedp Who
knows but he has beguiled us into a
falseroute!" /pf-g ffrfCf,t
She would not go a step further, till,
by inquiry, she had assured herself we
were in the right way.
Minute after minute the heat grew
more intense. Before we had passed
over half of the fifteen miles yet re-
naming, the sky became overcast.
Thunder muttered in the distance. On