Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-08-17
NO. 1874
MistellxmeoMs.
=
THE RESULT UF A BLUNDER.

Continued from yesterdav.

| NNonlihueu Hoiu yesteruay)
Well, | am sure l cannot tell how it
happened-l have always had o horror of
scenes-but found myself sobbing. Then
l tried TO sit down, and the chair seemed
to slip away; heard the old lady cry out;
then knew nothing more--I had tainted.
when came to myself l was lying on a
sofa; the curtains had been drawn aside
the windows were open the old lady was
standing near me; an elderly servant wo-
man was holding hartshorn to my nose,
and that very extraordinary Mr.. Moulton
was waving an anti-massacar about nv
head-,l 40 not know why, and don't
think he did. 5-flOfF
pushed away the bottle of hartshorn
and sat up.
shes all right nowr' cried the old
lady. John Moulton, what are you do
ing-you buzz like a crazy hornet.
Martha, give her some brandy and water
"a good deal of brandy and little water |!
Miss Howell, don't you try to speak yet or
I'll shake you John, 60 out Of the room
or l ii throw my slippers at you. Martha,
you've spilled the brandy on my worsted
work The house is worse thon a mad
house, and I'll burn it up In three min
utes If you don't all come back to your
senses-lt you've any to come tor
Alter little, found myself again alone
with that formidable elderly parsonage.
l was still a good deal shaken and fright
ened, but had at least recovered suffi-
clent self-control to be quiet able to listen,
TO speak, and feel shocked at having been
betrayed into such weakness as I had
shown-though could realize my situa-
tion--understood that there had been some
strange mistake, and that If had twenty
five dollars LETT in my purse it was as
much as had, and where any more to
come from could not tell.
Then the old lady was speaking.
"Ihere has been some very unfortunate
blunder," she said, and now her voice
really sounded kind and pleasant. II am
sorry-I fear did not behave we'll to YOU.
| suffer good deal, and to-day am up-
set from sleepless highland that broth
er OF mine-I mean John Moulton-is al
ways blundering."
l did not see how Mr.. Moulton could
possibly be considered to blame in the
matter, but wisely held my peace.
81 am afraid have behaved very fool
ishly,' l said. 81 was tired from my
journey and, finding myself in a strange
place-in the wrong one"
'Ihere are no excuses necessary" she
interrupted. l have no doubt you are
sensible woman can be on OCCASION
so now the first thing to do is to try and
understand the matter"
"Yes--that--"
"Wait We will be formal, and legal,
and all the rest of it," said she, and I
could see she had much ado not to laugh,
and that gave me courage. did her JUS
tice enough 10 know that she was trying
to be serious for fear OF distressing me
through the ludicrous side of the BUSINESS
had struck her strongly. Just give your
version OF the story-where you thought
you were coming-why you came-and
all about it," ID 2
related the circumstances as clearly
and as briefly as possible. | will say for
her that she was good-natured; when she
perceived that in my nervous state, the
keen glance of her black eyes disturbed
me. she pretended to be busy folding up
some fancy work that lay on the sofa be-
side her--lust nodding now and again to
show that she was listening and under
stood.
Now it is my turn" she said, when I
finished my explanations. al had sent to
Wakely, and oh, won't give it them well
tor their stupidity-don't talk to me about
to indulge in either, the idiots I"
suppose my face betrayed the dscom-
posure which her sudden violence (she
had begun speaking quietly and burst out
like tornado in less than minute) caused
me. for she added in her soft, pleasant
voice: t
Il needn't frighten you to death though
for their misdeeds. Well, the case is this !
| had been i'll, ordered quiet, and so came
hereto my brothers. place-the kindest,
best, most bashful creature I mean my
brother, not the place) that ever breathed.
lie is dreadfnlly afraid of me, and no won
der, for / am dragon, and persecute
him in the most awful way--beipg hen
Ipecked by wife would be nothing in
comparison" ~ 70
tried, as well as could, to say some
thing polite--it seemed only decent-but
she stopped me.
Yes, do But no matter--that has no
concern with our affair. Well, nv niece
could not come, or would not, so l wrote
to Wakely to send me young lady as
companion-tO read me French novels.
and so on. | would have told them /
should like an actress, fast girl, but
was afraid of shocking them--as | have
lyou. Well There has been an outra-
geous blunder-you are here--you would
be miserable with mel should tease you
to death. But all that we can talk about
later. AT present you are tired; you must
rest. Go and lie down, and don't get up
till dinner-time- We dine at seven" 80
She rang the bell, and before could say
anything, the maid who had attended me
during my fainting fit, came into the room
and | was out of it-up stairs, In CON-
Portable chamber-in my bed-and though
had thought should never sleep again.
was so exhausted by these unlocked for
adventures, that in less than ten minutes
| was sound asleep, and never woke till
sunset. The maid was In the room-my
trunk was there, and she told me had
just time to dress for dinner i'et'
l arranged my hair-I hope it is not
silly to take this opportunity OF telling
you that. though l am nearly four and
forty, have still great quantity, soft.
dark brown, with natural wave through
it-and | put on my best dress, q DARK
silk, trimmed with some handsome old
lace that belonged to my grandmother,