The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-07-24

tbs sctnt aud started for Hyatts, tina de.
termination strong in my breast to reacl
that haven before daylight and get de
cent it not stunning suit of clothes. Il
was beautiful moonlight night. and verg
ing close on toward eleven o'clock. Thai
did not deter me. I was determined tc
walk over to Hyasvs. No sooner said than
done. set forth. Five miles is a trife,
particularly to man in my condition, and
jus. as my watch marked the quarter after
midnight l marched up the lane that led to
the house. There was single light to be
seen in the house, aud that in my room:
but as approached near the house it dis
appeared, and the whole house was in
darkness. My roommate, Horace, had
evidently just gone to bed. So much the
better. di int want even him to see me
III that plight. My bedroom windows
looked out upon the roof of the piazza. I
would not disturb the house by knocking
oh, no. not bit of it-a climb would set
tie the business The thing was executed
AS soon as thought, and in a few seconds
stood on the piazza What if Horace
SAW me in that plight, and should be
compelled to explain that my vanity had
led me to walk five miles in the night, and
to scale piazza to escape being seen ? He
would never get done joking me. No, he
should not see me thus. In few seconds.
standing Oh the piazza, I divested myself
of coat, vest, pants, boots, hat-ayl even
of my shirt and stood confessed blnsh-
ing Hyperion in undershirt and drawers
Leaving the muddy clothes on the piazza.
L put my hand to the window, which
yielded, and sprang into my own room.
By the moonlight which strsamed in saw
figure in white, standing by the bedside,
with the covers Of the bed drawn in front
of it; and I laughed at the idea of Horace
being frightened by my appearance. In
mediately afterward I reflected thnt scaling
the piazza ofa farmhouse at midnight, and
forcing an entrance by a window en- dis
hdblle had rather an alarming, not to say
burglarious, aspect, and therefore spoke
with the intention of reassuring him, when
a trembling and unmietlkably feminine
voice half screamed, hnlf faltered:
"Who ARE you?"
There are such surprises as, without a
terror, absolutely deprive us of the power
ofspeech until the brain has time to act
and reason. Such surprises do not gener-
ate screams and faints They are expressed
by open mouth and silent wonder. This
was the case with myself and my room
mate. Right by my side, with her face
within three feet of my own, stood a
young woman, not more than seventeen,
with great, dark hazel eyes, and such
great masses of brown hair tucked away
under the neatest little night-cap that ever
was. She had gathered the bed-clothes
with a spasmodic jerk, up about her
throat, and with the most rigid, astonished
look, as though doubling whether she was
sleeping or waking, gAzed steadily in my
eyes, and repeated her question.
"Who are your
Iblurted out with
''How came you here?"
The figure stared still in speechIess
establishment; but in a moment, as
though awuking from its stupefaction,
spoke: -
care you Charles Morgan?'
eyes" was my rather subdued an.
swer.
'Well, then, Mr.. Morgan" said the
figure, by this time speaking as calmly and
quite as dignif d us though in the drawing
room, 81 am May Stevens, and l was put
into this room last evening after an enex-
pected arrival Horace had gone over to
neighbours few mile off before got here,
and was not to return until morning.
That was how was put i'll this ROOM"
$50 here was I, vis-a-vis to Miss May
Stevens, that mythical lady, for the first
meeting with whom intend d to have got
up such snperative toilet, and she in her
nigl,t-cap, and I in my drawers "a nice
style of Introduction, and a nice style Of
toilet! And she l'y this time was as cool
as the 3lst of December, and stood looking
me right in the eyes as made some scram-
bling explanation of my being found in
that most extraordinary situation and cos
tune! 1t was lame explanation, Won
derfully mixed up with irrelevant matter,
and stamniered and suffered through in q
way that should have disgusted any sensi-
bic person She seemed to be seriously
pondering and thinking during the recital,
and at its end, looking at me as though
asking the mort simple question in the
world, said;
"What's to be done p
'Let me jump out of the window, as 1
came in," said, in sickish tone of voice,
! j ~ hat Il,