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

1t is just five years ago this summer that
was granted exemption for one month
from my desk and went down with my
chum. Horace Hyatt to his fathers in old
Monmouth, the garden of that unjustly
abused State, New Jersey should never
have forgotten that visit, even though I
had not there met with an adventure that
had its influence on the whole of my fu-
ture life. I should remember it for the
real true hospitality of the Hyatts for the
solid old time comfort of the farm, and the
quiet way in which within couple of days
after my arrival was put into possession
of it, and made to feel that it all belonged
to me, to do just what l pleased with
There were plenty of horses, and we rode
plenty of fish, and we ished; plenty of
woodcock, and We shot. All this shall be
spoken of with proviso. 1 say we, by
which let it be understood that l do not
mean Horace's two sisters, Carrie and
Nttie, as having participated in all these
sports.
For some days after my arrival at the
farm my curiosity had been much excited
by the occasional panegyric lavished by
the young ladies upon a once school-fellow
of their own, May Stevens by namn, who
was according to their highly colored ac-
count, the most perfect thing in the shape
of woman til living.
"And SO she is coming at last. I'm SO
glad !"
Whether it was that the train of my
, thoughts was upon that point at the mo-
rectly the whole matter. I saw Carrie
with an open letter in her hand, and COUP
| Iiug it with Nettie's words knew that the
hitherto only heard Of May Stevens was
about to b. come areality. had no need
tc ask questions; all the information WIS
profered. May Stevens, the Incompatible
| May, was to spend q month at Hyatt's, and
they were to expect her at any moment,
though, rs the letter read, she might not
BE- down for week to come. My whole
mind was now absorbed in making the best
figure possible before the new queen. My
be offered on the shrine of May Stevens.
abscnted myself to go to town on the
plea of a sudden memory of business neg
lected, and lad faithfully promised Nettie
and Carrie that the next day should see me
down again at Hyatt's to stay out the
months that May Stevens, the wonderful,
was about to pass with them.
I arrived ut my city rooms, and for six
hours dressed and redresse1, compared,
rejected and selected, at the end of that
time l had laid out those portions of my
wearable goods, in which had decided to
make my first appearance before May
Stevens. 1t wanted still several hours to
sunset, and having got safely through the
great objec of my visit, thought it would
not be bad idea to take the last train, and
return the same night to "Hyatt's," in-
steading of waiting over till morning. No
sooner said than done. l packed my
habiliments, and away l went. Whizzing
and putting over an uninteresting road ia
provocative of sleep, so found it when
the shades of evening fell, for, to the best
Of my recollections, l was in the very midst
of dream, in which May Stevens attired
in book. muslin and pale blue satin, sat
OF purple cloud, and admiringy inquired
who my tailor was. just as l was about
tc inform her there came crash, and for
q moment, l was not entirely certain
whether it was the cloud that had exploded
or myself had torn some portion of my ap-
parel that was overstrained. 1t required
but a moment to awaken me to the fact
that both Prescriptions were wrong. 1t
was our train, the 626, that had run OF
the track, smashing things generally, and
spilling the contents of several baggage.
cars along the road, to say nothing OF
frightening half hundred passengers into
condition bordering on lunacy. But
most terrible of all mshaps, it spilled me,
clothes and all, into pool of mud an
! water, from which escaped with life, but
utterly wrecked in the matter of good
clothes. This was pretty state of things;
and tc make it still worse, I was exactly
, FIVE miles from my destination. l was
disposed to make myself agreeable, and
|, would have willingly rendered all the As.
s;stance in nay power to the unprotected