The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-02-07

|
them.
"No, no; you shall have them all alone,
and | feel it comfort to think you will
have them"
In due time splendid pair of grays
We're at the door, and l was bowled along
to my destination. 1t was certainly far
preferable to an open dogcart. N-was
soon reached rather tardily remember
ed that a ticket had not been secured for
the entertainment, and drove at once to the
music shop where they were sold, and Sc
cured one
Telling Reeve to make himself very COM
Portable during the interval, and to be ready
when the affair was finished, entered the
hall. 1t was well lighted and densely pack
cd, but the platform looked rather bald.
There was the harp, and the harp alone.
After waiting some little time rather in
significant parsonage made his appearance
by its side, and thought it looked very
stupid to be there, little dreaming what Il
magician was before me in the form of that
little man.
He commenced, and for two hours l
was the abject slave of that man. He did
with me what he would was pastoral,
was military, l was jubilant, was sunk in
soft delight almost to tears In short, [
was mesmerized in halo of glorious music!
What could it be? Surely not that one
harp. 1t seemed as if a whole band of
angelic performers were lowering about
one. [ am particularly open to musical
impression, but never had been so COM
pletely enthralled. His intervals were in
tervals of torment, only to be succeeded by
new raptures; and when at last all was over,
| felt only that l could beseech him to re-
sume But it was all over, and with the
rest l had to go forth into the night.
In truth it was fearful night. There
was high, cold wind, with fiercely y-beating
sleet, and coming from the brilliant light
it was almost impossible to discern the OBJ
iects around. | called out Reeve! Is
Reeve here p and a voice said: "Yes
sir p and pair of grays appeared to the
front. The door of the brougham was i'm
mediately opened by some ready hand, and
| was glad to escape the fierceness Of the
weather, and we drove off, the hail patter
ing merrily against the windows. | saw
We were going the right way, but lulled by
the storm | soon fell into the embraces of
the poppy god. The glamour of the harp
ist was still upon me and my senses still
enslaved. l dreamt the divine melodies of
that harp were still with me, but retreating,
and that l was compelled to follow. I
went on through brambles, through wood,
over rivers, over mountains, and could not
stay my fight. AT last they began to as
cend, and strange to say, l foated upward
also At length, at terrible height, the
wierd music ceased, and Immediately fell.
My dream was over. The carriage had
stopped on the gravelled frontage of what
appeared to be, and what in reality was, a
large house.
No words can express my astonishment
as gazed upon the streaming light that
met me in all directions, for the mansion
before which we had stopped seemed illu-
minated throughout its whole extent. For
moment or two [ could not disconnect
from what had been dreaming; but | soon
let my myself out and perceived at glance
that the brougham before me was not tina t
of my friend Captain Willoughby and that
could have mistaken it for his seemed
impossible.
"What is all this, Reeve ?" said l.
"What have you done with me? This is
not Captain Willoughby-"
90, lor o, lor r said the coachman,
give been and druv' home the wrong gem :
leman o, lor instead of Master Fred
I've druv' home the wrong gen 'leman."
"This is not Captain Willoughby's ear
riage ?" repeated I.
"No, sir" said the frightened fellow;
mo, sir, mo- Captain Willoughby's car
riage was just behind me, waiting for Mr..
Percival, Reeve told me.
"Well, then, why on earth did you take
me here, man y
90, lor, sir how could | tell you were
wrong gentleman You sings out +:
'Shreeve, Shreeve and | heard the door
bang, and had enough to do to look to
my horses, for they were very skittish.
There were great number of things about,
and you sings out; Drive on, Shreeve y
and druv on; and o, lor I've been and
druv' the wrong gentleman"
"And where am | now ?" said l.
"Why, sir, you see as how you're at
Squire Ellisons. And o, sir, do tell the
squire as how | couldn't help it, or else
am ruined man."
By this time several servants had come
out with lights, crying 90, Mr.. Fred,
come in, come in. Miss Efie is dying"
More than ever astonished, walked into
the hall and was ushered into a room, and
into the midst of horror stricken faces. !
briefly explained that [ had been to the
concert, and in mistake had got into the
wrong brougham, not discerning in the
roughness of the night that the carriage
before me was not that of my friend Capt
Willoughby, and misled by ehe fact thai
the names of the coachmen appeared to be
the same.