Year: 1861

laugh as usual. As | entered, Charley
drew up the rockingham, and after Sec
ing me safely deposited in its depths,
said


Now cousin Jane, 1 shall tell you the
story about how | first met my wife
1T is Just five years ago this summer
that was granted exemption for month
from my DESK and went down with my
chum, Horace Hyatt, to his fathers in
old Monmouth, the garden Of that unjust
ly abused State, New jersey. | should
never have forgotten that visit even tho
| had not there met with an adventure
that had its influence on the whole future
of my life. l should remember it for the
real, true hospitality, the solid, old-time
comfort of the farm, and the quiet way
in which, within couple of days after
my arrival, was put in possession of it,
and made to feel that it all belonged to
me to do just what l pleased with
There were plenty of fish and we fshed !;
plenty of woodcock, and we shot. l say
we-by which let it be understood, do
not mean Horaces twin sisters, Carrie
and Nette, as having participated in all
these sports They rode to be sure, and
charmingly they did it; they fshed, and
| must confess they were much luckier
than their guest But they did not shoot,
though shall not exult over their lack
of this accomplishmcnt-they were
charming enough without it. am sure
| shall excite no jealousy by declaring
that which | shall mention here, Carrie
and Nettie Hyatt were the most charm
ing girls that had ever seen and | was
Just hcsitating as to which of them |
should fall desperately in love with, when
my calculations were all disturbed by an
accidcnt--for so suppose | must call it
though really seeming like special
Providence. What this was | shall tell
in the best way | know how


For some days after my arrival at the
farm, my curiosity had been much excited
by the occasional pancgyrics lavished by
the young ladies upon once schoomate
of theirs, May Stevens by name, who was
according to their highly colored account,
the most perfect thing in the shape of a
woman, then in existence. tried to per-
suadc myself that nothing in that line
could surpass Nettie and Carrie; but the
reputation OF this May Stevens haunted
me, and came like shadow across my
new born passion. formed at last, an
imaginary May Stevens; and, do what |
would, the figure was with me. At last
| was worked into an agony of curiosity,
and trcmblcd with some great purpose
which should bring before me the object
of my thoughts and the two sisters con-
tnual conversations In what this would
have ended in it is impossible for me at
this time to say, had | not heard, one
morning, as | entered the breakfast room,
the startling words from Nettie;


And SO She is coming at last. I'm so
glad =


Whether it was that the train of my
thoughts was upon that poiut at the mo-
ment, cannot say but knew directly
the whole matter. saw Carrie with an
open letter in her hand, and coupling it
with Nettie's words. knew that the hith-
erto only heard of May Stevens was about
to become a reality. | had no need to
ask questions. All the information was
proffcred. May Stevens--thc incompar
able May-was to spend a month at lly-
ats and they We're to expect her at any
moment, though, as the letter read, she
might not be down for week to come
4 week 1T was an age, a century; and
was in a hutter OF excitement. My
long standing passion Of nearly two weeks
duration, for Carrie and Nettie, was for
cotton in an instant, end my whole mind
was absorbed in making the best figure
possible before this new queen, With
this idea, began to look at my ward.
robe. | had come down with sufficient
clothes to answer all ordinary purposes,
including, of course, Carrie and Nettie; ;
but the new goddess was certainly worthy
Il new rig on my part and certainly
should have it. This resolution was
made within fifteen minutes after hearing
the announcement of her intended comil &
and before two hours had gone by, | Was
whizzing on my way to town to carry
out that resolve. My choicest morsel OF
wardrobe should be offered at the shrine
of May Stevens.


had abscnted myself on the plea of a
sudden memory of a business neglected,
and faithfully promised Nette aud Car
rie that the next day should sec me down
at Hyatt's again, to stay out the month
that May Stevens, the wonderful, was
about to pass with them.


The racking of brain that day to ere
ate grand ensemble of costume-some-
thing beyond all criticism, that should at
the first glance strike the beholder with
silent admiration was indeed terrible
The labor of writing Paradise Lost,
was nothing to it. 1t was early in the
day when | arrived at my city rooms, and
for six hours | dressed and re-dressed,
compared and rejected and selected; and
at the end of that time | had laid out
those portions of my weareble goods in
which had decided to make my first ap-
pearence before May Stevens. 1t wanted
still several hours of sunset. Having got
safely through the great object of my vis-
it, | thought it would be well for me to
take the last train and return the same
night to Hyatt's instead of remaining
over till morning. No sooner said than
done. | packed my habiliment and away
| went. Whizzing and putting over an
unintresting road is provocation OF sleep.
So found it when the shades of evening


II I