Year: 1861

man and dreaming las some single mel
do) Of double bliss yet destined to arrive
| went to concert at the Music Hall o
Boston. Music is POLITICALLY and proverb
ially at the food of love-" and in my sen
timental state consumed good deal o
it ); not that had any object in view
Mine was abstract love; l cultivated it
l increased my stock, SO that | might hav'
good deal of the tender passion on hand
whenever l saw an eligible opportunity Of
Investing it. Well, to return to the con
cert, it was crowded to excess, and tht
rush on leaving, to reach cabs and car
riages, was very great. l wore on thai
memorable night blue coat with brass
buttons, and | flattercd myself there wer,
worse looking men in the room. l tel
you candidly, l admired myself, and mex,
to myself, the other party | was mos1
struck with was a fine girl, with dark
eyes and black hair; who sat with some
young friends few forms distant. l hop.
ed she noticed me and my blue coat with
brass buttons. l looked at her often
enough to attract her attention to both
and being, as my friends would say, in
rather a spoony state, worked myself in a
towering passion of lore. But how was
l to come at the sbject Of my alteration
for was as diffident as devoted, :" as shy
as | was vain," as an over-candid friend
once said. Hail Columbia, which conclud-
ed the concert, surprised me, as unprepar.
cd as on my first glance to improve the
occasion, and the company were shooting
out, while l stood mutely gaping after the
object of my love at first sight. She and
her party eddicd for while by the inner
door of the concert room and were then
drawn ont into the retiring current and
lost to my view.


| followed quickly after, lest l should
lose forever all opportunity of identifying
my idol; but alas the lights were few
and SO far between that "no glimpse of
my star could get" | pushed and ell
bowed ticrcely through the crowd, with a
view of getting to the outer door before
my fair ones party had emerged, and thus
gain sight once more of my sweetning.


Hang it :" muttered impatiently, as
felt tug at my coat tail, and was in
stantly conscious of one Of my hind but
tons having hitched to some lady's dress ;
my progress was suddenly arrested. "How
provoking" said |, as | was brought to a
stand, for | could not push on without los
ing n button or tearing dress; " how
provoking the modern fashion, lady has
as many hoops and tentacles about her ap-
parel as sea anemonc." 1t was with
some irritation that stopped to undo the
button, but my hurry made the task more
difficult, and instead Of undoing, only
bungled and more twisted the loop around
the button.


please to let me try" said the lady
herself, as | bungcd over the business
She ungloved her hand, it was sweet
white hand, so looked at her face
Stars and garters, but it was fair one,
the black hair and eyes was in search Of
As she stopped over the entapgled button
a slight blush tinged her cheek. Oh, it
was delicious. hoped she never would
undo the loop, and indeed she would not,
fer her fingers were twitehing nervously,
and my heart was beating audibly ltried
to help her, our fingers met


Please to make way there" shouted a
sruff voice behind. We were blocking
up the passage; was there ever such an
unlucky spot for such lucky entangle-
mcnt.


"Yo ou hinder the people from going out,
Annie" exclaimed one Of her companions
with some asperity plague upon the
tiresome loop, break it y and suiting the
action to the word, the speaker leaned
forward, caught the sleeve of his beauti-
full friends dress in one hand and my coat
tail in the other, and giving a quick and
decided tug, severed us.


The crowd bore on, and we were separ-
ated not, however, before | gave my
" star look which l intended to speak
volumes. | thought she did not seem un-
conscious of my meaning eyes met,
| knew, and this was the onl y consolation
left me, for Immediately afterwards | lost
her and her party to view in the darkness
outside.


The. night l scarcely closed my eyes,
thinking OF my q bright particular star, "
and what means should employ TO find
her out. knew little Of the town, which
was large one, and to expect to know
the name of my fair one by mere descrip-
ton was hopeless; there doubtless must
be great many with dark eyes within
bills of mortality" here as elsewhere.


My love grew more and more violent IN
the course of the day; but tired out at
length with my search, | returned to the
hotel, and took out my dress coat from my
portmanteau to feed my fame even with
the contemplation OF the inanimate busi-
ness button that had deta ned the " black
eyed divinity so long. 1t was with no
little delight | now discovered what did
not before catch my eye-a fragment OF
the silk loop of her dress still adhered to
the button twisted round the shank. l
pressed it to my lips it was lilac in color
and l stopped to gently disentangle it
from the bit of brass as though it was a
tress of my loved ones hair, when some
thing clinked in the skirt pocket. sup
posed / had left some money there, for in
nv perturbation and excitement | omitted
to search the coat on taking it off the
night before. thrust my hand into the
pocket. Gracious me. What did | be-
hold, what did l take out "a gold chain
and bracelet


You could have Drained me with lady's
fan. saw at a glance how matters stood