Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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I ^ %* jit^tntot jaiiul; Ittosgagtr: gm l|t |rgmoli(m rf % lolifital, Sgcrot, ^gnoxltnral aitir Cgrotrtiai fittotsfa tf % VOL. 15. YOBKYILLE, 8. C., THURSDAY, MAY 27,1869. INTO. ' * " " " i. w i : ii h) >i i. '-w a. s # aLstx. ?u*. r.-j (tm-in' mlarvaj am/] 4ka mowtli (?ono the idler. 1 ' MY RAILWAY COMPANION ' , ( BY CLARA AUGUSTA. ^ ? A year ago I was a conhrmed old bachelor. I < scoffed at the women?God bless them!?and in * the club-room, on the street, at the evening party, 1 and everywhere else where I could get an audience, I always took the opportunity of discoursing at t large on the faults and failings of the gentle sex. i And I am going to tell you what made me thus ? misanthropic. If it had not been for Fanny Gray, it would never have happened. ' Naturally, I am happy to say, I am one of the t best tempered, most generous-hearted fellows in 1 the world, but early in life I had a disappointment i in love; and you know a disappointment of that i kind is sufficient to change the whole course of an i individual's life. I could instance a great many i distinguished men as cases in point, if I were so J disposed. T My disappointment occurred, as I said, in early 1 life; very early, in faot I was but seventeen, and 1 she was fourteen. We went to school together, 1 and I used to help her over the bad places in the i road, and in vulgar fractions; and from helping ^ her in difficulty, I got to loving her. And here let I me throw oat a hint to mankind at large. Never get to assisting a woman in trouble, unless you are willing she should win your heart; for she'll be j sure to do it, whether she wants to or not Man is an animal that enjoys being looked up to, and g being asked advioe of; and if a woman onoe defers i to him, and gets him to decide thiogs for her, he'll i just as surely fall in love with her as he's living. g Fanny was a pretty girl. Every body said so, and it was an undeniable fact She had yellow ] hair, all crinkles and curls; and brown- eyes and i such a white skin, and the prettiest little feet and 1 hands in the world. Why, my hand isn't a large t one, but I could hold both ef hers in one of mine and not half try. e How well I remember the night I told her that 1 i loved her. It was in October?most cross-grained things happen in October, I believe; we had gone t together over into the lake pasture after the cows; \ and I had got down on my knees right in the wet- 1 test, spongiest part of the.path?nearly ruined the s knees of my new gray pantaloons, I recollect?and poured out my passion at her feet 1 She laughed in my face. Perhaps you. have no- I tieed that girls in general have a habit of giggling, c I Yes, she laughed in my faoe, and told me to go a k home and eat my bread and butter like a good boy r and not be troubling her with talk like that. She c f said she was a great deal too young to think of c marriage; and that when she was old enough, it v was her intention to marry a Duke at least; and t live iu a palace, and go to the Queen's drawing- j rooms, and be called "ray lady," etc. And then j she laughed again. I rose from my knees very hot, and angry, and c told her she was a heartless dirt, and mentioned 1 to her that my heart was broken; but she only 1 laughed the more. And in toe midst or it, aiong i came Harry Smith, whistling "Hail Columbia;" i and she let Harry take down the bars for her, and c lift her over the brook, and I was jubilant when, in 1 the middle of the stream, Harry's legs failed under him?for he was a small fellow, and she was as t plump as a partridge?and he slipped down with 1 her, and both got as wet as minks. t Well, that was years ago, but I never fully re- i covered from the sting her unkind refusal gave me. i If I have said anything about the female sex of & which I ought to feel ashamed, anything which t was wrong, Fanny Gray ought to be held accounta- j ble, not I. t I went home feeling as if I did not care a straw for life. I did not eat my supper, and Aunt Peggy r made me drink some appetitebitters, in the virtues t of which, she had great faith. I went up to my t A room early, packed a few things in a valise, and the t ^ next day ran away to New York. I intended to ship on a whaler, but there was no e chance at the time, and I got on a coaster instead. s The PoHy Jane-only ran with freights to Philadel- i phia, but that voyage was enough. I wanted no i more of the sea. I thought I should never live to 1 reach land; and the sailors, unfeeling wretches, did ? little else but laugh at me. Once back in New York, no money could tempt \ me to try my luck again on the briny deep. I got a chance as errand boy in the mercantile establish- i ment of Storey, Johnstone & Co. It was a good y place, and my employers did the liberal thing by . me. ? I wrote home, and informed my anxious parents j, where I was; and I made up my mind to make trade my life business. Step by step I advanced, for I was faithful, and I am happy to say possessed considerable business talent I arrived at the dignity of clerk iu due time ; then I was book-keeper, and three years ago, when Mr. Storey retired from the firm, I became the junior partner. Eighteen months afterward Johnstone died, and I bought out his heirs, so I am now head of the establishment ^ People call me a good looking fellow, and I don't f pretend to dispute with them. It is extremely ! impolite to contradict folks, you know. I think myself that I am passable, though I have always 3 ? IvasI K/inn Klortlr inofoof] nf W1SUCU lliy lltUI uau lAIVU i/UH/A| itiuwuv* w? ?VV??.V.. j brown. But I won't color it; I have got a little j too much pride for that Well, about a year ago, I found that business required my presence in Chicago. An hour or two before I was ready to start, my particular friend, . Tom Jasher, came rushing into my counting- J room. "Stanford," cried he, "I've a great favor to ask ' of you." "Anything, my dear fellow," said I. "Any- 1 thing I could do for you will be a great pleasure." ' "I told Nettie you would," said he; "but she insisted you wouldn't She?" "Humph!" said I. "Women are selfish creatures, and judge every body by themselves. I am i sure, Tom, I should be delighted to oblige you 1" "Thank you. It will be such a relief to me. You see I was going to Chicago myself, to hunt up some claims the first of the week?" "Give them into my hands, Tom," said I; "I'll ' attend to them." ^ "Oh!" said Tom, coolly, "John Nason went * last night and he's going to see after that business. 1 I should have gone myself, but you see the baby < was taken sick, and Nettie will not consent that I 1 should leave it. And, indeed, I do not wish to." 1 "Confound the babies!" said I mentally, but not ' audibly; for Tom Jasher, good fellow as he is, is a perfect spooney on babies. So I said, aloud: < "Well, trust your business to me, old friend." < "I shall always remember it in you, Fred," said he, speaking a little hesitatingly, as if he feared, '< after all, that Nettie might have judged me more < correctly than himself. "I want to getyou to take charge of a woman?a lady?as far as Chicago." ] "Goodness gracious, Tom Jasher!" exclaimed I, "you know 1 detest?" "Oh! now don't be foolish, Stanford replied he. "This is none of your giggling young girls. She is my wife's earliest friend?they love each other like sisters; and she is a very nice soberminded, cultivated lady. She never faints away, nor carries band-boxes; and she will give you no trouble at alL She is going to her family in Chicago. I should have gone with her, but, as I was ^ saying, the baby took cold, and he's croupy, and W there are symptoms of pneumonia; and all the reI ief he gets is in onion poultices and yellow snuff." ast "Babies are a nuisance!" said 1 gruffly. pe< "Oh! no, indeed!" ejaculated Tom. "Why, ly i ny dear fellow, we couldn't think of living without thi >ur little Freddy! Named him after you, my boy. wi< Earned him last night Nettie decided on it She trii aid there was no one in the world, after me, of ] jourse, that she thought so highly of as Frederick wa Stanford ; and she thought Freddy such a pretty bel lame!" noi "Indeed!" said I, a great deal mollified, and not cui i little pleased at having a child named after me? am ye all have our weaknesses, you jknow?"indeed, wil lasher, this is unexpected, decidedly so." am "It is nothing more than you deserve," said the Fom, enthusiastically, grasping my hand; and I thi bought there were tears in his eyes, but it might wil rave been the effect of my cigar-smoke, for the in i oona was fall of it "You are a good fellow, Stan- my brd?a deuced good fellow 1 Your principal tail- cat ng is your dislike of women and babies; but 1 live ] n the hope that you will get over it in time. If yo\ mu only could see Freddy now! The darling! it cb< vould do you good to hear him try to say Papa. ' it is perfectly charming f" And Tom rubbed his auf lands, and got very red in the faoe, and looked as 1 lappy as if he had just heard that his grandfather urn vas dead, and had willed him half a million. hei After a moment he partially subsided, and went lack to the old subject 8UI "What do you say to t&kiogcharge of the lady?" w*j I swallowed down the lump iu my throat, and mswered brayely: - W1( "I'll do it, Jasher. I suppose, if she's the rea- dis enable person you represent her to be, that she'll J09 lot be expecting me to do the agreeable to her? \111 shall have to see after will be her luggage, ind get her something to eat ?" ma "Yes," said Jasher, in such a peculiar tone that Pn i oould not tell whether the fellow was ridiculing ne or not "All a woman wants is to have her ^ jaggajre seen after, and some victuals to eat now die indthen." P?< Jasher took his leave, promising to be at the ora itation in good season, with my traveling compan- 0U1 on. thi I need not tell the reader how blue I felt over ^r0 he arrangement to whioh I had consented. I " ranted to oblige my friend, but I had much rather ?ei le had asked me to endorse his note for ten thous- tm md. ' ; sll< I was at the depot early. If there is anything I wo mte, it is being hurried on my way to a depot uut lurrying destroys a man's dignity, and it wilts his ollar, especially if he wears paper; and it gener- . Jly makes him sweat, and then his hat produces a inc ed streak on his forehead; and he is apt to get ut of breath, and out of temper, also. I bought coa oy tickets, and paced the platform impatiently. I rished Jasher would come. I felt some curiosity 80 o see the lady who was to be my traveling com- res mnion. Nothing more than a natural feeling, ^ "ou know. J Time wore on?the first bell struck, and still he 0S lid not arrive. I was nearly determined to go on aa^< >oard the cars; for I am one of those men who ?xc lave an aversion to the rush for seats at the last ninutc. I have no special ambition to get my J?^ iame into the newspapers, by falling between the Pul iars some day in getting into them, and having my h?l egs out off or my head crushed. Not at all 1 ^ur Just as I was going on board, Jasher came, hot, ind flurried, and breathless. He had a lady on lis arm whom he presented to me. I understood 8WI he name, Mrs. Graves, or Gaines, I could not tell c0^ vhich. Jasher was 90 out of breath that he could QU1 lot articulate very plainly. She was rather a 3611 imall woman, for which I was thank fill; for if an( here is anything I deprecate it is a woman of the t0 kmazonian mould. It is too much of a good ^a< hing. y?> I saw in the newspaper the other day, that the ^ nost disagreeable way women have with them is oui o weigh two hundred! And the genius who wrote hat paragraph is wise. It is truth, double-dis- or illed and boiled down. f? Mrs. Graves wore a gray traveling-suit, just short aw mough to show her charming little foot; and a J imall foot was always my admiration, notwithstand- ^ ng 1 was a woman-hater! Jtlor dress was trimmed Jce n black, and she had on a brown hat with a scaret rose in front, and a bhie veil all over her head ftu md face. Jua "Homely as sin!" said I to myself; "pretty hoi vomen never wear veils?that is, thick ones." ^ Jasher got the baggage checked and the tickets xmght. These were transferred to me, together l'M vith the Deatly-gloved hand of Mrs. Graves, and I iscorted her into a car. It was not very crowded, ind I gave her a seat just in front of,'mine, for I . lad determined that I would not sit on the same sofa with her. I did not care to be quite so near ^ i womau as that; for if I did, she would expect . ae to talk to her, and tell her the names of the ^ stations, and buy her lady's books, and ^ranges, ind photographs, and peanuts, when the vender P jpent through the cars. Not that I grudged the f?1 money, but you see I did not want to be agreeable ^ ? any woman. . I had just got myself comfortably fixed, with ray ori jvercoat on the seat beside me, and my newspaper spread out, when in sailed a woman full six feet mv high, and stout in proportion, with her arms full of ' i poodle, a band-box, a big paper parcel, a satcfiel ind a pot of verbenas. And before I could raise hand or voice to prevent her, she had plumped i ; berself down beside me, spread her stiff hooped 11 petticoat over my knees, and set her bandbox and parcel into my lap with the remark : doj "Here, you mister, jest you hold them things, ['ve got the verbenas and Pet to take care of, and that's enough for me. Dear me 1 can't you set , )ver a little? I'm awfully crowded!" UC I was on the point of dropping her luggage, stepping unceremoniously over her, and taking a seat with Mrs. Graves; but just as I was rising ^ for that purpose, a nice-looking young gentleman, ., ivith curly black hair, entered the car, laid his dain- ^ :ily gloved hand on the back of her seat, and asked ^ ;he question: "Is this seat engaged, madam?" ^ "No, sir," replied the sweetest voice I had ever ^ heard; and I have a fine ear for music. "May I sit here?" as deferentially as if he was , islcing a sovereign to spare his life. "If you please," said she.' And I could have th: :hrottled him as he sat down beside her, his arm < touching her shoulder, and his handsome face bent he; lown to talk to her. I could not help feeling ang- M< ry with him; but then, of course, it was not troni th< my special interest in her, for I hated the sex, but because he had so much better a seat than I had. ha For my partner smelt of musk and onions; and wl; me of these odors is bad enough, but combine ch: them, and it is dreadful! i The curly-headed fellow made himself intensely ha lgreeable to her. He bought a comic paper, and it | they laughed over it together, and by and by he ha bought some popped corn, and they ate that to- ret eether. I was fairly boiling with rage, and when all Mrs. Poodle addressed me a question, I answered bei so sharply that the poodle barked and made a snap he at my elbow. Sagacious little cuss! he must have wo known that I had murder in my heart. wr After a while we came to a stopping-place. The I < curly-haired fellow put his shawl over the back of wi the seat to keep his place for him, and went out. he Quick as thought I piled the boxes into Mrs. Poo- I j die's lap, stepped over her, and took the seat the wl young man had just vacated. Mrs. Graves looked up at me in evident sur- kii prise. She had removed her veil now, and I was to onished to see how pretty she was. I had ex-1 jted she was elderly, and this lady could certain -1 ar not be more than twenty-five, I thought. I was th rty. I had long before decided that she was a ot low?probably that was what her dress was of aimed in black for. co [ honored her now with a good look. Her hair s a rich golden brown, and gathered into a knot sii lind, from which strayed a few careless ringlets; hi le of your detestable water-falls, oomposed of fa -led hair, old stockings, split zephyr, black yarn, ur 1 dirty horse hair. She had a clear complexion, wi ;h a dash of crimson in the cheeks, brown eyes, 1 a mouth that?well, I was an old baohelor sii sn, and did not believe in women; but I did Si nk I wouldn't mind touching those red lips wi ;h nay qwn, just to see how it would seem; for, ill my life, I had never kissed any woman but mother?if I except Aunt Peggy, who had the in arrh and took snuff. ar frefore many moments elapsed, the curly-haired ar ing man returned, and looked daggers and but- d( mt> I til This is my seat, sir," said he, with an air of an tbority. T beg your pardon, air," said I. "This lady is w< ier my charge, and I claim the right to sit with p." bi '.Under your charge!" said he, with a look of at prise. "Then why the deuce didn't you sit ;h her before ?" ni 'I?I?thought she would be more oomfortable h( ;h a seat to herself," said I. "I am sorry to se turb you, sir, but you can take the seat I have ca tleft," And I pointed with my thumb over r shoulder, to the seat Mrs. Poodle occupied. an 'Thank you for the suggestion," said the young lit ,n, "but I prefer the smoking-car." Which at >vcd him to be a very sensible fellow, alter all. 1 (Veil, it wasn't half so bad as it might have a in, to sit beside my traveling companion. She a 1 not smell of musk, and she had no bundles, sa odles, nor bandboxes. The wind came in at a ck of the window, and I fixed a shawl to keep it at t, and somehow I touched her hand. What a wj ill went through me! It was like taking a shock m m a galvanic battery, only rather pleasanter. th Pretty soon we fell to talking. I do notremem what we commenced about, but I recollect dis- nc ctly that I was surprised to find how sensible dl i was. It was a little curious to me where a man ever managed to pick up so many ideas; ca 1 it was still more curious bow she knew just pi at to say and where to say it lo ro cut a long matter short, we had an exceed- or ;ly pleasant day cf it; and when night came, s. Graves went off to sleep with her head on my all it, and a shawl piled up on the side of the car. fu t by and by I fell to thinking that the road was nc rough and the cars jolted so; that she would not be f ?aI1 nnd then T wnndernd hnw T omild fix her Qt ter. ge Che lights had burned very dim?evidently ker- th ne was scarce?and the passengers were all ar eep, and snoring as people never snore anywhere & sept in a railway car, and?well, you see I pither poor head, bobbing around so with overy sp and I just drew it down to my shoulder and cr t my arm "round her to keep her in place. 1 an pe no Oho will be unkind enough to blame me cy so doing; it was the result of my naturally kind sa irt, you know. ITou ask me how I felt? Why, as if I had ed dlowed a couple of rainbows washed down with ar ogne and otto of roses. Probably I was not ar ite in my right mind with the novelty of the G isation, and that was what made me kiss her ; a 1 after the first kiss, somehow there didn't seem ar be any stopping-place. But then I had never 1 any practice, and I wanted to perfect myself, l know. ca [ did not sleep any that night, it seemed as if I ght not to sleep; somebody might have picked ri< ' pocket, or there might have been a collision, 01 something might have happened, and so I had I kiss Mrs. Graves now and then to keep me th ake. fn Mext morning she awakened as fresh and rosy ar a pink just blossomed. She asked me if I had la ted woll, and I told her yes, delightfully! How f? itty and refreshed she looked. Not gray and ar pid and red-eyed, as everybody else did, but t as bright as if she had slept in her own bed at me. [ don't believe that any of us begin to realize w much of our good looks is due to a judicious 13 ; of soap and water, and fine comb; but a few 8t> ps and nights' travel on a railway will wake us to an understanding of it; for if any one has ai luty enough to make them look decent after a - .i .v J A1 ;ht's rest in a railway car, tnen tney never neea i,j afraid that time will destroy their beauty; for at a night under the circumstances can't do, le can't do either. hi By and by we came to a refreshment stopping,ce, and there we all washed our faces and got nothing to cat. And such a cup of coffee as I to' d! It was nectar! She sweetened it for me, su iich is the only reason I know of for its superity. ' ci Ah! well, that was a delightful journey, bat I ist not be too lengthy in describing it. m A little while before we would reach Chicago, y? rs. Graves turned to me and said: & "Mr. Stanford, I can not express the gratitude eel toward you for your kindness. I am afraid lave given you a great deal of trouble?" "Trouble!" interrupted I. "Whatever I have Wi oe has been a pleasure!" "You are very gallant to say so; but I know ist a nuisance you consider all women, and?" "Not such women as you," said I, cursing the sk that had revealed my predilections to her, and iking a vow that when I saw Tom Jasher, I uld blow him up for telling her. "Thank you I" And she laughed in a way per- tc !tly bewitching. "You are very good; and now it our journey is almost at an end, perhaps you p d better give me my checks. Charles will be at j depot to meet me, and he will relieve you from th j trouble of seeing after my luggage. Dear old low! how delighted I shall be to see him. Only w nk! I have been absent from him four long tu >nths.'! Dharles! te My heart seemed bursting the moment she spoke it name with such a longing accent of fondness, w Dharles! how I despised that cognomen! I ard of a man once named Charles who was hung, bi T nvi^ViA#! AAnlrl cn<*A^ili7 mppf ni LI LclJ IJf1 JL niOUCU U110 VlUttUVO wutvi uj/wv*i?y m.vw? ? j fate of his namesake. And I had supposed she was a widow. Jasher d said she was going to join her family. Well, 10 should her family be but her husband and a ildren ? d( Good heavens I and there was no denying it; I d fallen in love with her. I might as well own a first as last. I ought to have known that if she d been a widow she would not have worn that hi 1 rose in her hat; but then women were up to si sorts of dodges about dress. And here I had en hugging her, and kissing her, and pressing b< r hand?and she another man's wife 1 And I m is angry enough with this abominable Charles to h( ing his neck; and so full of pain and despair that could have swallowed a tea-cupful of laudanum pi th pleasure. Evidently she thought I did not n< ar her request, for directly she repeated it, and jave her the little bits of brass with a deep sigh tc rich I could not smother. at "You do not look well, Mr. Stanford," said she adly. "I fear the journey has not been pleasant io you. "I am perfectly well, thank yon," I growled; id took out a newspaper and pretended to read le rest of the way. I caught her looking at me it of the corner of her eye in a half-amused sort ' way, but I flattered myself I had managed to nceal from her the state of my feelings. "Chicago!" bawled the conductor. And I asrted my fair companion to alight; and hardly id her feet touched the platform, before a tall, ir man, with reddish whiskers, had ber in bis ms, and they were kissing each other as if they ere used to it "Dear Charles," said she, pressing closely to his 3e. "I am so glad to see you. This is Mr. anford, who has been very kind to me all the jy. Mr. Jasher's friend." I bowed, and felt myself very much de trap. "Good morning!" said I, stiffly, and was walkg away. She touched my arm, and I tamed ound and faoed her. Hej cheeks were very red, id her eyes were bright as diamonds, and the sar little crimson mouth I had kissed so many tries, was puckered up into its most persuasive aile as she said; "Please call at No. 47, S street, and see as, an't you?" 11bunked her, and signified that I would do so; it I bad no more idea of it than I had of calling No. 47, S street in the moon. I went to a hotel, ordered a room, and flung yself on the bed, as much cut up generally as the >ro of any fine novel; and I ought to have been eing after my business. Bat what does a man re for business whose heart is broken ? After a while I rose, and put on a clean collar id washed the cinders out of my eyes. I felt a tie better, but oould not be contented to sit down id think ; I wanted excitement of some kind, thought I would go to the theatre. I locked in daily, and saw that there was to be a concert in hall near by. I went there, and the first face I w after entering the room was hers. And sitting beside her was that execrable Charles, id on the other side of him a young lady, who is pretty I suppose; but I did not notice her uch then. I had no eyes for anybody or any ing, save Mrs. Graves. The music was applauded vociferously, but I do it know to this day whether it was Yankee Dooe or Old Hundred. She was dressed in crimson, with a white operape over her shoulders, and the daintiest little nk hood that you ever saw on heT head. It oked like a wreath of foam with the sao shining i it. Suddenly there was a cry of fire! There generly is, if ever yon noticed, when a building gets 11 of people who are enjoying themselves. It is >t often that there really is any fire; but cvery dy thinks there is, and in the rush for safety any lantity of bones are broken, and the bone-setters it lots of jobs. It has long been my opinion that e people who raise the my of fire at such places e hired by the snrgeons, so that they may get a w extra jobs. At that ominous cry, every person in the room rang up, and the scene which ensued baffles desiption. The strong bore down the weak?women id children were trodden under foot, and no merwas shown to any one. Each one was bent on ving his own life. I fought my way through the crowd till I reacb1 her side. Pale and terrified, she clung to the m of Charles; and he had his arm, I noticed, ound the waist of the other woman. I took Mrs. raves' hand and drew her toward me. She gave little glad cry at sight of me. Then I put my m around her and my face close down to hers. "Will you trust yourself with me ?" I asked. "Oh! yes," she said eagerly. "It is all Charles n do to take care of Minnie." I carried her out of a side door into a wide corlor opening upon a back piazza, and where no ic had thought of seeking egress. By this time knew there was no fire, and I had been sure of at from the first; but the crush of the crowd, antic and half-crazed as they were, was frightful, id it was indeed a relief to get out of it. The iy was terrified, and clung to me in a way perctly delightful; and I put both arms around her itirely forgetting she had a Charles. "I wish I knew if they were safe," said she. "Who?" said I. "Charles and Minnie." I dropped my arms. "Probably your husband safe enough," said I, feeling as if some one had ruck me suddenly blind. "My husband? I hope he is," said she, in an nused tone; "but I do not know who he is yet." "Not know?" cried I, eagerly. "Isit possible? y dear Mrs. Graves, tell me the truth ! Who is lis Charles?" "lie is my brother. It was his wife with im? "My darling!" I exclaimed, getting her into y arms again, and stopping all further explanajns in a way which is familiar to all lovers, I ippose. "And uow tell me if 1 may not hope?" She did not tell me, but I took her silence for >nscnt. "My little darling, I love you. And please tell e your first name, dear; I can not very well call >u. by your last one now. Mrs. Graves is so rmal." "My name is not Graves," said she, archly. "Oh ! then it was Gaines?" "Neither. I suppose Mr. Jasher's introduction els too much hurried for him to be very particur." "Then what is your name?" "Gray." "And the Christian name?" "Fanny." A light broke over me. "Fanny Gray? Good gracious! you don't prend to say?" "Yes, I do," said she, nestling a little closer to e. "Dear old Fred, don't be overwhelmed by , and please don't think I planned it to win back ie love of long ago." "Fanny, tell me, if I should say to you just hat I said so many years ago in the lake pasire?" "With your knees two inches deep in mud," inrrupted she, laughingly. "Don't tease me, dearest. If I should say over hat I then said, what would you say ?" "I loved you then, Fred, in my girlish way; it I was a bit of a coquette, and I did like to torent you. You were such a jealous boy, Fred." "Well; am I to have your love now?" She put her soft hand against my cheek. "I suppose so. It has always been yours. Many time my heart has ached for your love and tenjrncss." ' 'Did Jaslier plan this journey ?" I asked, after little silence very delightful to us both. "I was coming West?and?and I think he did ive something to do with it He said you were ich a cross old bachelor?" "Dear old Tom!" cried I. "I'll give him the JSt pair of horses I can find in the city, the moent I get back." Tom's especial weakness, was orses. "And I was so jealous of Charles." "I know it, dear. I saw you reading your pair upside down for the last ten miles of our jour5y. May I ask if it was entertaining?" "I did not see a word. Fanny, when I go back i New York, you go with me. Do you underand me?" "Let us go home now," said she. "I am anxus about Charles and Minnie.'' So we went home, as she called it; and Charles and Minnie were already there, and laughed at our story, for I insisted on telling it to them ; and then like reasonable people, thoy went off up-staire and left the parlor to Fanny and I. I suppose you can guess at the finale. When I went back to New York, Mrs. Stanford accompanied me; and Tom Jasher was as jubilant over us as a cat over a mouse just caught And I?well, that journey to Chicago was tho loveliest occurrence of all my life, since it restored to me my early love. And it may be proper for me to Bay that, during the whole thirteen years of onr separation. Fannv Grav and I had never met; so you will understand why it was that I did not recognize her.?Ballmis Monthly. funding. From the New York Democrat. MARRIAGE OF JEFFERSON DA7IS. It may not be generally known that Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi, late President of the Confederate States of America, was first married to a daughter of the lamented Zachary Taylor, who was elected President of the United States in 1848. Much less are the peculiar incidents and romantic circumstances attending Mr. Davis' marriage to Miss Sarah Knox Taylor known to the world. I propose to make up this chapter of history. During the "Black Hawk War," more than a third of a century ago, Colonel Taylor commanded n?. o c j j._ nur tirf jdotx \_irawioru, ml irnurie uu v/uicu, it iswusiu, (then Michigan,) and his family was with him. Jefferson Davis, then a young graduate of West Point, bearing a lieutenant's commission in the regular army, was ulso under orders at the same fort. Handsome, brave, and chivalrous by nature, and possessing the suavity, ease, and grace which thorough intelleetual culture and the most r< fined society confers, it was not strange that his heart became the target for very many of Cupid's seldom-erring arrows. One of thoee arrows, being directed by a glance oF Miss Knox Taylor's flashing eyes, "hit the mark," and it so happened that Miss Knox's heart went with the missile, and that the two hearts became indissolubly connected. Colonel Taylor, looking with disfavor upon the situation, resolved to break the alliance, and accordingly directed his servant to say to Knox, as he always called his daughter, that he wished to see her in the parlor. She came, and the following conversation ensued: "Knox, what can possibly be the object of Lieutenant Davis in visiting-this house so frequently?" "I cannot imagine, father, unless it is to see and talk with me." "You surely do not encourage his visits?" "Why not? Lieutenant Davis is handsome, generous, refined, and courageous. Young ladies] usually feci themselves complimented by the attentions of such gentlemen." "This will never do?never do, Knox. I must forbid him the house." "Why, father! what possible objection have you to Lieutenant Davis?" "He is all that you claim for him, my daughter; but he is too headlong and headstrong. Should you become his wife, you will be left a widow after the first battle. Iu truth, there is no telling to what sad fate that young man's rash impetuosity will lead him. It will not do?it will 7iei'er do." Without awaiting an answer or word, Colonel Taylor strode rapidly away in his military boots, with the imperious air of one whose word was law, leaving Miss Knox to her tears, and a woman's resolves. Lieutenant Davis received an intimation suifi .1 x ii. ?a? Cienuy pOlUieU lO ClliiUlC mui iu uuuusiauu biiaii his presence at Colonel Taylor's could be dispensed with. Nothing of unusual interest occurred during the succeeding month, except that the health of the Colonel's beautiful and accomplished daughter declined rapidly, and it came to be seriously feared tbat the fell destroyer, consumption, had marked her as another victim, whilst the young lieutenant became so quick-tempered and irritable that if any one dared even to regret that Miss Taylor was not looking so well as usual, coffee and pistols for two were likely to be called for. A denouement came, however,.as usual in all strategic movements, either in love or war. One bright morning, ere the early bee had gone forth to gather his sweets from flower and field, Colonel Taylor was aroused from his slambers. By a strange coinoidence he had been dreaming of "Wild Jeff" upon his noble steed, with Kncx so gracefully sitting on her blooded pony, running the gauntlet of scalping knives, tomahawks, and poisoned arrows. Being awakened, he demanded to know why he had been disturbed at so unreasonable an hour. "Aye, aye, sir; its only Patrick after coming to tell yer honor that Miss Knox's darlint pony has gone through the kay (key) hole of the stable, bridled and saddled himself, and set out on a race with the wild winds, if ye judge by the wide apart prints of his hoofs that he was after lavin' behind him, sir, and Miss Knox herself, sir, musht have fashtened herself in the bonnot-Dox in ner room, for sure, Biddy, the girl, and Sally, the nagur, watched time about, and she didn't get out, and she's not in there, sir, and?" - "Silence I'' roared the Colonel. "Yis, yis, your sarvent," cried Pat, placing his ear to the key-hole. "Can you tell me Patrick," said the Colonel, "whether Lieutenant Davis' horse is in his stall?" the Colonel at the same stepping to the door. "He is not, sir, and his earvint protista it's a red-skin as rode him away. Sure there's not another rider this side the old dart would get such jumps from a horse as the lieutenant's made when he was lavin', and that ye can know be measureing the space 'twixt his tracks. "Well, well, Patrick, go now." Away went the anxious Hibernian in eager search for further light touching the mysterious occurrence of the night The faithful Patrick, wild with excitement, and trembling with apprehensions regarding the safety of the "darlint Miss Knox," as well as for the well-being of his favorite lieutenant, passed hurriedly from place to place, and, by his highly agitated manner, spreading serious alarm as a Cbntagion in the tropics; so that when the Colonel, a little later, reached his front door, citizens were approaching from every direction, and * ' * ' ? * I* *>4- *TT V* nlrt na MS pracuceu eyK UlSWVl-ICU njut uic o uuto gamson was in commotion, as if momentarily expecting to be led forth by him to the rescue of his beloved daughter and the young lieutenant, who were supposed to have been captured by the hated "red-skins." The general excitement was greatly augmented half an hour afterwards by the discovery that Lieutenant George Wilson (brother of Hon. Thomas 8. Wilson, of Dabuque, Iowa), and Miss Street, daughter of General Street, were also among the missing. The opinion prevailed generally that the four young friends had been captured and scalped, as it was not to be supposed that even the courage of those gallant and chivalrous young officers could permit them to pass, especially with ladies, beyond the picket lines.? Hence, at an early hour the good French pioneers of the prairie came from every direction, mounted on their fleetest ponies, and armed with guns, pistols, butcher knives, etc., while the women wept in anguish over the loss of their favorites of the fort In the midst of all this confusion, and before Colonel Taylor had quite decided upon the precise course proper to be pursued, an old pioneer, more ' calm and self-possessed than the great mass about him, Uescncd, tar over tae praine, swo geiuwum and two ladies on horse-back, approaching the fori with apparently all possible speed Attention be ing called to the joy has sight, and all divining thai they were the missing lieutenants and ladies, who, by special interposition of Providence, moat have escaped, but were hotly pursued by their merciless captors, the whole body of impetuous and bravehearted Frenchmen were rushed with headlong speed to the rescue, and were soon face to face with the late lost ones, whom they greeted with such shouts of joy, it was averred, as had never before come from the lips and hearts of men on that beau tiful "Prairie of the Dogs." To say that the two Reutenants and their fair companions were greatly as well as most agreeablj surprised at these unexpected greetings and cordial congratulations, would be but to convey a faint n o a-! '?;-i A an.? v.j luea cm tneir bhumiimiuieuu ji ucj iuuocu mu m conception of tbe real cause of all this tumultuous rejoicing, until the old pioneer, before mentioned, rode forward, and in accents of broken, almost sob bing eloquence, depicted the intense excitement and grief which the diseovety of the capture of the lieutenants and ladies, by the ruthless savages, had occasioned throughout the village. Lieutenant Wilson essayed an explanation, but the old man, motioning thelieutonaDt to be silent, gave his order, and away dashed tbe whole party towards the village?tbe "reacnera" filled with joy ovei the fortunate turn of events and happy results ol the morning; while the sides of the "rescued" were splitting with laughter at the ludicrous mistake of their friends. Arriving at the village, tbe lieutenants and ladies, without being permitted a word in explanation, were rapturonsly greeted by men, women and children, in every manner calculated to manifest the great joy of the population consequent upon their miraculous escape from tomahawks and scalping knives, after passing that dreadful night in the custody of savages. Pew men have lived who, at any period of their existence possessed stronger self-will or oontrdl over himself than Lieutenant Davis^ yet in vain did he on that occasion exert every faculty and power to repress the risibilities of his nature in order to render an explanation possible. Much less was it possible for tbe ever-merry and great-hearted Lieutenant Wilson to do so. These ludicrous circumstances, with the exuberance of public rejoicing? all jabbering away in French and English at the I same time?rendered it utterly impossible for either of the "rescued party" to get in a word edgewise or otherwise, and so theorowd gradually dispersed. Colonel Taylor, however, "smelt a mice," and was Bot long in ascertaining the true state of affairs?that is, that Jeff. Davis and his daughter, Knox, had engaged in a "runaway match," with lieutenant Wilson and the beautiful Miss Street as groomsman and bridesmaid. Truth would out, and in less than an hour every man, woman and child in the village knew all about the wedding; and as they discussed the singular affairs and adventures of the morning, the most uproarious shouts of laughter arose from every group and household. ' There was, however, one face amid that widespread scene of mirth and gsyety that was livid with rage ; two lips tightly compressed; two eyes flashing with indignation; and one strong hand grasping, now and again, the hilt of an oft-tried sword. The reader may well imagine that I refer to Colonel Zachary Taylor, before whose angry glance brave indeed mnst have been the heart that did not become faint. Colonel Taylor having declared, with an oath strong as heeverused, that under-no circumstanoes would he ever forgive Davis or become reconciled * * . 1* .1 IV !_i.J wicii nis aangmer, an alienation mereairer ?xtuieu as wide as the poles of the earth. * * * # * * Sixteen years had passed away on the wheels ol time, when General Zachary Taylor and Colonel Jefferson Davis met in a foreign country, amid the sickening scenes of blood, carnage and battle, in defence of their country's honor, and over both ol whose commands defiantly floated "the star-spangled banner"?a flag which at that date (January 8th, 1847,) was in truth and reality the emblem ol liberty and equality. Wherever on that sanguinary field the fierce contest raged and duty called, there was seen the noble and soldierly form of Col. Jefferson Davis at the head of the "First Mississippi Rifles," than which no moreooor&geous, gallant and glorious regiment ever unsheathed sword for national honor. This was the battle of Bueoa Vista, in Mexico, where Colonel Davis was severely, and it was at the time supposed mortally, wounded by a cannon ball and by the fall of hie horse, the latter being instantly killed. # * # * * # It was evening at Bnena Vista; the great battle had been fought American arms and valor had triumphed, the dead were being buried, and the wounded humanely oared for by comrades' hands, when General Taylor mounted his splendid war horse, "Old Whitey," and hurriedly made his way to the markee of Colonel Jeff. Davis. Arriving at the wounded Colonel's quarters, the General quickly dismounted, stepped to the Colonel's cot, grasped him by the hand, pressed it fervently, aBd, almost overcome by emotion, said: "Jeff, you have saved us the day with your glorious 'rifles'?lei me confess that Knox knew your worth and your mettle better than I did." From that momeBt, throughout the war, and, indeed, until the death of President Taylor, the warmest friendship existed between those old companions in arms. Even when General Taylor was the Whig President of the United States and Jefferson Davis a Democratic United States Senator from Mississippi, amid all the political strifes of the time, no feelings other than those of the purest, unselfish regard ever existed between them. Let us trust, through hopeful augury, if naught else, that another reconciliation may occur?thai the people of onr beloved country may become again united under and acknowledge obedience to the Constitution. Emulating the example of the illustrious hero of Buena Vista, let us truly realize that while "to err is human," it befits the brave tn Ha forcivinir and magnanimous. The History op the Tune op "Dixie. ' '?The ; Memphis Post tells this story of "Dixie "Id the first place, the soog and chorus of 'Dixl ie' was composed and arranged by Dan Emmet, one of a traveling minstrel party, who, while at Mobile in the winter of 1847?48, heard some negro laborers singing on the levee while loading a steamboat with cotton. The thought struck Dan that with a little change of measure it could be made a good song and 'walk around,' which generally winds up a negro minstrel concert Dan arranged it and produced it It became a success, and was sung aod played all over the country by all the bands. "In the spring of 1861, Mrs. John Wood came to New Orleans to play an engagement at the Varieties Theatre. During the time, she appeared in Brougham's burlesque of Pocahontas. At the first rehearsal of the piece everything went well until near the close of the seoond act; Tom McDonough, the prompter, got up a Zouave march and drill by twenty-two ladies, led by Susan Denin. Everything ran smooth, but the musio for the march could not be fixed upon. Carlo Patti was leader of the orchestra, and he tried several marches, but none suited MoDonough?one was too slow, another was too tame, another not enough spirit At length Patti struck up the negro air of 'Dixie.' 'That will do, Patti?the very thing,' said Tom, I UUU JL/1AIU WW piajCM) au\i uiv wivh ynj.> t through with, and the chorus by ail the characters. At night it received a double encore, and Poe&koat tas had a 'run,' and from that time out, the , streets and parlors rang with 'Dixie.' The war ! broke ont that spring, and the bands took It up, \ and 'Dixie' became to the South what the Matsellaise hymn was to the French. And that's how ; 'Dixie' became the popular war song of the i South." ! HOW THE HEW YORK CLERKS LIVE. Some of the Broadway houses have from 'one hundred to three hundred clerks. Among those . houses are A. T. Stewart ft Co., Lord ft Taylor, r and Arnold ft Constable. A. R. Claflin ft Co., | though out of Broadway, employ about three hua; dred and fifty. The salaries of these young men i range from one hundred to one thousand dollars? , though a few reach a figure ranging'from two to four thousand dollars. But at the moderate rate . first mentioned they are expected to dreesweQ and keep up a good appearance. They must be at r their po9t at eight o'eiock or fined, unless excused for illness. They are kept on their feet all day, having just spare-time at noon for a hasty kmefc, I and by seven o'clock in the evening they are as ? a a . y R i , weary as a tarm-iaoorer; I or retailing gooos, ana , incessant talking.is bard work. In the busy sea sod wholesale dorks have often been kept at work p until midnight without allowance for extrasaiwiaoe and when trade falls off they are liable to-immedf. ate discharge. With the exception of craek salesmen who inflnenoetrade, no clerk is sure bf his situation for a week ahead. The "drummers" who hang around hotels and bring in customers, bare a better ohanee than in-door men, but w ming is a killing business, and hence they as* not tobeenvied. Merchants care nothing for their derks except as tools to make money with, and every Unexpected outlet is met, if possible, by cutting down their pay. A merchant who ia making $25)OOOperjspar, . and living in handsome style will gladly rcduaahjs , clerks to the lowest pittance. The olerk Hvet at , cheap boarding homes, and finds it hard to meet even this outlay. No luxuries are within his reach unless he obtain the means by fraud, and to this he is soon tempted. Ho finds amusement in the street, and dissipation makes up for loss of home . association, Turned* the cost ofpteaeoti he cobs , his employer, runs a brief career of miscalled . pleasures, and is either saved by flight or winds up , in the Tombs. Such at feast is the history of/the majority of oar clerks; and yet the oountjy bey who reads these facts is just the one to detepnme to try his chance, and we shall probably meet bin here in his new suit and best good looks ia less than a fortnight. 80 march cm, dear greenhorn, to yoer fate, and become a unit in the grand army of let muerablet who serve the autocrats of trade. The Liquor Tax.?We learn there is. some misunderstanding about the law in regard to the tax on liquor. We copy the following from the Act passed by Congress on the 10th of April, 1869: Retail dealers in liquor shall pay twenty-fire dollars. Every person who sells, or offers for sale, foreign or domestic distilled spirits, wines, or malt liquors, in lees quantities thaa fire gaUoaa at the time time; shall bo regarded as a retail dealer in liquors. Wholesale liquor dealers shall each pay one hundred dollars. Ereiy person who sells or offers for sale foreign or domestic distilled spirits, wines or malt liquors, in quantities of not less than fire gallons at the same time, shall be regarded as a wholesale liquor dealer. Dealers in liquor whose sales, including sales of all other merchandise, shall exceed twenty-fire thousand dollars, shaH each pay an additional tax at the rate of one dollar for every one hundred dol, lars of sales of liquors in exoess of such twenty-five , thousand dollars, and on erery thousand deBars of sales of other merchandise shall pay at the same rate as a wholesale dealer; and such excess shall be returned, assessed, and paid in the same manner as required of wholesale dealers. But no distiller or brewer, who has paid bis special tax as such, and who sells only distilled spirits or malt . liquors of his own production, at the place of manufacture, In the original casks or packages to which the tax Btamps are affixed, shall be required to pay the special tax of a wholesale dealer on aocout of suoh sales. Remarkable Case.?A correspondent of the Detroit Free Prest, writing from Lansing, in Michgan, relates the following, which, he says, can be authenticated by the best medical testimony: > "About nine months sinoe a daughter of one Mr. Collins, living a few miles Northwest of this city, was suddenly taken with a violent aehing of the first double tooth in the upper left jaw. This continued for some ten days or two weeks, growing more violent, although the usual remedies were administered, until, as it seemed, the little girl (only nine years old) would be driven craiy. The i girl slept in the same room with her parents,-but in a separate bed. One night her father was I aroused by her frantic screams or pain, and, running to his bedside, the girl told him that the tooth had dropped out, holding it out in her hand as > proof The pain, however, did not cease, and it was only a day or two before ao examination of the " jaw revealed the growth of something that looked tike a boil in the place of the tooth. In a couple of weeks the father became alarmed at the strange ! appearance of the swelling, and brought his daugh' ter to this city for a medical examination. This i resulted in establishing the fact that a cancer had taken head under the tooth, grown so as to push it out of the jaw, until finally the child died, having been smothered to death by the growth of the ramwr over the throat. Gaxblsbs' Device.?A gambling house in : Washington city has just been torn down. The gambling rooms were in the second story front, i Over them were two garret rooms with dormer i windows. In the flooring of each of these upper i rooms a trap-door bad been cat about six feet in i length and three in width. The trap being taken up shows an aperture between the floor and the ceiling of the room below of a size to accommodate the gambler's confederate, and a series of small perforations in the ceiling afforded him a full view of the room beneath. By his aide was the end of a thin wire, which, passing along under the flooring of the attic to the walls, ran down to the flooring of the room below (playing upon nicely adjusted pulleys at the angles,) and so on until it reached the card-table. Here a very ingenious pedal arrangement came into play, by which, with springs of a spiral wire, a triangular piece of iron was made to work up through a minute aperture in the floor under the foot of the swindling gambler. Cost of Congress.?It takes one miffion five t hundred thousand dollars to pay the per diem and mileage of the members of the House of Representatives, and about half that amount for the Senators?besides the hundreds of thousands for incidental expenses, to say nothing of the stealage. Another Rail Road Project.?The Columbia Phoenix is informed upon good authority that arrangements are being made to surrey a rail road route from Prog Level to some point on the Col' umbia and Augusta Road, near Leesville. 9&T Rich men often disregard the great interest of the commonwealth, because absorbed at looking at the exorbitant interest of their own uncommon i wealth.