Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1843-05-26
I. J. 7nLooMINcToN, IOWA, rnlD MAY %, ls4s

Told me gut under her cIDak. and depart
without speaking Il word but sometime
in the week T.da always came viii i bas
ket Of wild fruit. boqne, Of flowers, or.
peahaps. aqnan,i,y Of young winiergreen
aud sassafras bark. just enonghtn exhibit a
grateful ferIng and an honest desire 10 re
lieve herself from obligation. at e
| A change fell uponsonr washing-days !:
the old woman came as usual. but. alas !!
Ida. dear Ida. M longer helped MS to
gather sticks from the drift heaps. or al.
low her wvinging laugh TO set the birds a
cl,irping from sympathy. in the pine
woods. Ida was an apprentice now
learning a MilIiner's trade OH Falls Hill.
Ii was sad loss Ia rs. " went down
To the hollow two or three days afier her
deser,ion, with a desperate resolution IL
he happy in spite Of her absence. We
laughed louder than ever; ran races like
so many grey -Ilonntls frightened the pin
fishes viii, peble stones; and tried every
exppdient To make the day seem natural !;
but i. was like dancing without music. or
Il green flower with the sunshine exclu>
ded. 7a 4 '9s9s9
It wa. a disappointment to us thai,
Ida never came through the pine woods
to her work. She lived in lil,le one story
house close behind the Castle Rock. J,
was solitary and beautiful spot. far from
any highway; and Li.la went to Falls Hill
through ioo.-pa,h which ran across the
pas,ure-!ots. spreading away from the higl,
banks which formed our valley. Eu.
sometimes the young girl would star, ear
! W and come with her mother for a few
moments Monday morning; but she seem
ed more thoughtful than formerly, and
there was s"me,hiag peculiarly swee. in
her smile, which was more beautiful even
Than her pure bird like laugh. Her conn
plexion se,,led into that clear. pear!y white
which carries the idea Of mental purity
| will, it. while it Indicates perfect health
quite ,,;,s it does The richest bloom =
Tier eyes were very changeabIe. and sha
died. by the longest and most jelly Iashes
ynu ever saw while her iil,le mouth was
bright and red as a ripe s,rawbeny.-
When she smiled mnch. dimplc settled
on her cheek aud round her mouth. like
the shadow al hol,ey-hec when lowering
around a lilly aud Ida was seventeen,
and had begun her apprenticeship. II was
pleasan. To observe how lovely the child
had become as she approached the lhIesli-
old nf womanhood.
The milIiner's shop where Lit!a work
ed, was il The second story Of dry goods
store, near The Episcopal church. There
were two rooms in front. separated ny
narrow entry and as Miss Smith, The
miIlincr, always took Il remarkable fancy
for flesh air whenever lawyer Gilbert was
in the opposite room. and insisted that the
door should be left open. Ida was some
times for hours together tina. she could no,
lift her eyes without knowing that young
man. rather handsome. and will, singular
" fine ewes. sat within the adjoining r"om;
though she never looked directly ii. hl'",
or could see the leas, indication that he
! took any advantage If Miss Smiths libe>
rali,y regarding The door.
Miss Smith was a town bred. dashing
mill,ner. rather social. aud ready TO im-
par, information regarding former con-
quests in town. even To her apprentice
girls. $" long as they were content I" a''>
,nirc and wonder al a respectful distance !;
bn, amid all her ccntlescen'ion she never
allowed. our l.ida" to forget the !mmcas.
urable distance between a bleach-box and
a wasl,-,ub. She sat before her tw" APP
prentice girls. with one foo, resting on the
ton Of a bonne,-bIock, twisting up little
buws Of ribbon, and a.lmiring the effect.
like CALYPSO among her nynphs-,ha, Is.
surprising. the goddess had eve! conde-
scenied to become useful without The least
shadow of necessity, as Miss Sni''' al
firned was the case witt, herself. Some
times the lady would quietly steal glance
through her black ringle,s I" observe u
the lawyer were remarking the elegance
of her position aud as the girls seldom
lifted their eyes in that direction. II was
i easy To Indicate the force Of her charms
by exclama,ions Of ;. Dear me! wonder
why Mr.. Gilbert is always looking Tins
way! What can lie find SO interesting
really wish lie would not Sit SO exactly
against Tie door - t..g..3 i.
lad the girls looked towards The law,
vcr's office ut such times, they would
have seen him TRANQUILITY pouring over :;
new volume in paper binding. win ms
back iowar the door. his CHAIR balanced
on ,wo legs. and his fee. resting %, '.t
edge Of a table covered with law books ~
sl.erp-. kim backs. perfectly u''iar'''si'rd. !;
pair Of boxing gloves. Il flule. q"anil''ts
Of writing paper. and pens Without mum
her. II Mr. Gilbert was rea ~ ia'araeir.
: | IS lie bold. black eyes which were SO Of
, len bent upon him. or the beauty OF
. neck more Than usually exposed when tl''
weather was warm enough lnr the door: