The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1843-05-16
.NESCEEL.f.NEOES,
From Grakam's Magazine.
OUR E.EDA.

By MAS. Ann :. STEVENS.
Scolj, scold, thump, thump, scold. scold, away
There IS no comfort in the house apou a WASH.
ing day"
Nonsense only wish the writer Of
those lines had been al our cottage bv the
old brldg on washing days, il would have
made him sing other words to the same
lively AR, or | am sadly mistaken.
" lshing day why II was the happes,
twelve hours Of the week 10 aus children"
We could scarcely sleep all the night be
fore from leFsent autlcipatons OF the frollc
which u brought. twas astonishing how
our intsilecls acre sharpened, aud our in.
genuity brought 10 force to devise wavs
and means for escaping school on the pc.
cuIiar morning. How resolutely we com
PEELED healthy appetite to refuse break
fast; what leyersh cheeks We borrowed
from the rude OAK leaves that lay concealed
beneath our pillows what headaches we
pleaded, aud how very desperate all our
symptoms were just before the tones oF that
acadanl bell came sweeping down from
school hill. Il was new bell, aud the
lnau always rang Il uncommonly long and
loud on Monday morning, to begin the
week with a flourish, he SAID, but to US II
seemed an instance Of cruel, personal spite
towards three innocent little girls tina, had
never done HIM the leas. harm in the world.
Though determined invalids, We were
out Of bed immediately after daylight on
washing day and one face al least might
siuavs ha som paantpy 90 ,ari,t ~ Il
our low chamber window. We had scarcely
pushed back the old honey suckle vine Jus,
far enough TO leave single pane Of glass
uncovered, aud that commanded view Of
the foot. path where our washerwoman was
always first seen coming through the Pine
woods-a blessing on her short scarlet
cloak, Sue always wore il, summer and win
ter. Ii had been her grandmother but
10 form aud material It would be in TIC
height Of fashion in Broadway this winter
Bless the old cardinal once again Ii ha,
made my heart leap many fine sumner
morning to see its FIRST brilliant CLEAN
through the pine boughs. A nlce tidy oh
creature was our washerwoman, one tina
artisi u'ould have sketched 10 spite O
himself, bad he seen her wendng a!on,
that shady path, in the cool morning, will
keFchlef OF brilliant cotton passed neall,
over her cap, and tied beneath the chin
Gray or Page would have taken fancy I,
the old woman, even before her cad smil
cane IN view. There was sometb.n, plc
tufesque about her raimenl, and her move
saen's we're 10 me keeping With dewe
qJie!ude repo5lug anon. lie dark gree
foliage through winch abe vas wholly re
yealed, or seen only by gi,mpses as sh
came towards The cottage.
But there was sometimes another oble,
which almos. every young man Of tast,
even though moi an artist, would have fat
cled-for Ida was possessed Of beau,
81 sol. and delicate, that II seemed naiur
10 tue green woods, almost as the fowe
that spring to life and perish fbere. Lie
sweet, pretty Lida--as We always calIc
her, vas girl Of some ten years old, whe
could remember her coming TO the hou.
with her mother-and she is almost II
frs, objec, that | can remember-for 81
was I1ss the creature to fasten herself Z
The mind O! child whose instinct Il VI
TO love the beautiful, aud be grateful f
Kindness. Ida came with her nolhe
every week ior many year, aud il was
her that our washing day owed half #
cheerlulness. The old woman brougb, he
glri 10 "lake care of the children Sd
said aud such care as she took 10 make 1
happy, Sas never 50 successfully exertg
by mortal beng before or since.
First, she would @ to our mother wi,
her sweet coaAins smile and plead for