Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1845-07-24
MISCELLANEOUS.
From Meals Saturday Gazette
THE MAIDEN AND THE WIFE.
by Z. JANE CATE,
CHAPTER The Maiden.

Mary WickliEe was the belle Of Con-
cord. What hearts she pleased to WIN,
she won: and wha, to break, she broke. -
That is, she smiled graciously upon this
one, danced and hired with that one,
and talked about the moon with the other
one. untI this, that, aud the other one fan
cied themselves adored, and went straight.
wav upon their knees before her. Heav-
ems! she had not though, Of such a thing!
She had no, though, of ,hem--in a serious
way, she meant, She had only been a.
musing herself, for the want Of something
better to do just as, at Mrs Graham's
party, she thrust out her little foot, speak
ing earnestly meanwhile to the lady on her
left, on purpose to make that horribly awk-
ward Ned BoyIs,on stumble. By the way,
The innocent fellow was passing her, hold.
ing neryousl y upon contribution, on his
way for the choice Of a partner in the CO.
tlion forming, And it was just as she
threw the Lady Brooks into fit Of the
nervous bcadache, the other day by telling
her that She Mary hersell-was about TO
be married to James Cummings; and. a.
grin by the way, SAID James Cummings
had passed her these two months with
lifted head, knit brow and Sinking lips,
because she came near killing herself
laughing at him one icy day, when he al.
tempted to make her bow la FrQncdisc
and made instead, mos; provoking sum
merset, And, lastl j., it was Just as in
childhood, she had been "lorever in mis-,
chief" as her mother was wont to say OF
her. aud as now in her girlhood she was
always upon the qui uioe for amusement,
OF, at least, occupalion-,his moment
laughing, the next pouting, this morning
running all about town, making costly and
unnecessary purchases; and the next morn
ing running all about town to show them
Not that Mary Wickiha was really
wlckeder than thousand others, who with
temperaments which keep them all their
lfeIimes half asleep, pass for Every clever
peopIe!-very excellent people indeed
how much steadier thar Mr. Wickl(1e!"
Mary'a brain was the trouble. This was
so restless! This made her, from infancy,
delight more in air and freedom than in
her food and drink.
oh, do let's have the window open!
she SAID often, like one sufocairg One
cant breathe to save ones life. There
now let me sit here. wish had been
made into a bird, ma, | don't wonder
that they
'Send their sweetest notes on high
For benefits that blend their being with he sky"
Her dresses she could scarcely allow to
touch her. This, in the days of tight
lacing, was no small grievance 10 her moth.
er who loved to see her daughter looking
prim; and to her dress-maker, who liked
to say that she did Mrs Thomas Wickhffe's
work, and yet hardly dared to risk her
reputation on the untdy fits she 90, for
Mary, But Mary would have it so that
she could breathe, throw her arms about,
and twist and turn; she took real comfort
IN all Of these. she said
She could not even endure her hair about
her FACET it was the fashion, if ma did
coax, and if the curls were ever so much
disposed to struggle.
Sitting and sewing this above
all others, she begged her mother to spare
her.
oh, dear motherr she would say, when
she had sewed until she was nervous and
ready to Ay. Mother I shall 90 gu, of