American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-06-13
From the Ladies' National Magazine
WON AN ID LOST.
BY ELLEN ASHTON.


sLook-there goes George Alcott, striding
along like a pair of stills; his arms, as usual,
swinging up and down, as those of wind
mill" said Kate Edmonds, as she sat at the
window with her elder sister.
Agnes was the very opposite of the witty
Kate, and she could scarcely comprehend how
her sister could speak thus; for she knew Kate
loved George Alcott, if she loved any ONE
But Kate had a reputation for wit, which she
had won by saying sarcastic things of her ac-
quaintance; and, moreover, she enjoyed
cret pleasure in concealng her re,ti opinions
To use her own phrase: 't was nice to quiz
folks"
GLOW can you speak thus Kate?" said her
sister. "Mr. Alcott, though TALL is not I'M
graceful, and, Pm afraid ifyou were to be cri
ticised as severely as you criticise him, even
your immaculate self would suffer-"
Gle dare not try 1t" said Kate, pouting her
pretty lip.
ale ,oould not" replied Agnes with empha-
sis. "Really, dear Kate, you do Yourself in
justice by the sarcastic things you say: people
think you much worse tempered than you
are"
"And what if they do? am sure am per-
fecty Indifferent to their opinion"
$50 you may be now, but you'll find by and
bye, that these opinions have value. Besides
YOU do not usually mean what you say.
know that George Alcott is your taTorite-
nay. you cannot deceive me-you need not
pout and shake your head"
'Well, then-what if he is? Does not that
give me an especial right to abuse him? 1t is
one Of the privileges of our sex to make fun of
those we like best"
"Ah! Kate, that is fatal apprehension. If
you would think twice you would see how
foolish thing you had said; for if you abuse
him before those who know your real opinion,
they will laugh at your vain attempt to blind
them, while if you make fun of him before
those who know your real opinion, they will
laugh at your vain attempt to blind them,
while if you make fun of him before strangers,
you lower him in their estimation"
"Pshaw! Now you would play the logi-
cian," said Kate, jumping up and running TO
the door. "You know, sister mine, VIXEN you
begin to lecture begin to move-so goodbye,
my dear little preacher" and with these words
the gay grl skipped down the entry.
Kate was always the careless, rafting crea-
ture we have described her. Gifted with high
animal spirits, good heart, warm impulses,
and considerable brilliancy of mind, she might
have made an almost faultless being but for the
unhappy faculty she had imbibcd of turning
into ridicule every person and thing she met
with. Scarcely the members Of her own ia
mily escaped her witty tongue. We have seen
that even her favored lover suffered under its
lash. Indeed, as if to take revenge for having
lost her heart, Kate was especially severe on
him who had won it. The fact is, she was SO
fond of mysifying-or quizzing, as she called
it-that she made it point TO say things Of
George which no lady could be suspected Of
saying against the man she loved.
'Dear Kate, ," said Agnes again to her, a few
days after the preceding conversation, 'yor
really must curb your propensity to satire -
Did you notice how George colsred, last even
ing, when you made such fun of him to his
face: and after his back was turned you said
things of him that certainly will offend him, if
they ever come to his ears"
'I1et him get offended them" said Kate, tos-
sing her head. ale is too sensitive and ought
to be cured.''
''Yet you would not cure a flesh wound by
irritating il where most sensitive, would you!"
''Oh! logic again Why really, sis, you are
quite an Aristotle. But you ought to know, by
this time, that I'm true woman and can't be
reasoned with
eff she will, she will,
II she won't, she won't
Aud there an end ont"
So, my sweet sister, keep your syllogisms for
some one else and leave me to abuse George
Alcott, otherwise shall take to quizzing you,
and everybody else most numerically. The
fact is, he serves as a sort of safety valve to
me--as long as have him to rdcue, you are
all safe-but, forbid this, and there will be a
general explosion in which every one will Suf-
fer"
Kate accordingly went en- as she had begun
She MA hea utifDl and accommodated apd h,d