Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-05-28


and cream for the delicate palate Of her cousin
her ninbe little fingers that plated the lux
uriant tresses-arrange the toilet, and adjus-
ted the wardrobe of the indolent girl--neyer
rewarded BY pleasant word or smile; buff, on
the contrary, she yentured upon any lively re-
mark. or allowed her buoyant spirit to break
forth in song, she was always checked with
"Do, pray, shut that ugly great mouth of
yours, andf you have finished, go about your
work"
''Here H'6ulieiv screamed Mrs ORSE from
the kitchen, and s.Iere Uinnicn" cried VIM
FRED from the parlor, and from parlor to ktch-
en- flew the cheerful girl--never sullen; though
weary, never impatient, though continually
thwarted. Ifeyer she thought ofriches, il was
when she saw the beggar driven from the door;
or, sometimes, as she looked upon the beauti-
ful dresses and SPLENDID ornaments the cousin
often received from the city, and then down
upon her own faded patched and scanty cali
co, she would think it must be fine thing TO
be rch--but no shadow Of envy darkened her
brow, and in a moment the little gypsy was off
amid the flowers and birds.
She was sly little witch, too! Very well
did she know where the old coyerless volume
of Shakespeare was hidden--or where Ivan
hoe and keniiworth lay perdu amid heap Of
meal bags and, when seated IN her little gar
ret-room, with heavy task before her. how
nlmbiy flew her fingers up and down the
tedious seam; her eyes now and then glancing
with peculiar meaning smile, upon some odd
corner or basket, or upon her own little cot bed,
from which she knew she could slyly draw
forth the Sketch Book, or some other favorite
volume. If she only finished her task before
"Iiere U5ulniei" sounded IN her ears.
''Yes,o she would say to herself, 81 will hur-
ry as fast as | can for can only find out what
Rip Van Wrinkle did do among the noun
tains, and what that queer noise was he
heardr'
Poor childl her reading was all done by
stealth, and hours when she should have been
recruiting her over wrought frame by sleep,
she might be seen perched up in her little bed,
her elbow resting on the pillow, her small
hand supporting her head; her beautiful nair
which nearly swept the floor, pushed away
from those great eyes porting by the light Of
miserable candle over the enchanting page;
while her little white foot, escaping from the
scanty bed-covering. beat a pas sem to the
throbbingsol her delighted heart.
Naughty girl what would your aunt say If
she should chance to catch you!
ln the chamber of WmFRED all the new
novels Of the day. the magazines, ANIMALS,
books of beautiful paintings and engrayingS
were scattered around in profusioG but sly M
deed mustbe the peep which poor WINNIE OBJ
tained Luckily, her eyes were large and the
hurried glance she now and then caught ottlow-
ers, landscapes and beautiful faces, were delin-
Gated according to her self-taught skill, within
little book OK coarse white paper, which she
managed TO obtain from old sweet-meat covers
and discarded wrappers.
But Time never stands still, and, with but
little variety to the inmates of Mrs. OREE S
dwelling. he brushed the years carelessly be-
hind him as he few, until he brought round
the period when the heiress had attained her
twenty third, and WINNIE her seventeenth
year The sparkling beauty Of the one was in
no degree impaired by this lapse Of time while
truth compels the admission that every body
said poor WINNIE was just as plain as ever (;
those great eyes and that large mouth still re-
mained She had grown tall, however, and
the buoyancy of childhood subsidized into a
more quiet cheerfulness; and could any one
have fathomed that depth of feeling which lay
hidden, as in a well, in that pure heart of hers,
what truthlulness, what unaffected goodness
was there! But no one ever took that trout
BILE; and for any anything heraunt knew or ca
red, provided she fulfilled the routine of her
daily tasks, she might as well belong to the
Maelzel as the human family.
II was rather strange, too, that the lovely
WINIFRED. with hel great personal attractions,
rendered, doubtless. more brilliant for the gold
they commanded, should have remained thus
long unsought, unloyed and IN this opinion
there is no doubt she herself perfectly concur
red, for her mind was now continually wan
dering to a future Of single bessedneSs and to
the exclusion of her prayers, she might now
be often heard repeating:
"Thcy don't propose-they won't propose,
For fear, perhaps, I'd not say yes
Just let en- try-for, heaven knows,
l'm tired OF single bessedness 20
But about this time Mrs ORSE received a
letter from distant relative, residing in or near
New Orleans, stating II in true mercantile
phrase, that he had consigned TO her care, not
bale Of goods, but nice young man, his in
valid son, who being recommendedby his ply
sicians TO try the climate of the north was
booked and shipped for the port of Boston, and
provided his kind knswoman would receive
him, would come to hand (accidents excepted)
in few days.
Receive him. to be sure they would, for
was he not FIVE -and-twenty and sole heir to
one Of the most valuable estates at the south,
including scores Of lo0olly heads lndsed as
WNIFREp observed, hard, indeed, must be the
heart which could resist such an affecting ap-
peal to sympathy
The best chamber in the house was there
fore Immediately prepared. WINNIE ordered
to keep out Of the way, (ior il was always diff
fcult TO account for the taste Of young MANI
and in due time, pale and langnid SYDNEY
CLEVELAND arrived, was met at the door with
the utmost cordially by Mrs. 0RSE while
WINIFRED, blushed like a half-blown carna-
toa, suffering herself to be surprised by the in
tereStiug invalid i'll arranging vase OF the
sweetest flowers upon his snowy toilet The
large black eyes Of CLEVELAND heamed with
sudden animation, as he followed her graceful
retreat from his chamber, and a flush ofpleas-
ure sufIused his pale countenance as he learn
ed this most lovely girl was to be his daily
companion.
From this time there was nothing LEFT I'M
done which could contribute to the comfort
and amusement Of the invalid. There were
delightful little rides in which WNIFRED with
her delicate, gloved hands, performed the
graceful charioteer; and quiet aud shady walks,
while the incest and most delicate comlorlsJel
lies and syllabus were continually temptingthe
tickle appetite Of the young southerneri all OF
which Mrs ORNE assured him, Were prepared
through the kindness and skill of WIMFRED.
1t surely would have been very ungrateiul IN
n, ..sv, M, ~ hava hosan happv in his