The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-08-22
MISCELLANY.
THE OLD MAID.
By MRS. JANE WEAVER.

gan spoke after the departure of their unpop-
, ular visitor. Her mother quietly looked up
, from her work, but made no direct answer
She observed, however," And yet it is not
improbable, my dear, that you may, some day,
be as sour as Miss Crabb, and an old maid in
the bargain"
How can you say so, dear mamma? / am
sure would rather die than survive to such a
fate-the horrid, ugly. gossipping old thing! !
never see her without thinking Of vinegar
cruet. II she ever had a grain of sweetness in
her composition, it has soured long ago and
now she turns into acid every thing with which
she comes in contact"
. "There, my child, it is this very liveliness
of fancy, and tendency to turn every thing in
to ridicule, which made me say you were in
danger Of becoming a second Miss Crabb.
knew her when she was as young and pretty
as you are and when the beaux dreaded her
frown, and sought her favor almost as if she
had been an empress"
"You astonish me" said Clara. " thought
she had always looked as now, with face like a
dried-up apple, and ver,juice written in every
wrinkle of her ugly face"
My child-my child,' said Mrs. Logan,
" this sarcastic temper will prove your ruin
Really, you must learn to curb your love of
ridicule; and that you may be assisted to do 1t,
l will tell you Miss Crabbs story.
Nobody, as l have said, was more admired
when young, than this now ugly old maid
She was full of gaiety, and very beautiful &C
cordingly, at every party and ball she was the
star OF the assembly. As sure as strange
beau appeared he became her victim ut real
ly seemed as ifthere was TO be no end 10 her
conouests. And Emily Crabb, indeed, was
then very estimaole girl. She had but one
IL 50, op1 that q sarcastic UISO0SI-
ton. Her friends, her lovers, and her family
suffered alike from the arrows Of her tongue.
When her parents demonstrated with her, she
said she could not help it it was her nature to
be sarcastic she did not see whypeople should
blame her for seeing how ridiculous they made
themselves Every body probably has one or
more foibles, and no one was more keen In
detecting and ridiculing such than Emily
| Thus, though she was continually gaming new
lovers, she was losing old ones as fast ; for
each admirer, after probation OF a week or
two. was sure TO be made ludcrous in some
way bv Emily. The fact is, few equalled her
in repartee and this she knew but, instead Of
being generous, as conscious intellect ought to
be, she never showed the least mercy.
Her parents thought that when she came
to be really in love, she would cure herself Of
this sarcastic manner; but a long confirmed
habit is not so easily eradicated. Emily at
length fell in love. The person Of her choice
was one ofthe noblest specimens of manhood.
Charles Warner was young physician OF eX-
cellent character, a finished education, and
no small share of talent. But he was not one
calculated to shine in the empty small talk OF
society. 1t was for this very reason probably
that Emily loved him. She knew the hollow
ness of that society in which she moved, gilt
| nj nrOnOrtiOQ
who looked down upon its httlencss. How
Charles Warner ever came to love so fashion,
able creature as Emily, was mystery to me;
but be was charmed by her beauty. and for
the time blinded to her imperfections. lie
hoped that she would be gradually weaned
from gay life and as mis- time was much taken
up with study, he knew comparatively little OF
the extent to which she gave herself up to
fashion.
But Emily loved the incense of fatteTy al
most as much as she loved Charles Warner,
and so she still continued to attend parties,
rnd draw after her crowds of new admirers
Her engagement was secret known only to
a few, and, therefore, her presence was as wei
come as ever by the beaux. Sometimes,
though her heart smote her, she allowed her
satire TO find victim in the solemn young
physician, as one of her gay set had obviously
nicknamcd Charles Warner; and many were
the peals of laughter that greeted her ludicrous
picture of him, her hearers little imagining
that she intended to marry the very man she
was ridiculing."
| "Oh mother, l could never make fun of
one loved" interposed Clara.
at may be you could not ridicule lover,
but have known you to quiz your brothers
and sisters, which is almost as bad" said Mrs.
Logan. "But to return. One evening.
Charles Warner went nnexpectedlyto party
an hour or two earlier than he intended. The
rooms, however, were already full. Emily had
collected circle around her, as usual. She
was sitting behind one of the folding doors,
screened from most of the company, so that
she did not see her lovers entrance. Some
one had been taxing her with a penchdnt for
Charles Warner She denied it eagerly, and
in order to secure belief the sooner, began
ridiculing him. There was jus. enough truth
| in the picture she drew to make it good car
feature, and her hearers, all of whom felt and
were CALLED by Warmers superiority, laughed
mmoderately. Every word of this satirical
conversation fell on her lovers ear.
Few men were as sensitive, for reserved
persons are generally proud. He turned pale
and staggered; but mastering his emotion, he
suddenly confronted Emily, bowed codly, and
giving look Sne never iSAl thS AOOni'
He never spoke to her again. The next
morning, after a night of tears, letter was
brought to Emily-it was from Charles War
| ner. He said that, after what he had heard
the evening before, he had dismissed all thought
| of her loving him, and babe her farewell forev-
err. His love, he said, had persisted at the
| same instant that he became convinced of the
unworthiness of its object. hisdisappoint-
ment Of the heart made Emily more satirical
than ever. She never saw good in any one,if
she could see evil. She always ridiculed
where she could, where she could not, she re-
NAMED silent. 1t seemed as if all her kind
ness of heart had turned to gall. From be-
ing pretty girl, she has, as you know, De
her face has departed, and her bitter feelings
are now stamped on the countenance so indel-
IDLY, that no stranger can mistake her character.
Yet she was once beautiful, amiable, and be-
loved. Oh my child, forbear the bitter tongue
MT hal