The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-09-17

fresh air whenever lawyer Gilbert was in
the opposite room, and insisted that the
door should be left open, Ida was hours
together that she could not liit her eyes
without knowing that young man. rather
handsome, and with singularly fine eyes,
sat within the adjoining room; though she
never looked directly at him. or could see
the least indication that he took any ad-
vantage Of Miss Smiths liberality regard
ing the door.
Miss Smith was town-bred. dashing
milliner, rather social, and ready to impart
information regarding her former conquests
in town, even to her apprentice girls, so
long as they were content to admire and
wonder at distance; but amid all her
condescensions she never once allowed
"our Linda" to forget the immeasurable
distance that existed between bleach.box
and wash.tub. She sat before her two
apprentice girls with one foot resting on
the top of bonnet block, twisting up little
bows Of ribbons, and admiring the effect,
like Calypso and her nymphs-that is, sup
posing the goddess had ever condescended
TO become useful without the least shadow
ofnecessity. as Miss Smith affimed was the
case with herself. Sometimes the lady
would quietly steal q glance through her
black ringets TO observe if the lawyer was
remarking the elegance of her position;
and as the girls seldom lifted their eyes in
that direction, it was easy to indicate the
force OF her charms by EXPLANATIONS Of
'.Dear me! wonder why Mr.. Gilbert is
always looking this way! What can he
find so interesling9 Ireally wish he would
not sit so exactly against the door!'
Had the girls looked toward the lawyers
office at such times, they would have seen
him TRANQUILITY pouring over a very new
volume of paper bindings, with his back
turned towards the door, mis- chair balan.
ced on two legs, and his feet resting on a
table covered with law books, pair Of box.
ing g.gloves, flute, quantities OF wrapping
paper, and pens without number.
1t would have been very unprncipled
thing in the young lawyer, had the deep
founces and pretty cap which Miss Smith
set for him, taken effect-for he was al
ready engaged to younger lady who had
Just returned from boarding-school in
New Haven; and the fine old homestead,
which stood little back from the church,
embowered in a grove Of oaks, and with
an old fashioned flower garden attached,
was at that very moment tumultuous with
the noise Of workmen who were preparing
it for the reception of bride-lawyer Gil.
bert's bride.
Once or twice Mr.. Gilbert did actually
lift his eyes from the paper. bound volume,
when his position admitted Of the effort
without too much trouble, and looked earn.
estly into the milliner's room, but as Miss
Smith leaned her head and cast side
glance through the interstice thus made
between two of her longest curls, she saw
that his eyes were not fixed on her, but on
the dropping lids and dark lashes Of Ida,
the washer. woman's daughter.
He might we'll gaze on the innocent pic
ture of that young girl, as she sat on low
stool, bending over her work, with her
dark hair twisted in single massive braid
around her finely moulded head, her tiny
foot creeping out from the folds of her cal
| leo dress, and her small hand futtering
about the rose.colored silk she was sewing,
like bird coquetting with flower. And
the m!lliner might, indeed, experience all
uncomfortable sensation as she turned her
kindling eyes on the unconscious posses
sor of so much specially as
lawyer Gilbert never turned page that af
ternoon without stealing a look at the gen
tie girl from over the top of his volume.
The next morning Ida was banished tc
a front window directly out Of range witt
the door. The pretliest prospect imagina
BILE Law before it; and the poor girl was de
lighted with the change. Bred to the fields
as she had been it was so pleasant to lool
up from, her work now and then, and res
her aching eyes with glance at the greer
trees, and the cool blue sky beyond. Sh
was very grateful for the change in her po
sition, and thanked the milliner so sweetly
again and again, that the lady really be
gan to applaud herself for having done
kind action-a sensation from its extrem
novelty, must have been extremely agreea
BILE. - ,''4 A'.''t-.
Directly before Lida's window was
closely trampled greensward, divided b.
the highway as it curved up from the val
ley. Opposite stood huge willow tree
} with profusion of delicate foliage droop
ing over its heavy branches to the ground
Behind this tree was two-story house
: white as snow.drift, and surrounded b
+; those thickets; large portico was owe
/. the front door, and around one Of its slen
: der pillows a honey -suckle vine had twis
. ed itselflike wreath. The house was s
. near that Linda could almost count tn
t crimson blossoms from her seat by the wiz
a dow, and when the young girl would com
$ into the portico with q book, which sh
t never read, or an embroidery-frame whic
!, she never used, Ida would ply her need
with diligence and blush to be so earnes
h ly regarded by the most accomplished an
naughty girls in our village. She kne
n Il - u l. a