The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-03-20
WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, MARCH 90, 1851.

checked Dutch girl, accomplished and accomplish
/ ING in her vocation, and ready 10 lend her smiling
| face as permanent star to our kitchen horizon
| Sisters of spacious, luxurious Eastern OF
| Southern homes-you whose lily-white fingers
come in contact with nothing harsher than the
keys of the piano, or, at most, of the pantry-you
| to whom Wealth lends dozen hands and feet
/ every hour you But | forget too often
you cannot sympathise with our Western expert
ences, and so yor are not CHANGING over my ram
bling narrative. An iron grasp the wild West
would have for you,
| When the family 70 which have alluded left
its comfortable Eastern home, it transplauted one
of it's Pepates in the shape of kind, helpful girl,
capable of combining cook, chambermad, and
nurse In each Of these several capacities
she proved herself signally useful, and seemed
scarcely less than an aunt to the affectionate
children, who crowded around her TO claim her
turnovers and cookies. But time Of separation
came
"It was not that she loved us less
| But che loved another more
That other intruded under the straw hat Of a
stalwart six-footer, an enterpriSug, "clever,n
young Englishman, who had taken fancy TO our
| Hannah, fresh from the wash-tub, with dripping
| arms and streaming locks So, every Sunday
evening Of long summer and autumn, that same
L
kitchen, after walk Of several miles The course
| OF the damseps true love y ran without ripple,
| If we might judge by the uncoucern with which
she always turned to the affairs of the busy
| Monday morning But her chosen swain, very
reasonably, at length grew weary of such pro-
tracted pilgrimages
One frosty morning, of early spring, our circle
was thrown into unusual commotion for we'd
ding IS wedding, be il what and where it may
between beggars or born nobles-in a shanty or
in palace. The bride looked very pretty in her
unassuming blue dress, home-fashioned for the
occasion. As for the bridegroom he brushed and
pomstumed his hair-twitched his collar anx-
iously-but unfortunately, from his height of
bissfal anticipation, failed to cast glance down.
ward to his boots, which were garnished with
trophies won from the March mud of the prairie
paths!
The clock had struck sight: y few neighh8rs
had Happened in y from good will or curiosity,
as usual and the bridegroom elect came to lead
out his bride before the face of the minister
But what must do % he inquired, very anx-
iously in whisper :" don't know at oil about
this getting married'-do you"
Not !, y returned the puzzled bride. I" | never
was at wedding in my life but reckoned yon
didp
"Oh, go % exclaimed one of the family,
laughing "you cannot very we'll make mistake |!
No-stop, though you have taken your lady on
the wrong arm, my good friendw
SURPRISING comical smiles, we followed to wit
ness the tying of the knot At the close Of the
simple prayer that preceded it, the inexperienced
bridegroom very cooly seated himself for the GER
emony. The bride, who had an instinct to the
contrary, remained in her standing position for
moment. Each felt the righteousness of the spec
tacle presented, and each involuntarily tried to
jump into harmony with the other. The young
man, coloring, sprang to his feet, and his bride,
more confusedly, popped down into her chair
Thus they vibrated in opposition for few Sec
onds, striving most earnestly after the unity ne
cessary to more permanent union. At last,
both found themselves simultaneously on their
feet, they scarcely knew how; and hand being
olasped in hand-not exactly ballroom fashion,
but far more heartily, for all that-the "magic
words" were spoken, and our Hannah was
I" real married woman" as the least of the chill
dren exclaimed when she jumped up to kiss the
bride
springless country wagon was at the door,
and Hannah soon ratified away from us over the
frozen prairie, putting up her handkerchief as
she turned her eyes ever and anon back 10 the
Vt All, weTI' signed o.rs; Us rcoaVesVa Wv
deserted kitchen, "now for chance In the lotte-
ry Of nep girls~
But have already given you the list of our
blanks and prizes and am spinning my chapter
to too great length even for" the sympathising J"
so will break its thread abruptly