The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1851-10-08

would start early, and come with her moth
er for a few moments, Monday mornings;
but she seemed more thoughtful than for
merly, and there was something peculiarly
sweet in her smiles which wero more beau
tiful even, than her pure birdlike laugh.
Her complexion settled into that clear pearly
which white carries the idea of mental purity
with it, while it indicates perfect health quite
as truly as the richest bloom. Her eyes
were very changeable, and shaded by the
longest and most jetty lashes you ever saw;
while her little mouth was bright and red as
a ripe strawberry.
The milliner's shop, where Ida worked,
was ia the second story of dry goods store,
near the Episcopal church. There were two
rooms in front, separated by narrow entry;
and as Miss Smith, the milliner, took re-
markable fancy for fresh air whenever law
yer Gilbert was in the opposite room, and
insisted that the door should be left open,
Ida was hours together that she could not
lift her eyes without knowing that young
man, rather handsome, and with singularly
fine eyes, sat within the adjoining room;
though she never lorked directly at him, or
could see the least indication that he took
any advantage of Miss Smiths lberality
regarding the door,
Miss Smith was a 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 condescen-
sions, she never once allowed "our Ida" to
forget the immeasurable distance between
bleach-box and a wash-tub She sat before
her two apprentice girls with one foot rest
ing on the top of bonnet block, twisting up
little bows of ribbon and admiring the cf-
feet, like Calypso and her nymphs-that is,
supposing the goddess had ever condescen-
ded to become useful without the least shad-
ow of necessity, as Miss Smith affirmed was
the case with herself, Sometimes the lady
would quickly steal glance through her
black ringlets 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 exclamations of Dear
me! l wonder why Mr., Gilbert is always
looking this way! What can he find so in
teresting? | really wish he would not sit
so exactly against the door,"
Had the girls looked towards the lawyers
office at such times, they would have seen
him TRANQUILITY pouring over a very new
volume in paper bindings, with his back
turned towards the door, his chair balanced
on two legs, and his feet resting on table
covered with law books, a pair of boxing
gloves, a flute, quantities Of wrapping pa
per, and pens without number.
1t would have been very unprincipled
thing in the young lawyer had the deep
tiounces and pretty cap which Miss Smith
set for him taken etfect--for he was already
engaged to younger lady who had just
from a boarding school in New
Haven; and the fine old homestead, which
stood little back from the church, embow-
cred in 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 Gilbert's bride.
Once or twice Mr. Gilbert did actually
lift his eyes from the paper bound volume,
huIl pOSltlOi dlllIlIGCu Vi bllC GuOIG
without too much trouble, and looked earn
estly into the millincr's room, but as Miss
Smith leaned her head and cast side glance
through the interstce thus made between
two of her longest curls, she saw that his
eyes were not fixed on her, but on the droop-
ing lids and dark lashes of Ida, the wash
er- woman's daughter. .
He might well gaze on the innocent pic.
ture of that young girl, as she sat on a 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 calico
dress, and her small hand fluttering about
the rose-colored silk she was sewing, like al
bird coquetting with flower. And the
milliner might, indeed, experience an un-
sensation as she turned her
kndllng eyes on the unconscious possessorI
Of so much loveliness-especiall as lawyer
Gilbert never turned page that afternoon
without stealing a look at the gentle girl
from over the top of his volume. esr,,
The next morning Ida was banished to a
front window directly out of range with the
door, The prettiest prospect Imaginable
lay beforeit, and the poor girl was delight
ed with the change. Bred to the fields, as
she had been, it was SO pleasant to look up
from her work now and then, and rest her
aching eyes with glance atthe green trees,
and the cool blue sky beyond. She was
very grateful for the change in her position,
and thanked the mlliner so sweetly again
and again, that the lady really began to ap-
plaud herself for having done kind action
"a sensation, from its extreme novelty,
must have been extremely agreeable.
Directly before Lida's window was
closely trampled grecnsward, divided by the
highway as it curved up from the valley.
Opposite stood huge willow tree, with a
profusion Of delicate foliage dropping over
its heavy branches to the ground. Behind
this tree was two story house, white as
and surrounded by those thick
cts; a large portico was over the front door,
and around one Of its slender pillars, a hon
ey-sucklc vine had twisted itself like a
wreath. The house was so near that Lidal
could almost count the crimson blossoms
rom her seat by the window, and when thel
young girl would come into the portico with
> book, which she never read, or an en-
broidery- frame which she never used, Ida
would ply her needle with diligence and
blush to be SO earnestly regarded by the
most accomplished and naughty girl in our
village. She knew this young lady was thel
intended bride Of Mr.. Gilbert, but never
dreamed that it was his presence near the
window, with his flute, that drew Miss War |
ner's attention to the building. Poor I.idall