Washington telegraph., 1852-06-30
The SeIf-TaugElt Servant Girl.

| Ihe Sekf-E EauSht servant GAf1.
We have always admired the resolution
of an uncouth servant girl, brought up in TO
very gentle way, who went to live with Il
rich and cultivated lady. There was with
in her a love of the beautiful, dim perceps
ton of the fitness of things, by which she
determined to polish herself, and become
/ every whit as graceful as her mistress Now
! here was a herculean labor TO perform,
! vast undertaking for poor girl, whose com
panions for years had been the pigs and
geese around her fathers miserable shantv,
with mother whose love for inebriiation led
her to wallow in filth. and neglect her fami-
ly for the poison of the still "a girl whose
skin was begrimmed and tanned to subiec-
ton, and who in all probability was doomed
to labor among pots and kettles for the resi-
due of her life.
But that was just what she had deternin-
ed she would not do, and accordingly she
set herself at work, and her first lesson
were those Of observation
She saw much company; unobseved she
watched their manners, some of which her
native good sense rejected; the more pleas
ing she treasured up in her heart"
Lo the change. The mistress soon sees,
bringing on the breakfast dishes, comely,
interesting girl, with a careful, watchful air
her dark locks put tastefully back somewhat
q III nzode, her dress re-arranced, her an
swers respectful, and though hesitating
correct Next she is surprised at modest
request from the untutored servant, that by
some means she may learn to read Pleas
ed with this mark of intelligence she de-
votes little spare time each day to the ac-
complishnent of the object I; and her pupil
is no dull scholar.
Almost imperccptibly by dint OF care
and cleanliness, the brown skin grew fair
and ruddy, the thick locks hung ia c,,e3s,
the brow developed broadly, and many littlc
elegances betrayed themselves in motion and
attire
This young lady, as she assuredly meant
to be- craved an hour For herself, if we re-
member right, after her work was over,
which privileges she.w also to retain, and
in the peculiar occupation of which she was
never to be disturbed. 1t was granted, and
her mistress thought no more of it, until.
some SIX months after, when passing by her
room, she iancled she heard strange voices.
! Curiosity prompted her to look in by means
Of trap door, and there she beheld her
"help,' in all the glory of fancied magnifi-
cence, seated near q table, holding in her
hand book, and talking quite eloquently
with an invisible captain, whom she was
honoring with her patronage
Presently she would get up, managing
her movements admirably, bend gracefully
as Ii inspecting some work Of art in said
captains ghostly hand, receive compl-
ment with all the careless elegance of a
leader OF the ton, respond i'll delicate, digni-
fed manner; arrange her ebon curls with the
tip Of her fan; glide across the room with the
tread of princess, fairly bewildering the
good lady above, who could not make out
what it all meant. Finally she bowed the
captain out with the greatest ease imagina-
bic; then returning. took UP Shakespeare,
and entertained her mstress-unconsciou
ly of course-with ''To be, or not to be, -
read in clear musical tones.
But mark the conclusion of these strange
proceedings; the lady;s son returned from
his travels and the very first day, not know
ing who she was, escorted the domestic
home IN rain storm, as any gallant gentle
man would have DONE
In the evening. he asked impaticntly why
his mothers visitor did not appear.
We have no visitor, my son. she re-
piled.
"And pray who was that beautiful crea-
ture that waited upon to this very door
Am bewitched Are there fairies yet
| certainly in all my journeys, have not met
with so agreeable and polished lady, and
here she disappeared
The proud woman, in anguish, explained
to him that it was only their servant girl
and besought him to restrain his rhapsodies
but he declared that she was some divinity,
and no more adapted to the kitchen than
were his mothers porcelain ornaments to q
blacksmlths forge. And he persisted in tie
idea, married her in spite of his mothers
remonstrance-even displeasure-and the
naughty woman learned to be as fond of her
noble daughter, as her son was Of his gifted
wife. [Ofye B,unch.
A NfoCSTEp Law, TET - The iat of olov-