The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-07-30

thin 0ne-sat down very qniet and demnfe
and ate her breakfast in silent respect.
/ was shy: girl, a Dery shy girl; but | be-
lieve my good feelings so far conquered my
timidity as to make me inquire if Miss Hilton
would not take off her wet shoes, and have
pair Of slippers; and then meeting my aunt's
eye, / subsidized in fearful blushes, lest had
taken too much notice Of " the dressmaker."
We got on very we'll together, Miss Hilton
and |, when the work began. She took the
patterns skillfully, and yielded to all my pc.
culiarties about grace and beauty in costume.
Moreover, she did not treat me as a child but
as " young lady; aud when, with great dig
nifty, sat down to assist her in making the
skirt Of my aunt s new dress, Miss Hilton still
kept respectable silence, which sOothed my
pride, and won my favor amazingly.
Now was a most romantic young damsel,
and knew nothing Of the world except from
books, Of which had read an infinity good,
bad, and indifferent. So, regarding the COM
paniOn-with her small, neat finger her face
Of that sort not properly termed good looking,
but yet decidedly looking goOdEI began to
take liking for her very soon, and ventured a
few questions.
" Had she come far that wet morning2"
"Only about two miles.
g She must have risen early then !"
" Yes, about five; she had to finish a dress
before she came.
What life To rise at five, work till eight,
walk two miles through those muddy lanes 1--WE
live short distance out of London, J and then
begin and work again said nothing, but
thought much; and remember the next time
Mis- Hilton stood cutting out, had the sense
to place chair for her. This she acknowl-
edged with faint blush, which made me think
of the sweetest ideal Of all young dressmakers
Miss Milford s "Olive Halfway" {"
| M dressmaker was no IDEAL do not mean
! to set her up as one She was merely gen
tie, modest, quiet young woman, who worked
| slowly, though carefully, and who for the
| first day did not seem to have an idea beyond
her needle and thread. The next found she
had.
l, always an odd sort Of a girl, happened
Just then to be wild about a new hobby9phre-
nology Now Miss Hilton had remarkably
shaped forehead, and | never rested until ]
brought the plaster mapped out head, and
compared her bumps Herewith; upon which She
smiled, and becoming conversational seemed
to wish to learn something about the new sci
ence. So |, forgetting my shyness, and my
pride OF caste, began seriously to inform the
mind of our new dressmaker.
found she had mind, and some graceful
taste withal, whereupon valorously undertook
my mission" / indulged her with my ju-
Venile notions on art and literature and while
she developed the skill of my fingers, | tried
to expand her dormant intellect Poor, sim
pie soul, do believe she enjoyed it all, sitting
working at my open window, with the vine
leaves peeping in, dilating the while upon in
Vulnerable subjects, which, doubtless, before
had never entered her mind Among these,
were the country and its beauties. One day
some fortunate chance brought me nosegay
of fox-glOves, and showing them to her,
found, to my intense pity, that my young Lon
dOuer did not even know their name
"What Had she never seen wild flowers
Had she never been in the country 2"
20 yes, she had once lived for six months in
guard ship, off WOolwich where she had
seen the country on the river banks, and her
little sisteW had sometimes brought home
handfuls Of daisies from the parks But for
herself, she had worked ever since she could
remember and except the six months in the
ship, had never lived anywhere but in Chel-
sea
To me, how dreary seemed such existence
To ostiteh-stitch-stitch ones days away and
never read book, or walk in a country field
or even to know the name Of wild flower
Z Perhaps, in my deep pity, | overlooked the
fact, that one rarely misses pleasures never
known: yet still, my feelings were strongly
excited to poor Mary Hilton. | did not like
| her the less for learning that her Christian
name was that sweet one-Mary. And WheI
the work was done, and | began to wear thu
new dresses we had together fabricated, Otter
thought Of the pale, quiet little thing, ant
hoped that wherever she was working out,
it was with no harder task mistresses than m,
good aunt and l.
When we sent for Miss Hilton again it wa
, a sudden call--to make mourning. The los
relative was one too aged and to distant to oc
casion me much grief, yet remember th
very fact Of our sitting sewing black dresse
caused our talk to be rather grave: and the
7 the dressmaker told me Of br0ther-the Onl
one she had-whO died Of consumption no,
: she used to sit by him at night, and go ou
working in the day-toWards the last hHrryin
home SO fast lest anything might have hap
| pened' Chat painful gloss we shrinkingly cas-
over the cold word death while she was away
How, at the end, it was as she feared. Sd
was working with lady, who kept her late I
finish-iust to sew on q few trimmings an
hooks and eyes--a mere half hours work -
But she was that one half hour too tate, an
never again saw her living brother
$ 1t was a ehance--a mere chance sh
| said "The lady was not to blame An,
signing, though without tears-she seemed TO
quiet for that-the little dressmaker went OF
with her work again.
We could not finish the mourning in time
it was my fault, fear--inasmuch as had in
! vented fantastic trimming which cost worl,
J Of trouble to make; TO which poor Miss Hiltol
J with infinite patience. She only asked if sht
! might bring her sister TO help her, whereto mi
aunt graciously assented. Bit I--always shy O
strangers-fo1nd great discomfort in the plan
Moreover, the sister name was Caroline, anG
had a girlish prejudice-I have it still
against an Carolines. Miss Caroline Hiltor
was the exact image Of my abhorrence--pf
J ty, vain, talkative-the very type Of the wors
class Of London dressmakeFs. My aristo
cratic pride rebelled against her forwardness
. ] ceased 10 work in the room in fact, from
the moment she came, Ito travestie irreyer
emily line from the grandest modern poet
shrank into myself and was missing ever after.
Only made my aunt promise that never agaiT
should Miss Catharine darken our doors.
Itseems TO me, jotting down this sketch a
J random, that there are in It many lines anC
touches that belong not alone 10 othe portrait
!. Of our dfessmaker Well let it be So.
When Mary Hilton came 70 Us again, ]
was in the winter time. She looked As ever
pale, and was still prone TO silencei but ther'