The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1853-08-09
AND HER SISTER KATE AND THEIR
COUSIN. - !. a. {. -.
HARRIET BEEcHER STOWE.


Mistakes and misunderstandings arc not
such bad things after ALL at least not always
so circumstances alters cases. .tgal|
l remember case i'm point. Everybody
| admired Isabelle Edmonds, and in truth she
was an admirable creature, just made for adm-
ration and sonnotteering, and falling in love
with, and accordingly all the county was in
love with her. Isabella had sister Little
Kate, for she was always spoken of in the di-
| mlnutive, was somewhat younger than her sis
ter, and somewhat shorter in stature. She
had no pretentions 10 beauty--none at all, sir,
she loooked very much like Mrs. A., or
Miss q. you admire so much, though you al
| ways declare she is not handsome. t1 tnl rf
1t requires very peculiar talent to be over
looked with good grace, and in this talent
Miss Kato excelled; she was as happy and
placed by the side of her lrliant sister, as
any little cuntentcd star that for ages had
twinkled on, unpoticed and almost eclipsed by
the side OF the peerless moon. Indeed, the
only seience or art in VIII ich little Kato ever
made auy great prof1cIeHcy, was the science
and art of being happy, and in this she so ex-
celled that person could scarcely be in her
charming presence half an hour without feel
ing unaccountably happy themselves.
| She had world of sprigtness, deal Of
simplicity and affection, with dash of good
natured shrewdness, that after all, kept you
more in awe than you would ever suppose she
could be kept, by such merry good natured
| little body. Not one of fIsabelle's adorers ever
lookd at her with such devout admiration MS
did the laughter loving Kate. Not one was
SO steady to ron, wait and tend; TO be up stairs
aud down stairs and everywhere in ten min
u tes, when Ishabelle was dressing for conquest.
In short, she was, as the dedecatons of books
sometimes set forth her lordship's most obedi-
ent and most devoted servant. .na.o
But if | am going to tell you my story,
must not keep you all night looking a pictures
SO now to my tale, WEIGH | shall commence in
manner and form the folowing:-
Ii came to pass that certain college valetu-
dinariun and afar off cousin of tho two sisters,
came down to spend faw months of his free
agency al their father's and, as aforesaid, he
had carried off the first collegiate honor, bo-
sides all tho hearts of the ladies in tho front
gallery at the first commencement.
So interesting! so poetic! such fine eyey, and
all that was the reputation he left among the
gentlcr sex. But alas, poor Edward, what
did all this advantage bimf so long as he was
afflicted with that unutterable, indcscribable
malady, commonly rendered bashfulness.-
Should you see him in company, you would re-
ally suppose him ashamed of his remarkably
handsome person, and cultivated mind
When he cgan to speak, you felt tempted to
| throw open the window and offer him smell
| ling bottle, he made such q distressing affair
of it, and as to speaking 10 lady, tho thing
was not to be thought of.
When Kate heard that this rarn aris was
coming to her fathers; she was unaccountably
interested to see him. of course-becausc he
was her intimate cousin. and because t-doZ-
ell other things too numerous TO mention.
| He came, and was for ono o. two days an OBJ
iect of commisserat;on as well as admiration
10 the While family circle. After a while,
however, he grew quite domcstc entered the
| rooms straight forward, instead of stealing il
sideways, talked off whole sentences without
stopping-looked Miss Isabelle full in the face
without brushng-.even tried his skill in sketch
ing patterns, and winding silk--read poetry
and played tho flute with the ladies--romped
and frollicked with tho children, and. in short,
as old John observed, was u psalm book from
morning to night.
Diverse reports began 10 spread in the neig-
borhood, and confusion existed in the camp of
Miss Isabclle's admirers Ii was stated with
great decision, how many times they had rid
den--wal ked-tal ked together--and even all
they had said--in short, the whole neighbor-
hood was full Of
"The strange knowledge that doth come
We know not how, we know not where"
As for Kate, she always gave all admirers to
her sisters er-ofico;so she thought. 'that of all
men she had ever seen. sho should like her
RI cousin Edward best for a brother" and she
did hope that Isabelle would like him as much
as she did, and for some reason or other her
lspeculations were remarkably drawn to this
point, and yet for some reason or other, she
felt as fshe could not ask any questions about
it.
At last events seemed to draw towards a
ar1 hona I
studous' every day, and he and Isabelle had
diverse solitary walks and contradictions. from
which they returned with a peculiar soIemni-
ty OF, countenance Moreover the quick sight
ed little Kate noticed that whenever Edward
was with herself he was constantly falling into
frances and reveries and broke off the thread
of conversation abruptly: and, in short: had ev-
cry appearance of person who would be glad
to say something if he only knew how
$50" said Kate to herself sthcy neither
speak to me on the subject. think they might
Belle should think would. and Edward knows
| am good friend Of his: Iknow he is thinking
of il all the time, and he mightas well tell me,
and he SHALL"
Tho next morning Miss Kate was sitting in
the little back parlor. Isabelle was gone out
shopping. and Edward was--she did not know
where. Oh, no! here he is coming book IN
band into that self samo little room. "Now
for it," sad the merry girl mentally: III make
charge of him. She looked up--Nlas,cr Ed.
ward was sitting diagonaly on tho sofa, twirl-
the leaves fhis book ina very unscholarliko
manner: he looked out of The window, and
then walked up to tho sidcbpard and poured
out three stumblefs Of water: then ho drew a
chair up to tho work table and took up first
one ball Of cotton, looked il all over and laid
II down again then another thon he took ur
the scissors and minced up two or three little
bits of paper; then he began to pull the needles
out OF the needle book and put, them back a.
gain, on p9'sea nn3tnhsh" 10 .Hoii1i
n''Do you wish for .somo sewing, sirie said ths
lyoung lady, after having very compbscdly sri:
porintendcd these operations. -hHn
"How-ma, ,am-whatI' said no starting and