The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-06-21
A WOMAN AND AN ANGEL.
BY LIMA BELL.

aIs my cashmere vest ironed? l want it
and my white duck pantaloons this evening"
This interrogatory was addressed by very
fashionable dressed young man to his sister,
who was not so fashionably dressed in fact
had only neat calico. She was putting the
band to beautifully made shirt. which was
for the aforesaid fashlonably dressed lndlvid-
ual.
mo. Harry, it is not. You know this is
washing day and it is hardly dry
There is time enough to dry it by the
stove, and L must have it, for l am going to
wait on Miss M to the concert toni ght.
So don't forget" and took his hat and walked
out.
His sister, for it aeas to her he was speaking,
flushed aud it must be told, looked angry;
but soon laying aside her work, went out. got
the things off the line. sprinkled and folded
them; then making fire in the stove, she put
her irons in, and sat down to take few stitches
while they were heating. And while she is
doing so, l will tell You something about
her
The young man, her brother, belonged to
rather numerous class. He was clerk,
getting fair salary. He lived at home, pay
ing no regular board, but helping with the ex-
penses of the family. He dressed as most
clerks do, quite fashionably: wore the neatest
made shirts and incest, smoothest cloths, all
of which was done for him by his sister She
took great pride in the appearance of her
brother and bestowed more physical labor in
keeping him looking nice. than he did in re-
turn for his good salary But lately he had
become quite cXacting, and ordered her in
rather peremptory manner and at inconyen
lent times, TO do such things as he had Just
asked her. She had great deal to do in as
sisting her mother with the family, besides at
tending TO his wants; and his demands at times
appeared arbitrary. Yet she never refused
him. He is not the only one whom a sisters
toll has enabled to make a better appearance
in the world at less expense than otherwise
could have been done These extra calls on
her labor, and want of appreciation of them,
had only been made since his acquaintance
with certain Miss M. He was contin
ually praising her as one of the most angelic
beings in existence, perfectly beautiful, with
the sweetest little hand. not broader than three
of his fingers, and SO white and soft; and he
would glance involuntarily at his sisters hand.
which was not so very small and white; and
how could it be she had to stand for hours at
the ironing table, besides sweeping. dustlng
and making beds-in fact. leading an active
and useful life. Yet the comparison would
hurt her feelings, and she often wished he
would not talk TO her of Miss NJ, for she
knew If she had done her duty. her hands
would not be so very soft and white for she
had seen her mother serubbing down the steps
and washing the yard, although Harry had
told her Miss NJ said her Ma had deli
cate health
The more the young man thought of Miss
NJ, the less he seemed to care for Lizzie
and the more he asked her to do for him
And no matter how much she toiled, he never
had time 70 do the slightest favor for her. 50
occupied was he with his courtship 10 his
sweet angel.
Now. TO letyou into the secret: Miss NJ
had something to do with this. She had
learned the character of the devoted sister
and fancied her lover would expect sometime,
like it from his wife. So she had weaned b;n,
from her purposely: and from the very canss
that should have made him think more of har
he actually thought less He had unconsci
oD2iy rmbibed the very common idea, tha,
sott hands and fine airs are indispensable in
making a lady. His sister not having either,
he felt little ashamed of her, notwithstand-
Ing his knowledge of her sound sense and
Tue heart. He was too much in love with a
pretty face to reflect if she performed the
duties called for BY their circumstances, il
would be impossible for his lady love to be so.
ihey were well performed however, BY her
mother, who teas soms,rkat aiding. il is frae
"hen at last the young man married his
angel though Lizzie shed tears al their sepa-
ramon, her labors were certainly considerably
Asnsened, and her hands had better chance
becoming soft She loved her brother,
sno hke true woman, hoped her brother
you'd be very happy. and that his wife would
Aeep him race. This had been her especial
pil0e' and every wife ought to consider it a
aa9. But when in very little time she saw