Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-04-17
ONE DAYS SACRIFICE.
BY VIRGINIA r. TOWNSEND.
oh, dear! | wish | knew what to

oh, dear! l wish | knew what
: do!'
n The lips we're like the tone, ha
poutiDg, half wistful; indeed, this wa
e the expression of the whole face, a
: it pressed itself against the windo1
pane, that morning. 1t was swee
y face, though not beautiful, and yo
felt that the pout was improvised, an
that smile was the indigenous ex
preston Of the foil, rounded lip
and clear hazel eyes.
What a glorious time the,
will have, murmured Grace Ham
mond, while her fingers moved along
the frost rim on the edges of thu
pane. 1T is full fifteen miles to the
green, and they will be :hree hours
getting there. Then such delicious
sleighing, and there are twenty cou.
Piles going cousin Charley said
'How I should enjoy it, with the late
dinner and the delightful ride home,
by moonlight
But there's Matte, she would en-.
JOY it even more than I, buried, as
she is, week after week, in that old
schoolhouse, with those tiresome
boys and girls. Goodness! it would
drive me crazy in month, and yet
how patiently and nobly she bears it.
Mrs. Palmer. with her feeble health,
and those two little children, all de-
pendent on Mattie's services, aud
she so delicately and tenderly rear
edit makes my heart ache to think
of it.
Didn't she look sweet, though at
our party the other evening! Wes-
ton Hunt was really smitten with her.
| could see that plainly by his at
tentions all the evening, and then
bis inviting her to 60 in the sleigh
Ing party; to-day, proves this, ii ever
anything did. Why, there is not a
girl in Meado#brook that would not
be proud Of his attentions. And
then how some Of them have treat
ed Matte of late, just because the
family have lost their property.
'But about the sleigh ride, that is
the question, and it must be decided
now. Charley will be SO disappoint-
ID ifI do not 60, and the half pout.
ng, irresolute look dashed across the
sweet face.
'But there is Matte again; it would
,e such change, such a pleasure to
ler to get out of that cd school
house for day; and i'll were to
each for her, it would be pleasant,
Vhen night comes, to think I've .
rade her happy for one day, If ] have
lot been so myself / will, too;
hat is settled And the young
,irl perforated that decision by bring.
ng down her hand emphatically on !
be window sill.
Grace's monologue must have
,iven you a glance into her inner 8
ell, reader; and | can only outline I
or you, her mental character. Y
She was the only daughter of a :
'ealthy farmer, petted and halfspoil-
d from her infancy. But she was a
rdent and impulsive, with a rich, s
eep, loving nature, which no extra q
eous circumstances could entirely i
hange.. She had her faults, and Q
hey we're many; but her heart wasa :
Matte, DEAR wrote Grace, ten y
linutes later-'you are going on :
lis sleigh ride, SO just don't say Il
mother word about it. Cousin Char. "
y told me Mr.. Hunt sent you the 81
lvitation an hour ago, and / have . .
aken a notion to play school ma am u
# you to-day. I've been on scores o
sleigh rides this winter, and think
will do you as much good to drop u
lie mantle of your dignity on me, as a!
will myselfto assume it. n
SO throw off that school hood tt
om your brown curls, my dear, and
II up the old smile to the soft IL
DOM of your lips, the old light to at
10 summer-blue Of your eyes; and is
all the annals of love and sleigh bt
ies, may there be no page SO bright TO
the one this day shall write in the p'
story Of Matte Palmer and Wes- |c'
n Hunt, most f,rvently prays d,
GRACE. bl