Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-05-27
81 Misltllanu.
6 Z & DAYS CRIFIcE.
BIT VIRGINIA p. TOWNSEND.

ne lfs Fere Just Ii ke the tone, that moment,
half-poutipg. half wasteft4l indeed this was TIE
expression Of the whole face. as it pressed it
salt closer to the window pane that morning.
1t was a sweet face, though by no means a
beautiful one, and you felt intuitively that the
PoGt wa. improviscd. and that su.i!e IVES the
iHdigenious expression of the full, rounded lips,
and Of the clear, hazel eyes
They looked ont, those ewes. on winter
morning. cold and still. for the night before had
woven its seamless robe over brown field and
barren Hill, azd the trees lifted up their charr-
ed foreheads VI de- the white bap,ismsl of De-
osruber.
Overhead the cloud. we're slowly wrapping
their grey foid, away from the ,un, and reveal
iuS pleasant in,erludes of soft. blue aky, the
mornings blessed prophecy written in ~. heav-
eas above to the earth beneath, " 7'is day slsaH
b pery bright on."
}at 8 gloriou. time they will have" rnur-
rnurs Grace Hammond. While her little fingers
move alorg the high frost rim N the edges of
the pane. 1T is full fifteen miles to the green
and they'll be three hours getting there. Then
such delightful sleighing if will be, and there
are twenty couples going. cousin Charley said"
How should enjoy it, with he late dinner,
and the evening plays. and the delightful ride
home BY moonlight Oh ! IT seems to N. /
never wanted 20 go anywhere 40 much in mr.
life"
but then there's Mattieo, dear child she'd
sr;oy it ave. more than l would buried up ~
she is. week after week, in that old red school
bouss, with those tireso,ne boys and girls"
-Goodnsss believe it would drive me era
sy il less than month. and ys! how patiently
snd sobly she bear. it ALL
"If her father hadn't made that unfortunate
spseul.tion just before be died. mor.gagine even
the house they live ID.
Ers. Palmer. with her feeble health. and
those I've li,tls children. al dependent on Nat
ties services, and she 50 delicntely, go epderly
reared. / declare. il make. my heart ache TO
think Of it.
Didn't she look sweetly, though at our par
ty the other evening. spoke before l thought,
Matte, how becoming black j. to you,' and
then tho tears came into her eyes II WAS SO
ear-les, Of me.
Weston Hunt was really quite smitten With
her. l could see this quite plainly by tbs at
.entioRs he psid her all ;he evening. and then
his inviting her to go to the sleighing party to-
day proves this, if ever anything did Why,
there isn't a girl in all Meadow brook that
wouldn't De proud of his attentions And then.
how come of them have treated Matte of late
just because the family have lost their property.
It's perfect shame l think.
But abou; the sleigh ride, that's tts question,
and naua decide now.
Charley viii be disappointed if / don't
go;' aad the old. half-pouting, hslf-irresolute
look dashed across the sweet face.
But there. Matte again. 1t would be such
q change. such pleasure for her to get out of
that school room for day; and If l were to
teach for her. / could think when night came,
/ had made her happy, ii hadn', been SO my
self
u I'LL too; that's settled now. Grace Ham
moIsd. you don't go that sleighing party to-
day and the young girl perforated this decision
by bringing down her hand emphatically the
window sill.
Grace Hsmmonds monolos1e rnust have given
you 4 glance into her inner self, reader; and
can only outline fo- you very briefly, her men
tsl character
pe;isd and half spoiled from her infancy
But she was ardent and impulsiye. with
rich, deep, loving nature, which no extraneoue
circumstances could entirely change.
She had her faults. and they were many, but
her heart-and it is q blessed thing when you
can say this Of man or wsman-her hort tnas a
true ons.
Matte darling" 50 wrote Grace Hammond
ten minutes later" you are going on this sleigh
ride. so don't say another word about it. Cous-
in Charley told me Mr. Hunt sent you invi-
tstion sn hour ago, and I've taken notion to
Play school ma'am for you to-day. I've been on
scores Of sleigh rides this winter, and think it
VIII do you as much good TO drop the mantle OF
your dignity On me to-day. as it will my giddy
sell 10 assume it.
so throw off that school hood from your
brown eurls, my darling, and call up the old
smiles to tie soft bloom of your lips, the old
light to tie summer blue Of your eyes aud in
ST the annals Of youth. lovs and sleigh rides