The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-06-04

ouetudo of her mothers country seat,
and growing. as girls are apt to, much
faster than her mother imagined She
was fair, slender girl, with pu-
rity and simplicity of appearances which,
if i, be not in itself beauty. had all the
best effect Of beauty, in interesting and
engaging the heart.
She looked not so much beautiful ms
lovable Her character was in precise
correspondence with her appearance its
first and chief element was feeling and
to this add fancy, fervor, taste, enthusi-
asm almost up 70 the point of geuus,and
just common sense enough to keep them
all in order, and you will have a very
good idea of the mind of Fanny Grey.
Delightful passed the days with Fan
ny during the absence of her mother,
while without thought of rule OF COM
pass, she sang her own songs. painted
flowers. and sketches, landscapes from
nature, visited socially all over the viii
lagc, where she was great favorite. ran
about through the fields. over fences, or
in the wood with her little cottage bon
net. and. above all. built her own little
castles in tho air without any body to
help pull them down. which we think II
bout the harriost circumstance in her
situation.
But affairs were very different as
pect when Mrs Grey with her daugh-
tcrs returned from Europe, as full of for
cign tastes and notions as people of an
artificial character generally do return.
Poor Fanny was dcluged with a tor
rcnt of new ideas she heard of styles of
appearance and styles of beauty. les of
manner and styles of conversation, this,
that. and the other air. generally and
particular effect. and of four hundred and
fifty ways of producing an impression -
in sthort itFseemed to her that people
ought to be of wonderful consequence to
have so many things to think and to say
about the how and why of every word
and action
Mrs. Grey, who had no manner of
doubt Of her own ability to make over a
character, undertook the point with Fan.
ny as Systematically as one would under
take to make over an old dress. Poor
Fanny, who had an unconquerable aver
sion to trying on dresses or settling points
in millinery, went through with most ex-
cmplary meeknoss an entire transforma.
ton as to all oxternals; but when Mrs.
Grey set herself at work upon her mind,
and tastes. and opinions, the matter be-
came somewhat more ctious for the
| buovant feeling and fancieul elements of
her character were as iucapate lie Of being
arranged according TO rule as the spark
| ling water drops are Of being strung into
necklaces and earrings or The gay clouds
of being made into artificial flowers
! Some warm natural desire or taste of her
own was forever interfering with her
mothers regime some obstinate little
Fannysm' would always pnt up its head
| in defiance of receive custom and as her
mother and sisters paihetically remark
cd do what You would with her. she
would always come out herself after all.
Afor trying laborious!y to conform to
the pattern which was daily sot before
her, she came at last TO the conclusion
that some natural iufrriority must for
ever prevent her aspiring to accomplish
anything in that way.
If I CAN'T be what my mother wishes,
I'll at least be myself said she one day
TO her sisters. for if try to alter shall
n"ithcr be myself nor any body else > and
on the whole her mother and sisters
came to the same conclusion. And in
truth they found it very convenient
thing to baye one in the family who was
not studying effect or aspiring to be any
thing in particular,
II was very agreeable to Mrs Grey
to have daughter to sit with her when
she had the sicI: headache. while the 9TH
or girls were entertaining company in
the drawing room below. 1t was very
convenient to her sisters to have some
one whose dress took 50 little time that
she had always head aud a pair O.
hands at their disposal, in case Of any
toilet emergency. Then she was always
loving and aiIectionatc, entirely willing
to be outtalked ard outshone on every
occasion and that was another advan.
tage.
As to Isabel, and Emma. the sensa.
tion that they made in society was enough
~ nave SEhllHci u uuZcu ordinary DCIlcS
All that they said, and did. and wore
was Instant and unquestionable prece,
dent; and young gentleman. all starch
and perfume, twirled lheir laced pocke,
handkcrchicfs,and declared on their hon
or that they knew not which was the
most overcoming, the genius and wit oi
Miss Emma or the bright eyes of Miss
Isabella though it was an agreed point
that between them both not heart in
the gay world remained in its owner.
possession thing which might have a
serious sound to one who did not know
the character Of these articles. often the
most triaing item in the inventory o.
worldly possessions And all th, while
all that was said Of our heroine was som e
thing in this way;-I believe there i:
another sister is there not}'
Yes, there is quiet little blue-oyed
lady. who never has a word to say fol
hersclf-quite amiable I'm told
Now, it WAS not fact that Miss Fan
ny never had a word to say for herself
If people had seen her on visit al an,
| one of the hOusca nlnnr tho littlc 0rcrt