Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-05-15
Nj | SCELL A n. Y .
My Cousin Lucy.

uashlng beautiful delightful tease of romp
who gave me no peace-and made me th
happiest mortal in the world 1t was per
feet torment and perfect happiness to b,
teased by Cousin Lucy. She was fairy
romp. There was never anything so light
and buoyant and graceful as cousin Lucy
there never was such laugh as hers-it
was merriment set to music. You might be
vexed sometimes an angry word might rise
to your lips, pcrhaps-but one glance at
the smile that lighted up her sweet lips
one glance at her merry, half
roguish, apologizng eyes, would send your
vexation to the winds. 1t was exquisite
pleasure to be near her. She came and went
like sunbeam. She brought light with
her, and left a shadow behind when she was
gone. 1t would have been cruelty to have
checked the flow other spirits. She could
not have lived in restrained atmosphere
Merriment and laughter, and gee bubbled up
from her breast--and if pressed down into
her bosom would have broken her heart
Everybody liked her. She teased everybody,
tormented their lives out ESQ they said) but
everybody continually talked about her,
courted, praised her, took delight in her
What light, graceful thing she was | do
not believe the flowers felt the pressure of
her feet, as she passed over them Her fat
little arched foot would scarcely brush the
dew from the leaf it touched Her agility
was wonderful She would dart about
you like the play of lightning, and defy your
efforts to seize her. Her spring was ike
fawn's. She would almost have crossed a
roaring flood on the unsteadfast footing of
spear If any footing could have been un-
steadfast to her lightness and command of
limb. And then her daring No one ever
ventured to swing 80 high as she did nor
mi Iar a
nor to do thousand things at which other
young ladies shrink and become terrified.
| confess that loved my cousin Lucy
l was not alone in this, but | fancied from
the first that while she numerically rdi-
culed and tormented others of her admirers !
with me there was heaven of mercy, of |
tenderness | could almost say. Indeed, | |
snail never know happiness SO complete and |
entire again as in those days spent with |
cousin Lucy. Now-well, no matter about
noW-then she was q new and rare flower,
with the dew on, and every sense possessed |
was fascinated. If | could only look upon |
her was happy; to close my eyes and look |
at her was enough; to touch her, to feel her
hand in mine-sometimes even to kiss her
hand-this was too much. Once, indeed,
in the midst of q mad romp-for we were
very children both, and gave our spirits holi-
day caught her in my arms md e"atcneu
one full, complete, round kiss That kiss
1t was dozen years ago, but 1 have not
forgotten its sweetness yet although since
then the same lips have been fondly pressed
to mine many, many times.
The fine sports we had in those times
that dozen years ago Lucy was up to
many tricks, bold, hoydenish some would
call them-very unlady-like they undoubt-
edly were-but cousin Lucy no more thought
ntI Ia,. l.,.l Ii. i. -.
grandmother. She would have laughed at
any such idea with SO rich, merry, and
hearty laugh, that the stitfest sticklers for
the proprieties would have been half con-
verted to her view of the question. re-
callect one of her tom-boy tricks-in which
was the victim--a very naughty trick, so
everybody said; but then everybody laughed
heartily.
We had been in high glce all that day
had tormented and teased each other in
every conceivable way but all with so much
real enjoyment that even the gravcst MEM
ber of the family did not attempt to check
our spirits, At last, hardly know how it
began, | was playiuly attempting to retort
upon her for something done, by sprinkling
her face with few drops of cool spring
water had in the hollow Of my hand. |
succeeded, but only to receive in return
and received shower at every turn |
was thoroughly ducked-drowned; in fact,
became sort Of walking cataract. The
mlschievous witch began by dowsing me
with bowlful, and ended by pailfus. In
vain did attempt to approach her with u
view of punishment. She dsrted around
me like spirit. 1t was splash, splash
blinded, bewildered, gasping, dripping, sat
urated, could only make Intellectual at
tempts to escape her, or retort upon her She
was apoleon-everywhe at the same
moment-pouncing down upon me from un-
expected quarters-appearing and disap-
pearlng with the rapidity of flashes of light
ming. Did crawl around the corner OF the
house to come upon her unawares-just as
L thought her capture secure-splash came
q bucketlul over my head from behind
There was no taking her unprepared, and
there was no being prepared for her NV
own feelings were those OF u drowning rat
as near us | can imagine the feelings of
drowning rat could he. 1t ended as all
our sports ended, was wet 1t was all
very childish and ridiculous-a practical
joke, and practical jokes are under ban; but,
nevertheless, like childish and ridicu Gus
things-and good practical Joke some
times.
Never shall forget how heartily the
laugh was turned against me upon another
occasion. | vowed that | would have a kiss
from cousin Lucy, and cousin Lucy had
dared me to the attempt. | accepted the
challenge, and darted ut her. She eluded
my spring and then began the chase. 1t
was In the evening. u and down stairs,
in and out of rooms, with dOublinss and
turnlngs and stratagems and maneuvers
The chase was spirited one. More than
once had my hands upon her, but she
glided from my grasp as if she was sun
beam At last was close behind her, and
there was only one turning by which she
could escape. 1t was in the hall, and it
was dark. She turned an anglo whence "A
flight Of stairs descended, and us she did so
| sprang upon and seized her, as thought.
She struggled in my arms, shaking with
suppressed laughter. | beat down to seize
the kiss fairly won as supposed, when
light flashed up from the foot of the stairs
and peal OF laughter rang through the
house. There, below, was my cousin Lucy
with light held above her head, her finger
pointed 1T me, and the most provoking ex-
preston upon her face. looked at the fig
ure 50 tightly held in my embrace, and | |
dropped it suddenly | had been vigorous
embracing the kitchen wenGh, instead OF |
cousin Lucy looked at the red-armcd |
Bridget, who was cTamming her apron in |
her mouth as if to stili her laughter. | |
looked at Lucy laughing so triumphantly |
below; looked at halt dozen other faces,
attracted to the spot by my discontinue,
and boiled out OF sight and out of hearing.
IL was getting really necessary that | |
should do something heroic in the sight of
ny cousin Lacy' ! had been her victim