Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-03-05
Hllscelloueous.
THE BIRD OF PARADISE
OR,
EMMA'S FIRST FAULT.

'.That is lovely ornament; let me
have the pleasure of sending it home for
you, madam" said the obscquious clerk,
holding up the tempting article, while
Emma Forster eyed it wistfully "a fact,
doubtless, clearly perceived by the i'm
Fortunate vender.
s'No, I thank you; it is too elegant;
that is, it is not suitable-it is too gay
too
Il beg ten thousand pardons for diff
fering from you, madam; but, really, not
suitable L never saw any lady whom
it would better become. And, excuse
me, madam, but do me the favor to OBJ
serve that, with this delicate satin l have
lust had the honor of selling you, the
effect would be splendid. y bird of
paradise is an ornament equally adapt
ed for the hair or the bonnet; and none
but ladies of high taste appear in such
decoration. They have decidedly
ar;stocratic appearance.
Poor Emma stood the very personif
cation of irrcsolution-thc bird OF para
disc on one side, with the envy it would
excite in the Smiths and the Browns
(the latter particularly, who were so con-
ceited, and always managed to out-dress
her wherever they metz and, on the
other hand, the fear of her husbands
displeasure, should she venture to ap-
pear in so costly an ornament
1t is we'll said, however, that ''she
who de!iberates is lost" for so it proved
in the present case. She gave hasty
assent, when the clerk reiterated his re-
quest to be permitted to put up the
beautiful article; and paying the bill,
hurried out of the store.
Arrived at home, she was much vcxed
to find she had occupied SO much time
in shopping, that she had scarcely al
lowed herself sufficient to prepare the
tea before her husband would be home.
Flushed with her recent confict-angry
that she had been guilty of such cxtrav
agance-and certain of incurring her
husbands anger also, she already began
to pay dearly for the much desired fine
ry, and to wish earnestly that she had
never seen it.
Tea being concluded, Mrs. Foster has
tened to her bedroom, to complete the
dress in which she was to appear on the
following evening, at ball to be given
by former shool-fellow, on the occa-
sion of her recent marriage, and at which
the Smiths and the Browns were expect
ted to be present.
On contemplating her late purchase,
she almost became reconcilcd to the an
ticipated displcasure Of her husband, so
beautiful did it look; and when she rest
ted the splendid little bird on her dark
shining hair, she thought Frederick
could hardly grudge the price it cost, so
well did it become her; and then, as the
clerk had told her, it had such an aris-
chn IN
sure that no other lady of the party
would have such a thing.
Then she endeavored to feel satisfied
with her conduct, and to stife the voice
of conscience, which, however, would be
heard.
Some ladies may wonder that so small
matter as an ornament for the halr
should cause such disturbance in the
mind of a young and pretty woman
and one that was newly married, too
and, truth to speak, to fond and indul-
gent husband-but be it known that
Emma Forster had been trained by q
wise and good mother, who had instilled
into the mind of her child principles Of
rectitude, and thus made it impossible
for her to act wrong without knowing
it, and, consequently, without suffering
the penalty of evil-doing.
Emma knew very we'll that her hus
bands displeasure would not be ocea
stoned by the cost of the bird of para
disc so much as by the love of fnery ant
tendency to extravaganza which tho
purchasing such an article would betray
and several times during the evening
she was ON the point of making clear
breast, and obtaining her husband
sanction to wear the ornament; but feal
of his anger, and dread lest he should
forbid her to appear in it, withheld her
Could she but get to her friends house
without being seen by her husband, shc
knew she would be safe, as Mr.. Foster
was to set off, in the evening, few miles
out of town, and would not return unit
the following day; SO that he could no