The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-09-17
OUR LOST LUCY.
ny MARGARET vERN.

II was.a beautiful afternoon in early June.
Mother had fang open ahe sittipg-room win
stows, ss.6 heside one Of them We sat together,
sewing and talking. The climbing rose-vines
lad begun to bud about the pillars of the pi-
azza, and the pSnsies that run in little bord-
er along by the pa'h 10 the gate, were OPEN
i'g, one BY orc, their 2arple heats 70 the
summer.
Little Lucy, the pct ana playihing Of the
whole household, from our stern Father down
t the youngest and most boisterous OF our
brothers, sat upon the carpet sortins over a
Iipful of wild violets and honey -scckles hat
lie had just brought in from The fields. Bra
Y, our hoase dog, isS cnricd mp at her feet
v&atehing her as she threw away al d selected
her lowers, with queer mixture Of exit ava
gance aid fastidious.sss. OEce in a while he
would growl and snap his jaws, as mali
..ious fly buzzed about his ears; or wag his
tail gracefully, as Lucy would pa,se in her
mentors, and stroke his long, silky ears with
her d,mpled fingers.
All at once the music of hand organ came
in through the window Lucy sprang to her
feet, grasping her apron of flowers, and run
out upon the piazza; while Bravo, shaking
himself, and treading with sort Of doggish
disdain upon those she had discarded, s.alked
leisurely behind her.
We stopped sewing ard leaned forward to
taich glimpse OF our entertainers. There
were two OF them, a man and woman, the
latter carrying in her hand a tamborine.
MAY dance, Maggie?" called Lucy, as
they struck knp lively measure.
nodded assent, and the next moment she
was tripping across the piazza to the music of
the organ. II was simple dance had taught
her for amusement, and she could execute it
without single mis- step. A pretty picture
she made ont there, where the shade of the
reses cod the sheen OF the sun were plated to-
gether SO lovingly; her long, yellow curls float
ing backward from her shoulders; her neck
and arms bare, plump and dazzling white; one
hand elasping the broad ribbons Of her hat,
which had half fallen from her head in her
breezy motion, and the other holiin. up her
white tunic with It's wreath of blue and scar.
fct blossoms; her cheeks flushed to crimson
with excitement, and her clear brown eyes
SPARKLING with delight.
noticed that the woman watched her with
II evident admiration, never once taking her eyes
from her until she stopped, exhausted, aud
ysilh a coquetish courtesy threw herself down
sYin the cool portico, leaning her head back
against one Of the pillars, till her hair looked
like tendrils Of gold, dropping throgh the
emerald vines.
I tossed small bit Of coin out of the wind
ow to her, and she with gleeful laugh, put It
between Brayo's teeth, and bade him carry it
10 them.
The man shouldered his organ with low
bow, and had started to go, when his compau-
ion touched him on the shoulder, and spoke
a few words to him in foreign, gargonish
language. He turned and looked at Lucy,
and then answered in the same fow, rapid, in
Z distinct tone, which could not understands
while an expression, strange: cunning and al
!. most cruel, passed over his face.
For the FIRST time scrutinized them closely
They were an evil-looking couple. The man
was short and thick set, with bushy whiskers,
eyes almost hid under wrinkled, shelving eye
Arows, and thin, wide lips, one OF which Vas
Kashed with long, crimson scar. The wom-
N was dark, mulattoish-looking person, with
. crisp, black hair, and little, sharp, grey eyes.
r Two square, yellow teeth projected over her
Rwer lip, and her chin was long and protrud-
itg. They were both ragged and filthy in ap-
pearance.
shuddered involuntariy as looked at
them, and as il an instructive knowledge Of