The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-05-09
The unsuitableness of my face to what may
be allowed to call a very tolerablc figure. has

now II all CAME ABOUT; NV late mlSfFcSS, VINO
was very kind 10 me, and had intended. poor
thing-for she told me SOTO leave me coz .
fortably provided for, took me over with he.
seven years ago, to Paris She was a widow !,
fond of gay life and brilliant amusements; !;
and that place suited her so sell, that she
made it her home. and l, bat little 10th. re-
maincd there too. Joseph and kept CON-
pany together before that time. but he was
not so foolish as to wish me to give np my
expectations for the sake of hurried mar
riage: he said he would wait patiently. dear
fellow. although the great salt sea was TO roll
between us. and there could be no chance of
his getting letter more than once month
lie was masons assistant in London. ard
very hardl! worked. it seemed. for he himself
was not able to reply nearly so often: how
ever of course. was not a bird. that COW
he in two places at once. so | made the best
of it. and vas happy as confidential i,iy's
maid under such circumstances could hope
to be.
One evening / had been preparing my
mistress. who was splendid dresser. for the
opera: my only fellow servant was on leave
of absence for some DAYS: and except the
porter in the COURTYARD there was no body
when the carriage had driven off that night.
IN the whole house save myself; therefore,
having nothing bettcr-or at least nicer-to
do. and being in my mistrcsss bedroom
among her beautiful robes and ornaments, it
was hardly to be expected that should resist
such an opportunity of irving them on. The
room. beside being charminglv hung with
mirrors. had a delicious. full-length swinging
syIosS ,n1 haf,,rn Il, I T. -
good long while. 1behcld how Mademoisell..
Elizabeth Martcn-th;t is nv present name.
but dear Joscph's is Andrews-how she look
ed in barages. in silks. in muslins, for the
morning; and how sleeves. with pearls be-
come her for evening wear: finally equippirg
myself in particularly pleasant glace silk
walking dress. with bonnet and falling
vail fit for bride. l could not help twisting
round 4 little. to see as much of myself as
possible. and contrasting the effect at the
same time with that of madamc-who was
beautiful enough. but indit;erently propc,-
tioned-1 involuntarliy remarked aloud:
We'll. we may be plain in the face. but we
are certainly unexceptionable behind
1t was an absurd thing to saw. even to
ones self, and remembered blushing like
beet. as though it were not quite out of the
question that | could be overheard. There
were several Jewel draw ers-this ruby upon
my middle finger. ring belonging to nv
MISTRESS late husband, was in one of them
but | had no time for more than to set off
handsome necklace or two, and to very
much regret that my ears had not been
punched for the accommodation Of an especial
pair of diamond ear rings. before | heard
wheels In the courtyard. and nv mistress
came home. Everything had been put away
carefully. and undrcsscd her and SAW her to
bed as usual. She was more than commonly
kind and gentle in her manner that night. as
have since thought at least: and when she
wished nc her bon soir. she added: 4 am
sure We shall both be tired tomorrow, BESSIE ,
so call ME an hour later. and take an extra
sleep Yourself was rc,er to hear nv good
mistress speak any more.
Did dream that night that she had icft
nle a.. her wardrobe. and tha; was married
IN the glace silk? Did even in nv sleep.
build schemes of what would do with the
money that NY dead mistress might enrich
me with? No: as hope for heaven. and to
meet dear Joseph. with all my womans vanity
had my wOmans hearttoo. beating true and
warm. and thought no shadow of evil
told them SO in court. where all looked black
against me. and they believed me even there.
But in that morning. late. when the sun was
shining tull upon the window. and the noise
of the people going about their daily work
was full and clear saw frigL,ful sight.
CHASTITY horror that the day but served 10
make more hideous and unnatural-mv mis-
tress murdered in her bed. No answer when
Knocked; AGAIN no answer. The curtains
at the ::cdsidc were close drawn. but through
the open shutters a fiery food of light icll
red upon the carpet and the curtains-a,,
and on the corner of the snow white cour,..
pain. red also. 1t was blood. thought
there had been RAIN of blcod: uron tie
handles o: the drawers. upon toilc; cover. 4
the dressing case. upon the towels. III =,
ba>ln-cverv-wherc the muracrcr's h.
had been after their deadly work; ard Ia: =.
i,cd-l dared ro; lock in the bed; l,., i
that great swing glass where had dccse,
myself but few hours ago. saw it all. IN
every mirror IN the room was picturing III.
same siSht-there lay the corpse. the nun
drrcd woman with her gaping throat.
They thought at frs, that was murdere
too. l!irS SO s::.I and ccid in that deaf.
chamber. knew nothing. For could hay,
told them had known. until joseph came
1t seemed To ne then quite natural that !,
should he with re-no;h:ng praiscv. nth,
nothing. This dear little engaged YOUR
persons eyes began to get retder about Il
rim ct this Renaissance. and her story,
assume chokv charactcr.) l die rot u,,tc,
stand how much | owed him; how, NJ
having heard from r,e iorso time, and
ing IN the newspaper that an English lady,
maid had been taken up in Paris for a mu:
der IN the Rue St. Honore. but that she
fused to speak. and even had in reality 10:
her senses. ne started off at once, giving
ms employ. and borrowing aud begging VIII
ne could. and knowing no word of Fren
"ut the name of that one street. he hurried,
me; so that my mind came back again. ar
l could tell them what knew. All he d.
ne sald, was less than he ought to have don,
because ne had behaved i'll to me of OIL
winch am sure. dear Joseph never ha.
nor thought of doirg) lie stood by me-
court in the prisoners place along with N
he stood and shared NV shame. Itold abou,tl
Jewels. and of my irving them ON. how eve,
'hlng was safe. and the doors locked. and II
chamber window was too high to be climb.
up to, though man might have let himsc!;.
down from it into the ward.
And then learned for the frs. time. 4, .,
al t,'at afternoon and night the murder
nao lam hidden under nv mistress.s bee
that ne must have been there all ,ba, finn.
-'hlnk OF lt-that was TRYING on the dress
es ana the ornaments; that there was mm
dcrer waiting in that chamber all thc ub;lo