The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-05-22

AosuoSS Wuu H0u uc0u euUJeCtcu lVE uAty
years Of laborious life to the damps Of the
river, was seized with an attack Of rheuma-
tic gout, which rendered him completely
helpless, by depriving him of the use of his
limbs. .',l - -. ga .-.... .-
Here was an end at once to all his re-
naming sources Of amusement and occupa-
tion-it might be said, to his very animated
existence; for he was reduced to automaton,
moveable only at the will and by the help of
others. He had not only to be dressed and
fed like a newborn infant, but to be kept
from brooding over his state of anticipated
death, by cheefull conversation, by news
from the armies, by words of consolation,
and reading, more precious still, in all which
Blanche was fortunate an adept. The old
man now remained in bed till nine, Blanche
regularly left the boat, took him up, set him
in his old arm chair, gave him his breakfast,
and, snatching q crust of bread for herself,
ran back to her work till two O'Clock; then
she might be seen climbing up the long steps,
and running breathless with haste to cheer
and comfort the old man with the meal of
warm soup, so dear to q Frenchman's heart.
Unwilling as she was to leave him, his very
necessities kept her at work till a late hour,
when, with her hard won earnings in her
hand, she would seek her in6rm charge, and
fall on thousand devices to amuse and
console him, till sleep stole at length on
eyelids long strangers to the light of day.
One morning, on coming homo as usual,
Blanche found her dear invalid already up
and dressed, and seated in his elbow chair;
and on enquiring to whom she was indebted
for so pleasing surprise, the old man, with
q mysterious smile, said he was sworn to
secrecy. But his daughter was not long in
learning it was her betrothed, who, happy
thus to anticipate her wishes and cares had
prevailed on his master so to alter his own
breakfast hour, as to enable him to devote
the greater part of it to this pious Office
Straight to her heart as this considerate kind
ness went, it fell short of what she expert
enced when, on coming home some day af-
ter, she found her dear father not only up,
but in q medicated bath, administered by
Victor, under the directions of skilful
doctor he had brought to visit the patient.
At sight of this, Blanche's tears flowed fast
and freely; and, sezing on her betrothed's
hands, which she held to her heart, she e1.
Grandchildren can repay what you have
done for mev' "Nay, Blanche" was the
gentle answer, "you have but to say one
word, and the debt is overpaid."
That word few but would have spoken
it, backed, as the modest appeal was, by
the pleadings of the ally within, and the
openly avowed concurrence of old Raymond
in the wish SO dear to both. Let none des-
pise the struggles of the poor working girl
to Withstand at once father and lover !!
to set at nought, for the first time, an au-
thority never before disputed, and defy the
| of ,1x, IaI
itude! In spite of them all, flial duty still
came off conquerer. Blanche summoned all
the energies of truly heroic mind, to de-
clare that not even the happiness of belong.
ing to the very best man she had ever heard
of in her life, could induce her to sacrifice
the tender ties Of nature. The more her
fathers n6rmities increased, the more de-
pendent he would become on his daughter.
What to her was pleasure, could, she ar
gued, to him be only burdensome and pain
full task; in word, her resolution was not
to be shaken. Victor was therefore obliged
to submit, even when (from delicacy which
would but incur obligations on which Chains
sible. to resist) Blanche insisted on defraying
from her own resources, the expense of the
medicated baths, thus putting more hope
lessly far off than ever the long-deferred
wedding.
She had not the heart, however, to deny
Victor the privilege of putting the patient
into the healing waters, which seemed daily to
mitigate his pains, and lend his limbs more
agility. While her father was at the worst,
Blanche had been obliged altogether to
forego the river, and obtain from her en-
ployer permission to do what she could in
the way of her vocation at home. But
when, on his amendment, she resumed her
out Of door labor, a circumstance occurred,
so very honorable to the class Of workmen
we are commemorating, to their mutual at
tachment, and honest feelings of benevolence
that to leave it untold would be doing them
and the subject great injustice.
With the motive for enhanced industry
which Blanche had to spur her on, with her
daily load Of allotted labor, will be little
matter Of surprise; or that her good.natured
companions, knowing the necessity for ex-
ertion on her part, should abstain from
wasting her precious time by any of their
little tricks and gossip. But one morning,
when, from her father having been i'll all
night, she arrived at work unusually late,
and had consequently when the hour of noon
struck, left the greater part Of her task
(which had often detained her till night set
in) unfinished, it was nevertheless accom-
plished, as if by magic, within the usual
time, and her days earnings, instead of be-
ing diminished, rather increased.
| Next day, and the next, their amount was
the same, till the grateful girl, suspecting to
what she owed so unforeseen a result, and
concealing herself behind the parapet of the
quay, ascertained, by ocular demonstration,
that, during her necessary absence, her
place at the river was regularly occupied by
one or the other of her neighbors, who took
it in turn to give up the hour of rest, that
poor Blanche might be no loser by her flial
duty, as not one of those worthy women
would forego her share in this token of good
will to the best and IN ost respected Of daugh-
ters.
Blanche though affected and fattered, as
may well be believed, by this novel sort of
contribution, was led, by a delecacy of feel.
ing beyond her station, to seem Ignorant of
it, till the additional funds thus procured
had enabled her to effect the complete cure
of her father, whom she then informed of
the means by which it had been purchased,
and eagerly led the recruited invalid to re-
ward, better than she could do her generous
companions.
Amid the hand shakings and congratula-
tions which marked this happy meeting,
Victor, We may be sure, was not behind
hand; only, he managed to whisper amid
the general tide of joy, cam to be the
only one you have not made happy to-day'"
Too much agitated to be able to answer,
Blanche only held the faster by her fathers
arm.
Among the laundresses of the barges
there is custom of choosing annually one
of their number, whom they style their
queen, to preside over their festivities, and
decide disputed points in the community.
Mic. Lent, the season for appointing the
queen of the boat arrived, and Blanche was
duly elected at the fete always given on the
occasion. The boat was gaily dressed up
with ships colors, and q profusion of early
spring flowers; and all were as happy As
possible. In England, on the accession of
any appointment like that which Blanche
was endowed, there would be no kind Of
ceremony, and no ornaments would be en-
ployed; but it is doubtful whether We are