St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-11-03
dottstuaro tbe Course Of empire toErs its ollap.


SOleS OF her shoes would have made a
tolcrable target for a wandering hunts.
man, and her lungs rolled out vol
ume of sound that might have turned
iiccolomlni green with jealousy.
As her charms were not sufficient
! tn r.sr +"~.- '-...rt iituIinai
presentation Of myself began softly
to retreat from her vicinity, when
was startled by sharp,
Halo there !"
| stopped and faced about. making
bold as did SO, to scrutinize my com
panion Whose timidity charmed me, }
more closely than had before done.
\ quantity - what mathematicians
would call minus quantity, | think
OF thin drab hair, twisted into wavy
ringlets behind her cars--a pair of
restless, small, gray cyes-a cadavcr-
GUS face-a neck so long and bony
that it looked like the tines of pitch
fork with piece of yellow parchment
drawn tightly over them--a form
that starving vulturc would have
dlsdamcd to pick, and costume made
up of faded relics, dirty lace and
greasy ribbons-thcsc were the fas-
cinatng external charms which cap
tlvatcd my gaze.
Who are you ? and what is your
name, destination and occupation ?"
was the abrupt and rather unexpected
/ query which assailcd me, while was
thus occupied with my observations.
" am man." | replied, with equal
tcrscness. My name is Matthew
llcndcrson--my destination is as yet
uncertain, and as for occupation q
fear spoke a little haughtily,) am
gentleman, madam"
"Matthcw, Matthew murmured my
lovely interrogation, making the grace
| tul and eloquent gcsticulation of clasp
ing her claw-like hands across her
knees. I" had an admircr once who
bore that name
"Onoe madam - replied, bowling
and smiling, for | had by no means
left my gallantry behind me in New
York. Please bear i'll mind, that
since l have seen you, you have anoth-
cr.'
She made no reply in words, but
mOtioncd me to a seat beside her. OF
course | was too courteous to decline
the invitation.
And now may hope to bc favored
with your name ~ asked suasivcly,
as | seated myself.
Ruth Naomi Sapphira Jczcbcl
rhompkins, but | am usually called
Diana, of the Ephesians."
" Ah pet name bestowed on you
by some of your friends, probably
! | answered at the same time prollcr-
ing her my little bouquet of flowers
| Il didn't wonder that they should call
her 10y any name besides her real one,
though mercy knows Jczebcl seemed
appropriate enough , "You have u
pretty village here"
She gave me 10 answer, save a long
doletul sigh. An embarrassing silence
followed intcrspcrSed with sighs, each
as long and doleful as the first Feel
ing the necessity Of saying something
venturcd to ask her if she was hap.
py.
Happy ?" she asked, with face
of expression that lifted my hat halt
an inch from my bewldercd head.
Happy the victim of cruelty and
oppression, with the wealth of Cresus
rightfuily belonging to me, yet do you
think | am happy, ,Iob?"
Why she should address me as job,
| could not conjecture but accounted
for it on the supposition that her mem
ory was a little faulty. 1t seemed she
was wealthy, then. How much more
luXuriant her drab curls looked after |
became aware Of that ! And how
much softer was the light Of her gray
eyes, and what Il difference it made in
the length of her neck and the lank-
ness Of her figure !
| drew a little nearer to her side.
insinuating in my delicate way that
there was II mystery in the words
which should be glad to unravcl, if
she could put sufficient confidence i'll
a stranger, etc, etc; that wherever
the wrongs of lovely women were to
be rightcd thcr was Matthew llcndcr-
son devoted champion, etc, etc, that
if there was any possible way in which
| could serve her, she had but to COM
mand, etc.
Upon that she told me her story. |
knew she would. 1t was Il long and
disconnected narrative which | could
not write out if | should try. The on
ly fact that could grasp with any de-
gree OF accuracy was, that she was
immensely wealthy, but owing to the
miscrly, avaricious disposition of an
elderly brother, who had some control
over her, and who hoped in the event
Of her death, to come i'll possession OF
her property, she was kept out of the
enjoyment Of it.
| hitchcd still nearer What splen-
did eyes the woman had And how
blind had been not to notice the silk
en- abundance and beautiful lustre of
her hair AS for her figure it was
perfectly queenIy.
Was her great wealth mostly i'll
landed estates 2" | vcntured to en-.
| qulrc.
Yes, Israel. But have besides
great deal Of money in the bank"
prickcd up my ears, and felt too
great Il degree Of interest to make
the proper correction in regard to my
name being Matthew instead Of Israel.
She had no protcctor--that she was
unmarried =? | asked softly, at the
same time dropping my jcwcled hand
upon hers. AMI heaving Il little sigh
quite unintentional, | assure you
All ! Cupid What q strange boy
thou art
No, she was not married and this
time she called me Moses | corrected
her, and she changed it to Sampson
She evidently had too deep a respect
for me to call me by any other than a
biblical cognomen.
Well, while we sat there we had a
long conversation, during which |
learned that her bank money was sub
ject to her own independent control, II
Il she So willcd II Before we parted |