The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-03-24
Prom "Household WOrds."
Lima Fernie.
CHAPTER /.

under discussion. at is always hard word
With you, mother" said he, aeprecatingly
What can you have against Lima I"
"Hqve ngOinst her |! She's the rlost con-
:eited, selfish, uppisb, wasleful WenCh III all
Brigham % wac the uncompromising reply
Marry her She'll break your heart in
tweIvemonth Shed break any honest
man's heart, with her deness and love OF
fnery."
"She mas an uncommon pretty face, moth.
er; and Isn't it women's ways to look to set
it of bit T. pleaded John. "You never
saw any harm 10 her until took on with
her"
at is not for me to ghtie neighbours
daughter when che j. nought to me; but
when you talk OF bringing IN lass like
Lima Fernie, and setting mr. up over your
old mothers he'd. then it's tine to speak, n
think. hoped you would have acted more
sensible when it came to seeking wife,
John. A fine young man, like you, with
we'll plenishea house to bring her to, and
work the year in, an the year out. Why,
you might have the pick Of the parish ~
sand thut's what Lima is: she's the pick
of the parish. Show me her match any
where !"
81 soy nought about prettiness; for red
and white, and blue eyes like wax dolls,
Lima would be hard to beat; but they won't
bake your bread, or guide your house, I'm.
mind that What can she do 2-there's tnp
question:"
"Why, suppose, mother, that like other
girls, she can learn. She's only youue."
~ doh't like her bringing up. I don,
like the family, John. They have never
borne very good characters, either at home
or abroad"
"And is poor Lima to Sc blsmed for
that 7"
"Have you spoken to her, yet, John ?"
"No. / thought must epeuk to you
first :"
"Well, then, I've said my soy. If it had
been Mary Jenner, or Lbbie Frost, would
have been glad to make way tot either oi
them; but it goes sorely against the grin
with me to give place 10 Lima Fornie."
"Mary Jenner's older than me, mother,
and Libbie Frost's downright ugly"
II don't mind of hearing you soy so till
Lima came home from her aunt's in Lon
dom"
"Libbc's we'll enough for some things,
but / could not fancy to marry her il there
was not another woman in the world"
Mrs. Hurland signed deeply, aud piled her
knitting-Pins fast; John continued to hover
about her, scarcely satisfied to act against
her counsel, yet fully bent on getting Lima
Fernie for his wife.
81 wasn't beauty, John, as we'll you may
sesi" said the mother, with wistluI smile
"yet your father fancied me, and dom
think he ever regretted his choice. I was
good, useful article, he used to say"
"You're deal better liked than Libbie
Frost, now; and mother, there'd be you to
put Lima in the way Of things, you know
he insinuated.
"EGe's not one that will take kindly 4
teaching; but | wish you would not talk t.
me abou, her any more. If your hearts se
on her, know you over well to expect yo,
to change it,"
John acknowledged that his heart was Sc
ON Lima; and that miserable man he woul
be that day he thought she looked coldly OIL
him; and finding his mother indisposed t
indulge him with any further conversation
on the subject, he strolled down the neat lit
! tie garden into the village street, and turne
, naturally towards Lina's cottage.
Lima was standing on her dootsteps, hav
. ing q gossip with neighbor; she haunte
the doorstep very much, and never scruple
to hold anybody in talk, man, woman 0
child, young or old, rich or poor, friend O
stranger; who passed that way. She had no
an atom Of shyness. Indeed, Johns mothe
: was much more correct in her estimate q
. the village belle than was John himself
Lima was pretty, very; nobody could gain
say that Her complexion was OF cream
fairness, with brilliant but delicate bloom
= her hair was bright golden, her figure wa
short, but plump. Lima knew she was
beauty, and liked other people to know
too. She had no objection to the assiduitie
:, of the handsome young mason. Indeed, tn
longer her train Of admirers, the better Lin
. liked it; 60 when she saw him coming te
, wards the cottage, she bridled her white hecl
q and looked as csptivatingly unconscious {
y him as ever she could-a needless vile, fc
:, poor John was already prostrated by th
;, power of her charms, and perfectly incapt
BILE of q single reasonable reflection wit
;. regard to her. ,s,.a
I'll AS he approached, Meggie Sanders, Ii
a other gossip, drew of, and Lima invited job
1t into the house. He accepted the courtea
y gratefully; for there was only the deaf o.
{ grandmother sitting by the fire, and Oh
b would take no heed of their conversations
10 John had not at any time skillul tongue
commonplace chat, and his present Absorb
ing feelings forLina made him even lei
AL fluent than usual-a matter of which the nj