The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-07-12
THE WEDDING RING.

THE WEDDING RING.
Louisa" said a gentleman TO his
danghter, returning To the room winch he
haa quilted minute before, "lhere Is a
woman waiting TO see you down stairs
60 to her at once.
La, papa. dare say she is in no hur
ry," replied the young lady, without rails
lra from the easy chair into which she was
sunk.
my dear, do not krcc,n her waiting; the
time Of work woman is her cc'piial, and
you have no right to defraud her of IL.
Defraud, papa; what hard words you
use. am sure | always pay them their
bills-what more can they ask -
Her father had not waited her conclu-
sion Of the sentence, and Louisa seeing he
had gone, proceeded with her breakfast,
intending when she had done to send for
the woman, whom she knew was bring
inc her some artificial flowers to inspect.
Whilst slipping her coffee, her eve fell upon
new publication which her father had
been that morning examining. She seized
upon it. and soon, engrosscl in its pages.
forgot the artificial flowers, the artist and
her fathers adnonition. An hour passed
when She was interrupted by the enterance
OF some young friends, whose visit of
course detained her in the drawing room.
After great deal of lively but rather
empty chat, one Of the visitors observed
that there was a woman in the hall as they
passed, with basket Of the most exquisite
". t,,l 4
ed to examine them ALL With a sIioht
blush Louisa remembered her fathers
words, RAM for the forgotten tradeSwoman.
and the next hour was spent by the vonnp
ladies' IN turning over the bc utiful sneci
mems contained ia the basket, irving them
on their heads before the glass, and wish
ell earnestly they could afford to purchase
them. They We're good humored, pretty.
girls, well and eXpensively dressed, and
they seemed Just fitted to he the inhabi,
tants Of the apartment in which the scene
was passing. It was a handsomely fur
nished room The walls hung with paint
inss, the tables spread with costly books,
the consoles and marble brackets with
tasteful ornaments; Ierhaps the value of
only few those China va-es would have
f"rIne'i a fortune to many a poor family
The pleasant morning air which brcathed
through the light muslin curtains and
waved e rich damask draperv, was
scented with the perfume Of heliotrope anl
jassam'ne aud the z lean. of sunshine which
fell on the Q lass globe where the gold fish
swan, was rcflecte back upon the rich
cut chandaiicrs and made them look like
fragments Of rain bow. All was in keep
ing with the gay girls who gazed at them
selves III the tall pier glasses-aIl except
the paie care worn face Of the owner Of
the flowers. Dressed in widows weeds
which time had rendered shabby. though
evidently preserved with care, her look. as
she handed out one graceful wreath after
another, was So sadly in contrast with her
customers gaiety that had they bestowed
one thought on her, they must have felt
some pity. But they neither lookel at
her noticed her, except to enquire theprice
Of some beautiful specimen exclam at its
dearne's, wish they could buy them all,
AMI declare they would learn to make
them, as it must he charming work. Fl
nally, after having disarranged he whole
Of her sock, one Of them discovered that
1t was time to 20 10 the portrait painter to
whom she was sitting, as that gentleman
never waited a moment and she should
lose the only hour he could give her.
Louisa made some tritlng purchase. for
she lad changed her mind on the subject,
ami now desired some other ornaments;
and the young party hastily quilted the
q
her injured goods, and return home at her
leisure.
Little as these careless girls we're dis
posed to bestow thought upon the poor
woman, It is our intention 10 follow her to
her own home, where, fatigued and dis
appointed, she arrived in short two hours
after she LETT the mansion Of Lou sa's "a
ther. II was low and narrow p,rret
l'.,htei only BY window in the ro,f which
threw down CLEAN Of sunshine upon the
corner OF tie nearly empty room: and
- up an old and comfortless bed.
,yL;.h see-.el 50 nlaced that its occupant
might derive some heat from sonrce
which at leaIt cost nothing Reclining on
this bed. and supported by broken chair
back, slightly covered hy an old shawl
lor the luxury Of pillows Was beyond their
reach was much younger woman; but
Ike the Erst mentioned, she, TOO, wore
widows cap, and such clothing a. she had
bore the traces Of mourning Her face
was van and thin. and she was evidently
suffering from some serious maladY which
had trained away the springs Of life Her
slender hands were busy in ftbricating
some of those beautiful flowers which her
mother bad carried abroad for sale, and
the delicate coIors aud gay groups made
her pale checks still more ghastly from the
contrast 4 halfinishei wreath of orange
flowers lsy near her, and the tale they