Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-02-24
FEMALE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

Miss Georgiana Aurelia Atkins Green was
an intimate friend Of mine, or, rather, perhaps
! should say her mothers brother boarded
my horse, and | bought my meat Of her faith
er. 1t was the determination Of Mrs Green
that her daughter should be a finished lady.
During the finishing process ] saw but little
Of her. 1t occupied three years and was per-
formed at a fashionable boarding school, be-
tween the ages of fifteen and eighteen, re-
gardless Of expenses. When she was finish
ed. she was brought home in triumph. and
exhibited on various occasions to crowds Of
admiring friends / went ono evening to see
her. She was really very pretty, and took
up her role with spirit. and acted it admirably.
saw n PORTFOLIO lying upon her piano, and
knowing that ! was expected TO seize upon 1t
at once did so. against Miss Green's pro-
testation, which she was expected TO make.
Of course. ! found in it various pencil draw
ings. a crayon head Of the infant Samuel, and
a terrible shipwrcck in India ink. The sketch
cs were not without merit. These were all
looked over, and praised, Of course. Then
came the music. This was some years ago,
and the most chat remember is that she
played o Do'cc Concento with the variations,
and "The Battle Of Prague, the latter Of
which the mother explained to me daring its
progress. The pieces were clevcrly executed,
and then ! undertook TO talk with the young
woman. gathered from her conversation
that Mrs Martinez the principal Of the school
where she had been finished, was a lady Of
$50 much stylcr' that Miss Kiulc,on of
New York was the dearest girl in the school,
and that she ,Georgiana) and the said Kittlc-
ton were such friends that they always dress
ed alike and that Miss Kittletons brother
Fred was a magnificent fellow. The last was
said with blush, from the embarrasSments
Of which she escaped gracefully by stating
that the old Kttietou was banker and roll
ed in money.
1t was easy to see that the parents Of this
dear girl admired her profoundly. pticd
her and them, and determined, as matter Of
duty, that ! would show her Just how much
her accomplishments were worth. ! accord
ingly asked Of my wife the favor to invite the
whole family to tea. in quiet way. They
all came on the appointed evening and. after
the tea was over, expressed my delight that
there was one young lady in our neighbor-
hood who could do something TO elevate the
tone Of our society J then drew ont in
careless way letter | had just received from
a Frcnchman, and asked of Miss Gcorgiaua
ter, blushed. went half through the first line
correctly, then broke down on a simple word
and confessed that she could not read it, 1t
was a little cruel; but l wished to do her
good and proceeded with my experiment. /
took up piece Of music, and asked her if
she had seen it, She had not. told her
there was a pleasure in store for both of us.
had heard the song once and | would try
In afn.r Il, tbo
mcnt She declared she could not do it with
out practice, but told her she was too mod
est by half So dragged her, protesting. to
the piano. She knew she should break down.
knew she would, and she did | would not
let her rise, for Mr.. and Mrs Green were fond
of the old-fashioned church music, and had
been singers in their day, and in their way
selected an old tune, and called them to the
piano to assist Miss Green gave US the kcy.
and VIC started off in fine style. 1t was a raco
to see who would come out ahead. Georgana
won by skipping most of the notes She rose
from the piano with her cheeks red as a
beet.
by the way said l, "Georgiana, your
teacher of drawing must have been an excel
lent one" | did not tell her that had seen
evidence of this in her own efforts in art, but
4 tpN'hSh but ilHnN HVilHgf duu tic ldil NhNt
me the teachers credentials, and told me what
such and such people had said of her. "Well,"
said /, Il am glad if there is one young wo-
man who has learned drawing properly. Now
you have nothing to do but TO practice your
art, and you must do something for
the benefit of your friends. ! promised a
sketch of my house to a particular friend, at
a distance, and you shall come up tomorrow
1 I Al. l.
cottage among your sketches, and should prize
a sketch Of my own, even half as well done.
very highly" The poor girl was blushing
again, and from the troubled countenances of
her parents, saw that they had begun inds-
tinctly to comprehend the shallowness-the
absolute worthlessness of the accomplishment
that cost them so much. Georgiana acknowl-
edged that she had never sketched from ma
ture-that her teacher had never required it
of her, and that she had no confidence that
she could sketch so simple an object as my
house. The Greens took an early leave, and
| regret to say, a cool one. They were NOR
tilted, and there was not good sense enough
in the girl to make an improvement of the
hints had given her.
The Green family resided upon a street that
always took on my way to the post office
ana there was rarely pleasant evening that
did not show their parlor alight, and With
company within. heard the same old vara-
tions of o Dolce Concenfo evening after eve
ming. The battle of Prague was fought over
again, The portfolio of drawings (such Of /
them as had not been expensively framed) |
was exhibited, doub. not, TO admirng
friends, until they were soiled with thumbing. |
At last Georgiana was engaged, and then she |
was marriod-married to very good fellow, |
TOO. He loved music loved painting and |
owed his wife. Two years passed away, and |
determined to ascertain how the rair got |
'long She was the mother of fine boy, |
whom | knew she would be glad to have me
sec. | called was treated cordially, and saw
Inc identical old portfolio, on the identical old
piano. ! asked the favor of tune. The hus-
land with sigh informed me that Goorgiana
rad dropped her music ] looked about the
walls, and saw the crayon Samuel, and the
lwiul shipwreck in India ink, Alas the
lohoes of the battle Of Prague that came back
'ver the field of memory, and these fading
nementoes around me, were all that remain
ID of the accomplishments Of the late Miss
ieorgiana Aurclia Atkins Green