Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1861-07-03
geletteb Gale.
My Daughter Minnie.

My Daughter Minnie.
A few years ago-well it is not less
than forty-my little home flock was led
in the manner of years by daughter Min
nie-a pretty name, l always thought
Minnie was good child, and being the
frst-born, was half maternal in her man.
agement of the later corners, even down
to little Pigeon the latest and tiniest Of
them all. The picture of Minnie is just as
fresh in my memory as though the for
ty years which have simmered and ev-
aporated since had been weeks instead
But it is a fathers eve that looks over
those wears at Minnie, and the beauty
may be half fancy-a sort of Of affection
ate illusion. Those we love are trans
parsnt. YOU know-we who love them
look through into the heart, and then
imagine it is surface light Of which we
are thinking.
This much I know: Minnie was the
best, most affectionate, ard widest of
daugl ters-one of those spirited but in
dustrious little creatures, upon whose en-
terprise-. and tact the greatest and strong
est of us will involuntariy lean.
minnie, shall l want five or six
breadths in this skirt! I" her mother would
say.
Looking up with just a little knitting of
the forehead, after moments thought,
Minnie would answer
II think five will do, mother" and
five it was.
| can hear, even now the voice of
Minnie's mother-she has been gone
twenty years, dear heart calling down
from the top of the stairs
minnie! Say-Minnie
"What, mother?"
"What shall we have for dinner, to
day."
"Yov are tired mother; let us have q
little ham and some eggs, with some
peas from the garden, and bread" That
settled the bill of fare.
And so it was through the livelong
day: for in all the domestic policy, Minnie
though only prime minister, passed for
regal power.
At this time-this forty years ago II
was of course in the prime of life, and
full of the cares and responsibilities which
cluster and cling to ones manhood. /
was largely engaged in active business,
received some slight evidences of public
confidence, saw large family coming up
about me from all of which my natural
positiveness and force of character receiv-
cd more or less strengthening. One
night, when the last candle had been ex-
tinguished, and all was hushed, my wife
said, with some anxiety of tone.
Husband, l feel uneasy about our
Minnie"
"Minnie!" Why, what is the matter
is she sick p
"No, she isn't sick-but-"
"But what, wife,"
why, Minnie isl mean, she seems
to be-well, I'm afraid she likes Jem-
my Brun.'
'"Jemmy Brun! She'd better not
And leaped to the floor and walked to
the window, Jenny Bruu and our Min
ulo! pTetty iudtCn.
~ was afraid you would be disturbed,
dear; but don't take it too much to heart,
husband. l dare say we can put stop
to it." And motherly sobs came from
her pillow.
"Put stop to it guess l will
Jenny Brun and our Minnie! | guess |
will put stop to it!'
And who was Jenny Bruno A young
man of some two years residence in tie
neighborhood, of good habits so far as l
knew, but altogether, and Numerically
opposed TO my taste, to my ideal of
manliness. l had always worshipped
business tact and enterprise. 1t had ia
ken me, when penniless boy, and
brought me up through numberless diff
culties to position of influence. That
which was found in my nature when
young, was thus nourished and rooted
through all the after years of struggle
ripening into triumph.
The young man was of literary turn
of mind--taught in ali academy-was a
writer, it was said, for one or two periodi-
Gals. There was an air of sentiment
about him, in his looks and manners,
which came precisely within tho scope of
M contempt. l had known it in others
in strong business men-this utter con-
tempt for the least possible manifestation
of sentiment-for those unthrifty fellows
who have never an eye to business, but
hang upon the skirts of thought, clasp
imagery and ride upon rythm. You
may see it now every day in commercial
hoases. 1t springs, I think, from the alb
solute antagonism of fact and fancy
from the figures which dot the pages of
the ledger, and those which illume the
lines of the poet. 1.-THE muses. frowned
on me-" said German poet, ''for keep
ing account books. Undoubtedly. Nor
is the knight ofthe balance sheet less in
tolerant towards those miserable fellows
whose entire stock in trade can be stored
in very little cavity just behind the
frontal bone.
My good wife had time of it cooling
me down and preventing the adoption of
violent measures. Evan when | had
formally surrendered 10 her superior dis
cretion, chafed at times like bear in