Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-10-04
Alone

: room on EOurln 81. Tears, as warm au
griei-swolen as gush from womans eve,
crept down the cheeks little way, paused
crept on little further, waited, tremblet
. and then swelling, as the bosom swrlls wit
+ sighs, ran down the maiden's cheek, and fel
upon faded cbiniz.
Through and through, and through again
slipped the peedle, sbiaing with the never
ending attriiion of muslin, and linen, an,
silk. The Argus eyed thimble-noihine bet
ter tban steel, though worn to the polish o
sliver--clicked against the needle, pressin,
1t through the close fabric into the cullouset
huger-tip, fretted and notched and blackeneC
by many another needle point, during many
a weary day, and many weary night.
cooking stove, one chair, two beds, q
few dishes on shelf in the corner, broom
large stone pitcher, bonnet aud shawl, q
lew pieces OF stove furniture, half dozer
plants, in rough wooden boxes on the window
sill, four or live books on the table--these
comprise the furniture.
The room was elevated far above the noise
and dust of the dirty street-ahove the usual
flight of city pigeons even in the Gfth
story |; and the roof in sloping, had cut off a
corner of the ceiling. The little low win
dows--a pair of stauted ones--dd the bes,
they could with the sunlight, but they were
too much crowded by the falling roof, to ac-
complish much.
Had you slipped noiselessly in-which
you could not have done, in fact, for the
sagging of the door, and its heavy scrapipg
upon the threshold--you would have been
struck first by the barenness, aud then by the
singular neatDess, of the attic room.
A little black and white kitten would have
glanced up at you from its bed of soft cot.
ton In Its own corner, or skipped, frightened
upon the smaller bed of the two and still
figure in the window would have presented
only bowed head, but busy fingers, and a
worn and faded print.
But if your step had been heard on the
stairs, and mistaken for that of an old man.
just before you reached the threshold, you
would have heard springing step upon the
attic floor, the door would have scraped open
with good-natured growl, and a pair of
black eyes would have shone at YOU from
face wreathed in smiles, and possibly, in the
shadow and haste, you might have got pair
OF arms about your neck. AT any rate, you
would have followed tall little figure into
the room, and on taking your seat, would
have found yourself Wis Wis with as expressive
aud proud face as ever shone from voluptu-
Gus plush, airy laces, rustling silk aud spark
ling diamonds.
Indeed, while the tear drops we're falling
under the pressure of thoughts which the
heart could not possibly hide under its lift
ing lid, step was heard upon the stairs, the
staircase did creak, like the stage drivers
horn, with the news of coming the door
did open, and pair of white arms were
thrown passionately around the neck of
white haired old man.
Jennie had been crying of thoughts aroused
by brief walk in popuious street that af-
ternoon. She avoided these better thorough
fares when she could, hurrying along where
the streets are narrow and dingy-where the
glistening Of silks, and the trembling of
llumes, is seldom seen-where bright eyes
and fair laces radiate only from faded and
worn surroundings. But this afternoon her |
errand to the store had taken her through
one OF these comely streets. Indeed, it was
on the very corLer Of Main ST., around which /
human tides swept, eddying, every hour.
She had seen poverty, comfort wealth.
plainness, comeilness, beauty; stupidity, sense,
intellect.
Sitting at her low window in the dull, un
seemly room, worn, tired, discouraged with
the labors and forebodings of life, Jennie's
thoughts could do no less than bring tears.
she was thinking Of the happiness which
foated about her in the crowded streets, of E
of the laughing eyes; of faces brinming
With careless merfimeDt, and conscious beau
". She bad seen hundreds in one street
hundreds OF maidens to whom she was con-
clously superior. Aud this was not eeotism
n the weeping gil. Does the doe ina CINE
tself snail, or the eagle fancy itself blue ,
ay Was 1t wrong that all this beauty,
III this innate refinement, all this spirit, and
aste, and meItaiIty. should pine and
tarve tor want of that appreciation for which
Ge all pine aud strive And if Jennie /,
Tept ttat her scant and faded calico had .
rawn forth sneers, as though it were herself
no not the accident OF covering and il she
'ept that simple minded and parrow-tboupht- a.
girls carried themselves proudly, and won !
ttentlon, while she slipped meauly into by
'ays, aud shrunk from the observation which !.
as only cold and contemptuous, can we :,
lame htr Sue was woman, with a wo-
lan's beauty, and woman's power. But, :
las . Jennie was Gagged by circumstances,
er jewels covered by the dust OF labor, her |,
oung life hidden, aud dull, and sad. e
Besides, an incident at the store had woun- :
cd her severely, and re-awakened her con- :
iousuess Of weakness and neutrality-suspicious. y |"
was this. Sac had taken bundle of I
ork to the inspecting cl rk, ami thence had :, !
zen directed to the cashier with a ticket for =,
II pay. Ga former occasions she had sui. :
red from curiuus and wicked glances while :.
Issing clerks Of different departments, as -
I'll as from peculiar tone in which the
shler addressed hr. To-day she was !"
iher more painfully sensitive, or the giances :
admiration were more disgussingiy prom g e.
ent ; and the cashier, alter iumbiing as -
lg as possible, handed her the silver She ~
d earned with careless but iDsu.tiug re- -
lrk. Jennie flushed with Indignation, : -
rev the money upon the counter, aud, curl i
! her lip with fcorn, left the desk. A hand =.