New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1861-02-08

WITH tho corner OF her apron, referring
with a sniff1e to Dodd defunct, or as sh'
termed him, my dear Henry MY
days were passed in business, my ever
ings in practicing on the violin or reae
ing. I had tried the piano, and
grand piano in the parlor stood s
lent witness of my failure, so I content
| cd myself with buying a magnificent
cover for it, and returned to the violin
which Mrs. Dodd enthusiastically de-
clared l played in the most beautiful
lest manner"
In all this seven years my ward was
at school. Regularly every year I paid
her bills and forwarded the remainder
of her income to her teacher for Miss
Fanny's wardrobe and current expen.
ses; and, this duty over, l thought nc
more about her. I had several pre-
cious documents from the principal Of
the seminary, reporting the progress
made by Miss Lee in the various bran
ches taught at that institute, and then
another twclyemonth would roll by be-
fore the intercourse was renewed. ]
had come, under this state Of things, to
look upon my ward as q very well be-
haved youngla lady, thoroughly CONVEX
SAINT with the ':English branches, music
and the modern languages" who would
IN the course of time leave school, claim
the capital of her property, and proba'
bly, marry some respectable man, and
live IN peace, leaving me in the same
enviable state. Fancy, then, the eff
ect produced upon my mind by the
following epistle, which lay upon my
desk one morning in january
BRooKDALE, Jan. 10, 18-.
Dear Guardian: The half yearly
session of our school closes on Satur
day next, and I finish my course. I
am, between ourselves h orribly tired
Of school, and SO am coming to live
with you. That's what al young Ia
dies do who have guardians, ANTI? I
know your address, because Miss
Screwem has it, and I will be with you
on Monday evening Or Tuesday, I cant
say exactly which, because my new
bonnet may not come home Saturday,
in which case I must wait until the
afternoon boat on Monday. I am quite
we'll, and hope to find you in Aonr-
ishing state of health. I have no
doubt you are a dear, clever old soul,
who will not snub me as they do here,
and if you are real good to me, I am
sure I shall love you like a house fire.
You need not answer this, because I
shall leave here before your answer can
reach me. Come or send to the boat to
meet me, won't you!
Yours respectfully,
FANNIE LEE.
I was perfectly thunder-struck.
Coming to my house! A dear old soul!
I looked over at the glass. I saw a
tall, erect fgure, a face upon which
thirty summers had left brown hue,
not entirely worn away by the winters
cold; a heavy black moustache, and
thick wavy black hair; features SO 50;
eyes black and large. Then I glanced
around my room. my office. All was
neat there, for / had kept bachelors
hall too long to have it dlsorderly:-
NV mind wandered over the house,
The two third story rooms were vacant,
and fitted up, one as bedroom, for l
often entertained my friends for several
days together, these rooms must be
aired and arranged for Miss Lee. My
imagination pictured raw schoolgirl
thumping exercises on my grand piano.
dragging school-books into my parlors.
and practicing dancing on my carpets,
or, still worse, a young lady finished.
filing my parlors, with her admirers,
keeping me up till morning to 60 out
in the cold and bring her home from
parties, Il savagely resolved I would
not take her to them.) Then other ideas
flashed across me--somebody must be
there to play propriety; I was too
young to have lady Of seventeen WIS.,