Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-03-22

e into life and action. love her ehiIdlik,
5 simplicity, her womanly dignity. Alto
e gether, she is a sweet, dainty, noble-hear
e ted, little creature whose very presenc,
t makes the air fresher and stronger abou
J me.
l am sick unto death of the sham.
aud adectatious Of lifa--of Women
Charity Moss has nope Of these. She
is the only woman whom l could take
into my heart and lock the door upon
her. This very night will ask her tc
BE- ny wilc.'
CHAPTER II.
The astral lamp was just lighted in
the small parsonage parlor; and the
whole room lay in a kind OF haze ol
moonlight while through the open win
dows came bursts of sweet subtle fla
grances from the yellow lips Of the hon
eysuckles as they whispered to the night
winds.
TAurston Dow sat there about five
minutes, plunged in dreams, when his
hostess entered the room with her light
step, and her face with its sweet smile
which touched on gravity, shining be-
twixt its folds Of hair-shadows of gold
with darker brown.
Excuse me for detaiuing you, Mr.
Dow said the voice that was like tune
set to the face, but Dorothy is not duite
well this evening, and have been help
ing her work the butter
You are one Of the Flelas and Faiths,
said the young man, looking curiously |
and fondly on the gin, as she sat down
in her blue muslin dress beside him, lit
tie household divinity, with a natural love
and skill for bousework.
Scarcely, with her eyes on the car
pet, and evidently answering the ques-
ton more to herself than to him.
When mamma left Us, l had scarcely
lifted my finger to do a ;hiug, and hated
work as profoundly as the finest lady that
ever dawdlel over bit Of embroidery.
But though 1 was only sixteen then,
was old enough to see the sudden re-
sporsibility which had fallen on my shoul-
ders, and brave enough not to shirk it. !
So [ went to my work, aud now |
have grown to love it, aud ,hink that
any woman who does not do This has lost
1ne Of the great privileges and enjoy
nents OF womauhood. Baking, sweep |
ng, dusting, | think they ideaize life
We enjoy its poetry better for this back c
ground Of practically. 1t is the only way t
o save woman from hat great range S
If nervous diseases to which so many fall Y
7ictims. 1t is Gods ordination, and ! do
lot believe any woman can live her COM
olete life bravely, symmetricalIy, rejoic- n
ngly, who does not work with her hands
md muscles b
What an eloquent treatise you could
write on the subject for the benefit of t
our SEX {
Her quick, exultani, amused laugh, u
which always lifted the enwrapped coun- t.
enance into sudden light, answered him, "
You are making fun Of me, l see, Mr.. II
DOW. b
Not bit of it. You have convert "
d me to your theory, as l am sure any
nan would be. am going to give you ii
ow the strongest possible proof Of it. v
came Eere tonight with that settled k
urpose, and if | perform it abruptly, it "
} because l honor you too much to be- c,
eve that lovers batteries would weigh 81
nytbing with you, and that when / say b
} you, love you, | mean all those words b
mbody in their best and deepest sense.
'harity Moss, will you be my wife ? m
Let me here DO Thurston Dow the JUS u
ce 10 say, that so much Of real feeling nj
-as enlisted in this question that bis W
oice shook along the words, and there a!
-as a sudden palor about his mouth. y,
Charity Moss turned up her face to pr
is, and the small carnations which sat in
/ her checks, broadened and blossomed W
ito vivid crimson, and her eyes shifted ST
and fro, into light and shadow. For
moment she was silent. When she Sc
'oke her voice was steady, but under ro
er breath. tb
win you say those words again, Mr.. DR.
ow, so that may be certain | under tir
ood you, before l answer -da
Charity Moss, will you be my wife ? ha
She rose up, and walked twice rapidly be
ross the room, and then she came and oil,
bod still before her guest; and now ba
ere were no roses-not even carnations wi
her cheek-and there was something IN,
ournful in her steady eyes which look tn,