The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-10-05
COURTIMG Am Ol.nAnIHa HOUSE

1 sS~FsSeAsOSa A9ISs = ~ NGbh VI VluO UuLb
hanging like . canopy over the distant
hills. seemed absolutely to quiver In the
radiant glow Of autumn sunshine, and
the grapes, whose amethyssine clusters
hlushed through the trellis Of clinRing
leaves, grew deeper In color and more
blOOmy, as il they had stolen the imperial
dye Of thousand purple sunsets and
brilliant dawns, as the sun mounted high.
or In the cloudless dome Of heaven. No
fFescoed ceiling hung with jeweled pend
ents was ever more beautiful than this
arbor Of grape leaves, where the light and
shadow mingled in fitful arabesQue with
every moving wind-and so thought Rich
ard MayHeld, as he came slowly up the
garden path which led to his brOiher's
| house.
The mansion ITSELF however, was far
from presenting the gala aspect which
pervadsd all nature, and our hero's coun.
tenance underwent ludicrOus transform.
alton, a. he eyed the yawning windows
and wide open doors
by all the pOwersl" be said to him
self. III Isabel isn't cleaning house
againl- Well, women ere most unaccoun.
table creaturssl lido believe they delight
in turning things upside down, and ma.
king themselves and the rest Of the world
uncomfortable. What's the use Of cho.
king people with dust, and deluging 'em
with soap and water twice . yeare How
ever, let the dear enigmas have their own
way. I'm sure ] am the last person in
the world to object"
With these philosophical reflections yet
in his mind, Mr.. Nayiield deilly threaded
his way through . colony Of white-wAsh
pals and lime kettles that surrounded the
front door, and entered upon che scene Oi
action. Il was quite plain, from the loud
shout with which the children greeted his
appearance, that he was general favO.
rite.
"HaIlo, Uncle Dick; we're cleaning
housel" cried Master Henry Augustus
Mayticld, who was mounted sstride Of q
doubled up feather bed, castigating it fear
fully with his mothers Silk parasOl.
"Ain't Il splendid, Uncle Dick I" ex-
claimed Miss Julia, who was endcavoring
to "pty out" the principle Of sound from
thirty dollar music box, by introducing
q carving knife into its interior work,
while Mrs. MayEeld, half distracted by
calls from divers directions was totally
unconscious OF the great mischief being
wrought.
"Dick, I am 80 puzzled and annoyed" +"
she said: "Here Ia John called to the
city BY pressing lawsuit, and the whole
house upside down" --,--,--,.-.. -----7'
Thought thaG was what you ladies
liked," }" said Dick, perching himself upon
the top Of the dining table, aud rescuing
a shell basket from the destructive grasp
Of the smallest MayflaId Of all.
And my cook has gone. and the Gre
wOn't burn, and the wall Whiteners have
not come this morning, and the parlor
ceiling ia 6alf uninikhsd. and yOu know,
the sewing society Is to DO here tO.mor-
row night-and, D Dick, what shall do p
Don't fretl |" said Richard, aOothiagly.
"T1l make the fire burn, o. I'D know the
reason Why; and III auish The ceiling
for you"
"You!"
ayes ]. Ridn't I whiteA ny own
room at college, when We boys sseeked il
into the color Of an old SNUFF And
then an tack the carpet dow zee
about putting those dislOcated btdsleAds
together"
:" But Dick, you must be too tired, AE-
Ter dancing till twelve o'clock, at the pic
mic last night"
"Me tiTedl Fiddlestickl Where's
the refractory stovst" .
The very fre was not proof against
Dicks sunny determination. Il broke
into cheerful blaze the moment he at
tackled the citidel, aud Isabel's face bright.
ened simultaneously. The skill with
which he next erected . scaffolding and
mounted thereon, with panoply Of
whita.Wash pals and bruSheG Was per.
fec bounding, the more 80, as his
slend4 figure. rather pale complexion,
aristocraGcaily sdlkll feat and hands, con.
veyed the idea Of one who Was adapted
only to Broadway pGSements and glitter
ing ball Toome
al suppose the workmsn didn't leave
their WaFdF0bS WhsA they went away
last evening, Bsllsl Z" be asked When hs
had scaled the rather perilous hsighl
"N0." sAid he slatss-in-laWs laughing
"Then Just band up that 0ld sheet
and piece Of bed cord yOndes. Now,
don't you admire my towt Sassnbss Z" ,
Uncle Dick looks like ghost sAld
Master Henry Augustus. s.s ~.
T" No he don't-he locke Ike the old
miller down at the pond" struck in Miss
Julia.
upon my worA, I don't know which
Is the most complimentary" observed
Richard drily. ''NOw then. clear the
track, every sOul Of yoa and give me 9
chance" /" xss
Aud he worked on, now pausing 70 sur
vey his achievsments, bat oisRns1t " I'll,
reiapsing into thoughts e the bsAptifdl
young dhmsel ct lths pic-nic last ntghl
Who bad been % st0diously cold and re-
served toward him.
uShe won't like mi" " thought be, "and
I s6r the lie Of me can't tell Why. Well,
women ere unaccoantAbls concsrns."
1Amy." saId lis Brownlelgh 10 her
pretty young cousin, ! wish you would
run over 10 Nra Aay6slde With this
nOta. The ohil6rsu ar0 ak schOOl. and
have 70 e. b ssaA"
go no eai5 Amy, whlls tEeeh tiNgc
su66ssd hss dallsAls cheek. ~ dOn''
want % sncO1utsr that supeFane ccllssi'
a" s
:. s.Nonssnse, BE isn't thsrs-hs d stay
ing With Harry FFsnkllA.a :.
To then. lwill take the uota said
Amy, rising and Locking around ict heI
coQuettisA httle gipslg bat
SYoa are ths strongest girl. Amy,
said her cousin. "What can be the tOa
son that yea dislike Richard Nay Held
He is % handsome and % tAlsntsal"
AZ don't fancy these merely ornament
81 people said Amy demuFsly. ~
husband must be Of some use IN thI
world"