The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-04-24
MY Daughter Minnie.

A few years ago--wcl it is not less than
forty-my little home flock was led in the
manner Of yea.s by daughter Minnie-a
pretty name, l always thought. Minnie was
good child, and being the frst-born, was
half maternal in her management of the lat
ter comers, even down to little Pigeon the
latest and tinniest of them all. The picture
of Minnie is just as fresh in my memory as
though the forty years which have simmered
and eyaporated since had been weeks instead.
But IT is fathers eye that looks over those
years a, Minnie, and the beauty may be
half fancy--a sort of affectionate illuslon.--
Those we love are transparent, you know
we who love them look through into the
heart and then imagin. it is surface light of
which we are thinking.
This much know Minnie was the best,
most affec,ionate, and widest of daughters
one Of those spirited bnt industrious little
creatures upon whose enterprise and tact the
greatest and strongest fus will involuntari.
ly lean.
Minnie, shall want five or six breadths
in this skirt9 her mother would say.
Looking up with just a little knitting of
the forehead, after moments thought,
Minnie would answer
4 think five will do, mother and five it
Was.
I can hear, even now, the. voice of Min
MES mother-she has been gone twenty
years, dear heart ealing down from tile
top of the stairs
Minnie! Say-Minnie!
What, mother?
What shall we have for dinner, to-day 2
You are tired mother; let us have a little
ham and some eggs, with some peas fr m
the garden, and bread That settled the
bill of fare.
And SO it was through the livelong cay !;
for in all the domestic polity, Minnie, though
only prime minister, passed for regal power.
At this time-t this forty years ago-I was
Of course in the Prime Of life, and full of the
cares and responsibilities which cluster and
cling to ones manhood. was largely en-
gaged in active business, received some
slight evidence of public confidence, saw a
large family coming up about me-from all
Of which my natural positiveness and force
Of character received more or less strength
ening. One night, when the last candle had
been extinguished, and all was hushed, M
wife said, with some anxiety of tone,
Husband, feel uneasy about our Min
nie'
Minnie! Why, what is the matter-is
she sick I?
No, she isn't sick-but-'
Bat what, wife 2
why, Minnie isl mean, she seems
to be--well, Pm afraid she likes Jenny
Dfun.'
Jenny Brun! She'd better not And
lesped to the floor and walked to the win
dow. Jenny Brun and our Minnie a
pretty match!'
I was afraid you would be disturbed,
dear; but don't take it too much to heart,
husband. dare say we can put stop to
it. And mothcrly sobs came from her pill
low.
Put stop to it guess ! will. Jenny
Drun and our Minnie CUES wal put a
stop to it
And WHO was Jenny Brun? A young
man Of some two years residence in the
neighborhood, fgood habits. so far as
knew, but altogether and diametrically op.
posed to my taste, to my ideal of manlincss.
had always worshiped business tact and
enterprise. 1t had taken me, when PEN
niless boy, and brought me up through num-
berless difficulties 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, ripen.
ing into triumph.
The young man was Of a literary turn o.
mind-taught in an acadamy--was a writes
it was said, for one or two periodicals =
6 There Was an air Of sentiment about him, in
his looks, and manners, which came precise
~ within the scope Of my contempt | hat