The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-04-26

CuVIOu WOuIU DC Wueu DIZZY wa VAN 4
enough to be sent to finishing school. -
The good lady was to do wonders Tor her
protege, when the proper period Of wO-
manhood arrived; but she considered Il
decidedly sinful to put notions ofdresS and
vanity in children's heads. Bessy was
never allowed in the drawing-rOom except
in the capacity Of duster; and q she got |
nothing but old dresses shortened, the
orphan niece went out only with MESA
ges to the green grocer on weekdays, and |
10 evening church on Sundays, with the
maid. ....
My aunt Somers always allowed that ! !
was young man Of well-Eegulated mind
and she wks aiKNt. Whatsoever ortho. |
GOxy was established in the territory,
house, or workshop where | CHANGED TO |
sojOurn, became my confession Of faith for |
the time. Whatsoever greatness was set |
up to il was prepared to do homage. II
would have worshiped EebuchadnexEar's
golden image. independently Of the fiery
furnace Ssand there was one ready for all
recuSants in MoantfOrd Place. On that
prudent principle did my best to think |
Ressy a child, though it sometimes struck
me that going to bed in broad daylight on
a summer evening, when there was little
dancing party in the drawing-roOm, could
not be to her taste; and could not help
fancying how well she would look in q
long muslin frock and ringlets among the
young ladies.
The same iudicious inclination to what
was ordered and expected, made me bow
down before Mr.. Simington, and consider
him the greatest man within my knowing.
s.s:esSS.s 4s>s>rSSs5 Sums principal bOSr0ei2
Did he not occupy the best bedrcOm?-
Were not his tastes consulted in spite Of
market pricesl Did not the entire house
hold wait upon his nod, as the Olympian
gods were said to do on Jupitersf kore
than all, was he not the aim and object Of
the four ladies' who employed. command.
cd, and snubbed himi Oh, the warming
Of slippers, the peeling OF walnuts. the
mulling Of wine, that went on for that old
gentleman in cold winter evenings! Oh,
the falling on his neck, when he came
home from his summer rambleS, as though
the East India merchant had been three
prodigals rolled into one! What well
governed youth would not have prostrated
himself in spirit before such manifest su.
periorityl So bowed down to Mr.. Sim
ingtoD, and served him. Yet notwith-
standing my awe and worship, it some
times occurred to me that be went out
very regularly on Sunday evenings, just
alter Bessy and the maid set forth to
church: that he must have taken partic.
ular fancy 10 the greengrOcer my aunt pa
troniZed, as l often noticed him lingering
near the shop; and probably sent intimA.
tions Of his good will by Bessy; for more
than once l espied him speaking to the
child on the stairs, and evidently not in
tending to be seen.
had heard that great men were often
eccentric, and doubtless these were the,
eccentricities Of Mr.. SimingtOn; but as his
peculiarities were too sacred to be observs
ed by an opticians apprentice, made no
report On-the subject, and nobody else ap-
peared to have taken notes. Thus things
went on, cannot precisely say how long.
The ladies were every day getting stronger
in their public convictions Of Mr.. Shining.
toms perpetual celibacy, and more resO.
lutte in carrying on their private sieges.
could have taken ten to one on my aunt's
chance; it was the best in everybodys eyes
but those of the other three. The sum.
mer was drawing to close, and Mr.. Sim
ington preparing for a tour in Scotland,
which he had talked about since the sea-
son began.
The day of his departure on that jour-
ney was one Of extraordinary hustle in
our establishment. The four had been up
most Of the preceding night, packing his
carpet-bag, preparing delicacies for his
rejection in steamer and train, and giving
him good advice against catching cold and
rheumatism. No wonder he looked jOvial
ever the abundant breakfast devoted to
his service-so should any man if half so
will taken care of.
Mr.. Simington was mighty in jokes and
great in compliments that morning the
ladies, one and all, declared they must 60
somewhere, the house would be so dull
till he came back; and saw BeSsy in the
decentest frock she had-by the by, it
was also the shortest-Steal past the win
dow with her basket; she was doubtless
bound for the greengrocer's. Nobody
thought of her at the leave taking, which
was extra-impresSive. Mr.. Simington's
squeezes Of eight fair hands were matters
to be remembered the adieuS and good
wishes he got might have served all the
travellers that ever crossed the Tweed; but
at length the ceremony came to close,
ana the cab drove away with him and his
carpet bag.
The optician had given me fortnight'S
holiday; it commenced that same morning;
and Instead aC going To business, as usual,
| also was packing up and getting ready
for small excursion. But nobody took
trouble with my travelling gear. My un-
darned socks and buttonless shirts had to
do duty abroad as well as at home. was
not an East India merchant with my for
tune made, and where was the use of envy
and grumbling?
A ring at the door bell, lomd enough to
reach my back attic, made me pause and
listen. Mr. Simington was not more than
two hours gone, yet that was his name
which heard my aunt utter in a kind Of
a shrek. had left the ladies talking in
the breakfast-parlor, and there found
them on thy rapid descent, gathering
around Mrs. Somers, who clutched con.
vulSively a pair of wedding cards, while
she questioned the waiter Of the Barns
bury Hotel.
at took place, ma'am, about an hour
ago." said the messenger of fate, making
efforts to preserve his gravity. Miss
Somers dressed at our house, and must
say looked uncommon well in white silks
and fine bonnet Ny mistress went to
church with them. It was done by spe-
cial license, you see. Mr.. Ross, the gentle
man as always stops with us, and knOwed
Mr.. SimingtOn from boy, gave the bride
away; and, indeed, ma'am, she got tbr0'
it wonderfully. | went to see It myself,
havin' great Iikin' for marriages. The
'appy pair, as l may say, waited no time
after; they're of to Scotland, maatn, by
the Great Northern. But Mr.. Ross is to
do the sendin out of the cards; and says
| 4 = L IN