The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-04-17
r.4 '-F G.. lE- O..
THE WRONG PICTURE.

The full sunshine came pouring through
the plate glass windows of the great pho
tographic saloon, where Virginia Lynne
had become very tired of waiting "just
one minute . for her turn to face the cam
era. If the camera had been a young
gentleman it probably wouldn't have ob-
iected much to the process, as Virginia
was not at all disagreeable to look at; on
the contrary, she was very pretty, very
pretty indeed, with a clear olive complex
ion, deepening to carmine on her round
cheeks, and large, blue gray eyes, just the
color of violets, blossomed in the shade.
Jet black hair, plainly brushed from her
forehead and confined in one knot at the
back of her neck, and little red mouth,
very saucy and somewhat naughty also, in
its curves.
1'Are you nearly ready to take my like
ness, sir?" she asked, rather impatiently,
as the operator entered the room on some
trifing errand. ....
"Not quite yet ma'am. We shall be
soon, hope, however. To tell you the
truth, we didn't anticipate so much trouble
from our present subject-a baby, ma'am,
who will not sit still 4"
ga baby-oh, then l havnt another
word to say said Virginia, scornfully ele-
waiting her pretty shoulders as she turned
towards her companions. Il do detest
babies!"
"Why, Virginia " exclaimed Mrs. Wal
ter, her matron sister, with genuine horror.
"Can't help it never could endure a
baby-thats one of my articles of faith. -
"And how many articles of faith have
your laughingly inquired another COM
panion.
go, several. One is hearty aversion
to widowers- class of dyed-over hus-
bands who are always alluding to Mrs.
Smith number one! 1t became that lady s
successor, should be perpetually fearful l
was standing in the way Of Mrs. Smith
number three! And then the idea Of wash
ing the faces and combing the hair of halt
a dozen unruly step-children! No second
hand babies for me, thank you!"
But if Virginia could only have had a
peep into the operating room, where that
hazel baby, with pink ribbons at its shoul-
ders and string of red coral round its
plump neck, was setting photography at
defiance, she would probably have kissed
it's perfumed breath nearly away with true
feminine inconsistency. =
"Harry, do sit still pleaded the nurse
in despair, while the operator lodged hope
lessly to and fro, trying to "catch focus, {"
and two or three young lady aunts .jingled
their watch chains and held up their brace
lets in the vain endeavor to attract the little
ones eyes. But if the quintessence of OBJ
stinacy can be imagined to fix its throne
in a year-old baby, that baby was the in
dividual
All of a sudden, bright winged canary
in cage opposite began to sing piercing
ly. The scarlet lips opened into won-
dering smile-the large hazel eyes that
had roved from place to place, like chain
lightning, were fixed for a moment. The
operator jerked the drapery away from bis
instrument with the agility of magic-the
sunrays swept their pencils over the gleam-
ing plate, and
80, let me see it it," shrieked aunts
and nurse in confused treble chorus,
crowding round the photographer as, after
a short absence, he entered the room bear
ing the plate. "Only let me get one peep
at it,"
"How delighted Raymond will BET"
whispered one of the young aunts to her
sister, as she caught the baby in her arms,
crushing its shining brown curls against
its silky little head.
"Where shall send the cards, ma am p"
asked the operator.
"To Captain May = Raymond May,
Philadelphia. Just the address, please