Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-09-22
A HEROINE OF OUR WAR.
BY MAY CHIEF.

There - "a evil under tSle suS rot
mentioned in Solomon's y list of grievau.
ces. / refer to the unnatural heroiYies
we find in print. They are SO dissimi-
lar from the heroincs we encounter out
of print, that l often wondor where the
suthors find them. ] should say, O pri-
orr they came from Heaven but we are
told that the inhabitants Of that blessed
place neither marry nor are given in
marriage, and Shs ..im and object of all
printed heroines is marriage, with vari-
atiops. This fact proves them To be of
the earth earthly, carnal, sold under
sin. But look carefully and see how
unearthly these creaturers are. They
are fair rs lilies, suggesting diet or am
brosia and nectar. Now all the heroines
| ever knew were liable to tan and
frecklcs; and as a general thing they
did not refuse beefsteak, and made fear
ful inroads on all sorts of breadstuffs.
They are always represented coming
out OF bandbox, clad In gossaIneI
robes, or else in silks that stand alone
| Nov everybody knows that most of the
| lheroines'i in real life are fiimsy dressed
and go slipshod, ard wear their hair III
curl-papers the greater part of them
and when they do emerge before the
public, the authors gossamer is moth
ing more nor less than an organdie OF
barege, and the silk that stands alone is
only medium article, lined with paper
muslin and buckram,
The surroundings Of heroines are
alike beautiful and false. Velvet car
pets, satin hangings, and rosewood fur
niture are the very cheapest upholstery
that an author puts i'm a lady's boudoir;
and these are represented in perfect or
der and neatness; when, if tfuth be
known, the carpets are gas.5rally poor
quality Of ingram, in sad need of sweep
ing, and the furniture has a poverty
stricken loo~<.
But the conversational powers of prin-
ted herOines are most remarkable. The
most illiterate use beautiful language,
faultless grammar, and frequent allu-
sions to the classics and mythology
Now have observed in the fair bellies
of society lamentable stupidity in
conversation, a shocking ignorance of
grammar, and better acquaintance
with yellow-covered novels than the
classics.
These thoughts were suggested to me
and hGYe suggested them to yop, be-
cause 1 haya j.at encountered = real
heroine in her simple home. This girl
was not fair or pretty. Hard labor and
warm suns had turned the blossom tint
of baby's face into brown and swar-
thiness. Her hair was straight and
coarse, and gathered. simply in large
knot at the back, without pretension to
style or beauty. Her dress was calico,
worn and dark, and on her broad ging-
ham apron We're signs and stains of la
Dor. It was no lady,a Jboudoir where
she stood only.a great Kitchen, with
low ceilings and small windows; 4. bare
floor, and rows of tins. Not place for
poetry and romance. but a spot for acli-
ing limbs and sweating brows.
Two years ago that girl stood where /
saw her to-day, with a great joy shining
in her eyes, and a glad song thrilling
from her lips. She was bending over
an ironing table, smoothing with ten
der sort of care the broad front of a
marseilles vest, smiling meanwhile with,
agladness that Knocked at Scainp hearts.
So occupied was tsiIe with 'hsr own
thoughts that she did not hear the en-
trance of a young farynsf, brown and
brawny, and of E sthlwart frame. He
stole behind her, and caught her hand,
exclaimipg:
"'What crazy loon you are, Maggie,
working and singing as If it was fnn,
anu liS Iio dtLtIlllOlt W ytur s&Auc~
band what is to be-" ' ="
She wrestled herself aYey, and held
the iron over him Overwhelmingly.
Ain'a you ashalmed to hinder me in
my work, James Moore? And l am
ironing ,your Sunday jacket, too"
The farmer looked down upon the
white garment, without spot or wrin-
klc, or any such thing, and broad
smile passed over his face.
needn't take such heap of trouble
to get the wrinkles out, Maggie. j
reckon your head will put as many in
the next time i wear it as your hands
will take out now-eh, Maggie?"
He laughed to see the bushes come
and go. Suddenly tsgtGrted.
"There's Joe Clark going across the
fields. They say he has listed. Well,
| must go to moving, or your father
will hire somebody who isn't making
love to his daughter. / say, Maggie, l
vas thinking to-day of the Bible-stOry
about Jacob, who worked seven years
for Rachel and then had Ldah for his
wife. I've worked .Iao7s as long IS that
for your f,aher" There's no danger of
his giving me another daughter, seeing
as you are. The only girl he's got. say,
Maggie, their fixing up the little white
house beautifully, and won't there be
two happy folks living there next win
ter? TdecIare. / .c6nad sit and talk to
you all day only that wouldn't t get the
moving done. Good-by, Maggie, and
don't tire yourself over my clothes"
He stopped suddenly and kissed her
cheek, adrcitly e.uding the heated iron
. !, f1,, ,v,,x 4, 1<a Is