Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-09-14

face and useful hands long ago turn
ed to dust, and he has given her ten
fold, am sure, for all she ever did for
me.
For one thing | was profoundly
grateful my father had insisted upon
thoroughness in my education. What
] knew, knew completely. My men,
DRY was always singularly retentive !;
! was small encyclopedia of some
things, and had been told by those
who had had the charge of my educa-
ton that | was well qualified for
teaching. did not doubt it ; but oh !!
the drudgery 2! / dreaded that. But l
could not live on Aunt Jenny-no,
work at the wash-tub before that |!
But stop; 1 had one other resource;
Mr.. Joram Winslow had proposed to
me. A tall man, with a bald head,
winking-eyes, a shapeless mouth, lean,
awkward limbs, and an immense for
tune. lie protested to love me |
think he did; but was not twenty,
and he quite fifty. Besides he was
utterly uneducated, and had a son al
most thirty years old But he was
rich-oh how rich Men on change
bowed down to his slouched hat !;
fashionable women smiled broad lies
in his vulgar face even some young
girls l knew envied me because he
was my shadow. Why, could live
in state queens wardrobe would
be mine but should always be q
hater and hypocrite. For, once
welded, | knew should hate that Ole
man, and he deserved better things, fol-
in the main he was kind man, and
had come by his money honestly. Oh
no, could not, even now, sitting in
that plain room, attired in that plain
wrapper, SO unbecoming, my face
flashing Indignantly as | saw every
time thought of it, lifting my eyes to
the modest mirror in my aunt's sitting
room-not for the wealth of the Indies
would /, till / read that letter Then
/ cried angrily-" III accept him this
very day."
! had written, giving an accuont of
our circumstances. ] was fit to teach;
did he know of any school / could
give him the best recommendations.
] wished a humble home, where /
could bring Dorothy, our one servant,
who would not be parted from us, and
who, had reason to know, had put
away money enough to keep her from
want the remainder of her life if she
chose to live ON it.
1t makes my cheeks tingle now
when think of that letter. He was
single man yet ; Ia young girl, beau
tiful and accomplished. / tell the
facts of the case just as any one else
would have spoken Of them. l never
was vain of my face ] never attach
ed undue Importance to any perishing
thing save money. 1t would have
seemed in the eyes of some men like
an involuntary throwing myself upon
the charity or mercy Of him to whom
wrote.
His answer was constrained. How
could it be otherwise under the cir
cumstances? My judgment was at
fault that did not seee it: He knew
then of no vacancy, but lie would
look round. Then came coincidence,
advice, and what / wickedly at the
moment called cant. 1t angered me
terribly, and still could not tell why.
1t seemed to me that the man had
thrown his spirit into the five lines,
and that there were mockery and tri
umph in them.
l took my fathers dinner up
Strangely enough, he was dwelling
upon the old times. His poor shatter
ed mind refused to take in the extent
of his misfortune, or rather, should
say, any part of it now. Gradually
he had forgotten all the past compris
ed in the last bitter year, and l was
glad.
ellis is down stairs, isn't he, my
dear?
ELLIS who ?--oh you mean Mr.
Sumner, papa. No, dearest he is not
in"
"Gone out, Ell He tells me he has
Just had call to Foxbro."
Yes, papa" l always fell in with
his humors."
He's good'fellow, is Ellis-thinks
deal of you, daughter"
smiled scornfully, but said moth
ing.
81 believe I'll help him furnish his
parsonage--it will be a pleasure to
me. l love him, my dear, as if he
were my son, indeed, do"
" Yes, papa"
My father had furnished the par
sonage. 1t was an act of love. Poor
father, many deed like that had he
done, and now, said to myself saw
agely. the world was all ungrateful--
nobody remembered US, only poor, rich
old Mr.. Joram Winslow. Poor, for !
often heard myself plying him when
/ heard unkind remarks if his back
was but turned
l went down stairs to Aunt Jenny.
What's the matter, child?' was
her natural query.
"Oh, Aunt, can't see to find any
thing to do I" | replied, piteously,
keeping back the tears.
My poor darling, never expect
ed it by this time" she said, and !
can't see you worry. If yon stay here
ySui, ypu hho" you dlC NClSolut,
and it isn't six months yet. Have
faith, don't distrust God He will help
you, depend upon it,"
ooh Aunt" turned away sick
and faint. was on the point of tell
ing her my resolve, but that face came
up before me in all its grim ugliness,
and could not / silently changed
my dress for plain gray muslin, and
pink, ribbon in lieu Of the splendid
breastpin had been wont to wear.
Involuntarily / opened drawer to
take out my bracelets, when with
sigh / remembered that they were no
longer SUITABLE ! had kept them
as dernier rcsort-shonld all my 9th
er resources fail me.
AT three, ! heard the bell ring, and
trembled. knew who it was, for
precisely at three every Thursday af-
ternoon, my ancient admirer made his
appearance--and with my resolve
,rrcxy;prr faipfar apJ f,;rtnr I ,,,nt