Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-03-18
MY SPRING CAMPAIGN.
rPrnm the NeN Yorker. ]

UuDOcO DGLSN Jane hofO
been told 1 was quite pretty child, when
my face was straight (Ind that was like angels
visits, for it was constantly in squalllng
attitudel. Indeed, my mother told me she
never would have had the patience 10 raise
me if she had not thought l would make
something when grown. L have made some
thing nothing more nor less than a-Bloom-
erl have the misfortune, at present. TO be
the only surviving child. The others There
we're three of them being degree crosser
than myself, cried themselves TO death-sald
TO have died OF hts.
When / arrived at my fifteenth year my
parents concluded that Betsy Jane needed
some polishing; and as farmer Jones was
about TO send his Julia to a boarding-schOol,
it was decided that should also have smat-
tering of fashionable school training. was
already beginning to see that my cognomen
was far from being pOetical, so l gave my
name to the secretary of the seminary as, "B.
Jennie Herrick" That was enough to give
an appreciative mind deep impression of
my Importance.
Three years were spent in cOnjugating the
verb to Ioue through French, German, and
Latin with other Accomplishments OF music,
drawing and painting. l never studied much
but nv chum said / always reeited at my
turn so at the close my schoOl-liie, ac-
Quilted myself as very good scholar, though
not all polished; for if wanted to laugh 1t
was loud enough to awaken a moderate sleep
er a quarter OF a mile away.
A year spent in traveling-a season in
looking at the different dresses in Saratoga
and Newport winter divided between the
Hub of the Universe" the Pure City,
and the City of BrOtherly Love-" The last
year had been spent at home mostly, surround
ed by a flock of loVers-lovers of Squire Her
rick's hospitality and lovers of nonsense COM
pounded and gilded with fashion.
4 little thing turns the tide in ones life
sometimes. A little thing caused me to look
inside of my poor miserable life-as barren
of beauty as a desert, as useless and aimless
as an idiots, as contemplate and deplorable
as an office-seeker's. 1t made me sick of my
self. My advantages had been liberal, and
my talents were OF no mean order. And
there had been, notwithstanding an IN.
ceasing round of beaux and parties,a terrible
expenditure of money, and all to no purpose.
/ was disguised with it. Ii was wearing my
life out. was growing nervous, hysterical,
had poor appetite, was troubled with that
everlasting complaint of woman's, the head
ache. How hated it all
But what should do l thought of a va
riety of emplOyments, but II would heed time
for the carrying out of such plans. wanted
something immediate, for fear my new reso-
lutiOns might weaken. If / had been a man
| should have done as our best and noblest
have dOne-gone to the war. | did the next
thing-I went to war with myself NV adOra-
bic lovers! could they endure the trial to
which their nerves were TO be subjected?
They were but human, and a breeze of sense
might blow them away. Ny first battle was
with my parents next morning.
"Pve request to make, father and mo
ther, aud very much desire that you may
grant IT," My face flushed all over at this. l
could feel the blood tingle to the very finger
ends.
"What is it, Betsy Jane 2" says father.
" Has Will Hastings been making
"NO. Will Hastings has nothing to do
with it, nor anybOdys will but my own. It's
just this: l want you to dismiss our hired
girl there are only three of Us in the family
and really think we need no girl"
But" interrupted my mother, " do you
think your poor old mother wants to kill her
self"
"No; mean that don't want to kill my
self doing nothing. l have lived uselessly
about long enough"
There we're numberless objections to this,
but, by dilgent entreaty and argument, car
ried the day. Three dayslater assumed the
position of Bridget. But before the half of
the morning had passed i was tired to death
yes "my lady was tired to death" If
went I'D stairs, one hand must hold up guam
tity of crinolinc and skirts. IT / came down
stairs there was the "rat, tat, tat of the
steel upon the stairs, If passed into a mar
row place, both hands must be enlisted in
squeezing the balance into a collapsed state.
was in constant fear of tipping boxes, jugs,
catching nv dress on nails, or wiping off some
convenient black kettle. My dress must be
pinned up, or beautifully drabbed around the
bottom. My shoes were thin for outdoor
wear.
had another battle to fight. There were
no lives saerifced-only few false notions
of gracefulness, dignity, etc, quietly behead-
ed and buried, My first attack was at the
store and resulted in the capture of pair of
balmoral calf skins-No. illegally captured,
of course. The dress question occupied my
attention next. / had heard of boomers, but
most ungraciously stuck up my probOscis at
them, like hundreds of other foolish women
who knew nothing of their excellences. /
did not have any of DR.. Harriet Austin's pat
terms or guides-neither wanted any. Itook
from nv wardrobe a cast-Off dress, very good,
except that it was most shamefully switched
out around the bottom. Cutting off the rags
and hemming it up, had a dress two or
three inches above the tops of my shoes. The
next morning l appeared in the kitchen sans
crinoline, SdlIs trail, sans funny diddles.
Cousin John, who happens in to see father,
cries out, "Oeh and Bridget, how long since
We came over from 0uld Ireland?"
This put US all in a roar of laughter, which
of itself was enough to pay f. one Bloomer
scene. Father, who, like all sensible men,
never admired the :" institution, +" las he calls
crinoline) said, Betsy Jane n yer looked
better" He always calls me Be " Jane, and
thinks it is a very substantial name. He
says these Jennies, Carries, and Lotties do
very well for high-flown folks, who are always
after some new-fangled notions.
Ny new harness fitted me so ". Il that
found my work completed in half 4 time,
and with more than twice the ease. | could
now hunt for hens nests without frigi sning
the hens with a transient ghost OF hay
stack So started for the barn. Oh my
way my uncle passed with, "Well, there you
look like the last run of shad Ny Kate had
on something like that the other day and
threatened to turn her away."
whenever you tire of her." l replied,
"send her here. This shall be an asylum to
the oppressed, hereafter"
had fine time hunting for eggs. Ny
movements were so free and unrestrained
that it seemed like living over again ny
childhood.
Just before sitting down to dinner, Cousin
John came in, saying, I" / thought I'd come
over and dine with you. Jennie, and see how