Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1868-02-14
Miss Pyocdosa's Principles, or How the
Nunnery WIS Byoken Up.

Miss Preciosa's Principles, or How the
Nunnery was Byokon Up.
In the most precise Of country villages, m
one Of the primcst mansions ever built, there
dwelt the most precise maiden ever born
Miss preciosa Lockwood. Even in that pre-
else town, where laughter Was considered one
Of the similar sins, and the family in whose
dwellings The lights were seen burning after
ten o'clock were considered dissipa.cd, there
was current joke in regard to the lockwood
cottage, which giddy girls duppca "the nuns
nery.' and some even went 80 far as to call
Miss Preciosa the 'lady superior"
Certainly never convent walls closed them
selvcs more erimly against mankind, gentle
aud simple, old and young. What in many
an excellent spinistcr, has been an affecta-
tion, was genuine with Preciosa Lockwood.
Long ago, > pretty cousin. who had been her
confident and companion, had become ac-
quainted with q rascal with a handsome face
and serpent's soul, and had clopcd with him.
They heard Of her wearing diamonds and vel
vets but no wedding ring, and driving about
in New Orleans in y handsome carriage, Won
dcred at and admired for her beauty, and
shunnsd for her sin. And at hist, after a
long silence about her doings, n faded being
in rags, came creeping At night to Miss Pre-
cicsa's cottage, begging for Gods sake that
she would let her in to die. Miss Preciosa
did the reverse Of what the most Of women
would do. She gave the sisters hand TO the
poor victim, nursed her until she died, and
buried her decently, and thcnccforward shut
her home to man. She was barely twenty.
seven and far from plain. and she argued
thus ; some things in a stove pipe hat and
boots has wrought this ill-all who wear thos,
habilimcnts must be fabooed.
She kept her resolution. From the poor
house she selected small servant maid no
yet old enough to think Of "fellows." As cook
she kept hideous old female, too far advanc
ell in years 10 think Of them. The milk was
brought by German woman. The butchers
wife, BY request. brought the joints. Even the
grass in the garden, when it was too long
vas cut by woman, and if man approach
| cd the house ancient Deborah, the cook, was
sent forth 10 parly with him and obstruct hi.
approach.
Having thus secured things, Miss Prcciosa
| went to New York, and brought home with he
q dead sisters child, who has hitherto beer
immured boarding school, and the arrange
| ments were complete.
! Miss Lockwood took her niece to church
also to weekly meeting. They spent afternoon.
out with widow ladies with no grown up sons
or with epinistcrs who resided in a soli,ar,
| state.
The elder laLy kept m argus eye upon he
blooming niece, and bold indeed would hay
been the man who dared to address her.
For her part, Miss Bella Bloom was an arcl
hypocrite. She had learned that At boartlin,
school, where ingenuity Is exchanged in de
ceiving the authorities, and doing always cx
actly what is most forbidden. Bella Bloom
came to lockwood Cottage perfectly competen
to hoodwink her aunt.
| She did it. preciosa blessed her stars thu
her niece was well principled. She hated men
She wondered how any young lady could walk
talk, be sociable, and marry with them. And
when she thought that she lived in. hom,
where they could not intrudc, how thankful
she was Aunt Prcciosa could never guess.
And all the while Bella was chatting in,
wardly at the restraint, enyying girls VII,
had pleasant little airtAtioas at will, ant
keeping up a secret correspondence with one
.Dear George" who sent letters, under cover
to the butchers wife, who brought them in til,
beef and mutton, and said, "Blcss ye, natu,
will be natur, for old maids; was ga
onst-before Clever courtcd me-"
Dear George WAS desperate. lie could no
live WITHOUT seeing his Bella He wrote bit,
tor things about spinister aunts. lie alluded
feelingly to the rendezvous in the garden o
the seminary, with Miss Cleaver standing
sentry at the gate, on lookout for governess
and enemy. The first Opportunity he VA,
coming 70 plainacres, and he intended to see
his Bella or die. Was he not twenty three,
and she seventeen? Were they to waste their
lives at spinisters bidding? No.
Miss Preciosa, With her argus eyed watch>
fulness, sat calmly, hour BY hour, two inches
from the locked door Of the cabinet which con-
tanned the gentleman letters, and dined from
the meats which had aided in bringing them
across the threshold, inculcating her princi-
pics into the minds Of her niece and hand
maiden, the latter Of whom grinned behind
the ladies chair, without receive. Charity
Pratt having grown % Be sixteen, also Axd Her
secret. Il vas the apetAecary's boy, who in
his own peculiar fashion; had expressed ad-
miration 1t church by stsring. .i5s. !. 4
A few days after, Dr.. Green, the bachelor
minister, called at the cottage. Deborah went
70 huff and snap, and was subdued by his
sles. She came in. 5f
"Miss." said she, s'the clergyman is out
where 7" gasped Precioss. asi
I'm TIN ssrdsa. uaaain's yau."s ssas ss
nMe H. .,enssss,aYH III
"les, Miles,"
"You said Of course was out p
.No, Miss, Every receives their PASTOR
b the pastor was ushered in. He convcrs-
Cd Of chetcA A1sirs. Miss Prsciosa answered
/ %l.z - !.