The Portland daily press., 1868-08-15
Selected Story.
nANGELINA'S FAINTED!'

look at Hottentot, should faint mus'
FAINT
Fiddledee," said Miss Lillywhite; and there
was hush-a pause in the conversation, ~.
when Miss Lillywhite exclaimed i rIuuieuee,
1t behooved thoughtess young iadies 70 looR
to thelns elves. Now Miss Darcy mad great
talent for fainting. Perhaps the talent was
originally natural gift; nevertheless it could
nor be denied that frequent and earnest
cultivation of the endowment had brought il
to perfection. Miss Daffey, at one minute:
notice, could faint at any time, and upon any
subect-she could faint at either extreme O
the day-laiht at breakfast or faint at supper
could iant with equal beauty and truthful
ness whether the matter 10 be tainted upor
were black beetle or black bird-a bull OF
a Dlllhnch. She had wonderful powers o
syncope; though, it must be allowed like
most Iolks haunted with despotic sense o
thelr own genius, she now and then employed
IL little out of place. Vanity, however, IS q
human weakness. For philosopher, to his
own satisfaction, has proved that the peacock
takes no pride in its own effulgent elories, but
all unconscious of their beauty, spreads then
because it was ordained to do so; and, after
al, had Miss Daffey been philosophically ex
amined upon her proneDesS~ to faint, she
would have attributed the habit to no self
complacency, but to the simple inevitable
truth that she was made to faint. She woult
not nave recognized any beauty in the art o
1antlng, but merely the natural consequence
that to faint was feminine. Eve, she thought
was made for sal oolatile
Miss Lillywhite was spinster of seven-and-
forty. +" l am Observation-Disclosures next
birthday" Miss Liliywhite would blithely
observe, as the year might be. And this cav
veracity was the more pleasing in Miss Lilly.
white, inasmuch as she might have passed fol-
forty; nay, had she stickled ever SO little fol
= II, she might have got off with six-and- thirty
at most-a happy, blooming six-and-thirty
Tor MISS Lillywhite, like true English wo
man, carried in her unfading beauty the as
sertion OF her British race. How mnch tri
umphant beauty all over the world fades ant
yields as teens bow into twenties, and TWEEN
ties Wrinkle into thirties! Now, your trul,
beautiful English woman, with her carnations
and lilies, will carry her colors up to two
score-and-ten. Nay, we have known some
veterans, blooming with a sprinkling of years
over 'tyrannous fifty. Miss Lillywhite was
as Jocund as she was handsome. 1t is sale
there IS no better preservative against the
melancholy changes wrought by time, thar
honey. We know not whether Miss Lilly
white was acquainted with the Esyptiar
truth: If not, she had unconsciously acted
upon the unknown recipe, and had preserved
herself in the sweetness of her disposition
IN the honey OF her goodness. She was .
pattern Old maid. Yet pattern, we would
nope, never to be followed; for it is such we
men who make the real wives and mothers
Miss Lillywhite, like Miss Venus de Medicis
should remain single perfection; alone in
sweetness and beauty, to show what cebacy
ana art can do; to be admired as samples. but
never to be added TO.
Miss Lillywhite was an old scbool-fellow
OF Mrs. Datey, and was passing the Christ
mas-time with her early friend and family.
NOW Angelina Daffey-a pretty creature,
with more goodness in her than She dreamt
of-had, as we have indicated, this weak
neSs-she must iaint; and carrying out this
VIII, as first principle, she had duly tainted
through the whole round of the HOLIDAYS
She bad tainted at snap dragons on Christ
mas eVe-falnted, very emphatically tainted.
when surprised under the mistletoe on Chr, ST.
mas-day-fainted when the bells rang in
Iooo-and tainted, dead as stone, as a ner-
vous guest declared, when prevailed upon 70
crack 6on-6on on Fwelfth-night. "Ange-
mas fainted!" had become household words
In the homestead of the Daffeys.
ana SO, can 1t be wondered at that the in
genuous Miss Lillywhite, at this last threat
OF Angelinas, to faint at a Hottentot-shouId
rebuke the maiden with more than ordinary
Vlvacity? The truth is, Miss Lillywhite had
Deen much provoked; even on the previous
sunday, when Angelina had menaced to faint
at the Clergyman very handsome. meek.
young man, who preached maiden sermon
with great promise of preferment-Miss
Lillywhite could only scold the maiden into
nrmness by threatening to give her up, I'M
attended, to the cafe Of the beadle. There
lore, when Angelina, returning to her weak
ness, expressed herself ready to 90 off at
the very look of Hottentot-therefore. ali
previous provocation considered, can it be
wondered at that the patience of Miss Lilly
White fairly exploded with-"Fiddledee ~
we think not; and take up the stitch of our
little story. rt a...FnF
"Fiddledee," said Miss Lillywhite.
MISS Angelina looked surprised
and gradually became very deeply wounded.
At hrst she raised her eyes towards Miss
Lllywhite as though doubtful of the truth OF
her impressions; but the set, stern features
OF Miss Lillywhite-if you can couple The
expression of sternness with the thought of
clear, bright open face, bright and clear as
Dresden china-cony inced Angelina that il
was the lady visitor who had really spoken.
what, under the new and painful circum-
stance, could Angelina do? Why, she fell
back upon the strength of her own weakness:
she instantly made an ostentatious prepara-
tons to faint. Her eyelids were slightly
tremulous-she swallowed one sob-her neck
took one swan-lke curve, and-and in an
other second, there would have been the old,
faintedr' 8a.,.rs..s go -. .
But t9an es.w- fai1 -
Miss Lillywhite jumped from her chair,
and resolutcly passing Mrs. Daffey, made di-
rect to the sufferer, who, half unconscious
OF the intended rescue, was fainting all the
faster. Angelina" cried Miss Lillywhite,
with restorative shake, "this is affectation
-folly-hypocrisy, nonsensep' ATS
Miss Angelina Daffey opened her orbs, and
In moment sat upright, with her prettily
cut nostril dilated, and the tear that was
coming into her astonished eyes almost froz-
en-, and, indeed, altogether in such state of
amazement that she must-no. she would
not faint; it was not a time to faint, when SO
cruelty offended.
Miss Lillywhite drew her chair beside An
geina, who was every moment hardening in
dignity. "My dear chiid,D said Miss Lily
white, you must give up fainting- gone
cut of fashion"
!, Fashion, Miss Lilywhite! Do you think
"Fiddledee," again repeated Miss Liywhite;
and Angelina sternly resolved not to saw an
other word to SO strange person-to SO un-
petite visitor. Angelina crossed her arms
In resignation. determining-siI ce her mama
would not interfere-tO suffer in silence. Miss
iiltewhlte might be rude-might say her
worst.
when l was eighteen, your ages said
Miss Lillywhite, "and that, my dear. is near-
iy thirty years ago, used to faint, too. 1
enjoyed falnting very much indeed, my dear.
l question ii you ever take greater pleasure in
tanning than did," IT
Pieasure" exclaimed Miss Angelina.
VINO could remain dumb under such an i'm
putation? WI '"i
70, know all about it--pleasure. nv
DEAR" said the remorseless Miss Lilly
white. 7F
You see it gave me little consequence.
IT drew upon me general notice; it made me
as It were, the centre of a picture; and it was
pleasure-nOt a healthful one. certainly. but
still pleasure-to enjoy so much sympathy
about one. To hear whilst was in fit
40 not Know, my dear, whether you hear
When falntIng, quite as we'll as L did-to hear
expressions of concern. and pity, and admir-
alton, and-do you hear them distinctly %
angelina could not answer such question:
'he could only look ightning-harmless sum-
ner lightning-at Miss Lillywhite, who mex
'raDly continued. Il can confess it now-I
1seu 70 ENJOY the excitement, and therefore
went on upon every reasonable opportunity. |
:, IL was very wrong, but there was some |
tnlng very pleasant, exciting in the words |
Miss LiIiywhite has fainted!S o, I can re-,
member them, my dear, as though it was onlv
yesterday. But, my love-" said the cruel
splnster, taking the young maids hand be-
tween her own, and looking so benignly, and
Speaking yea 50 sweetly, "but my love, we may
Angelina was very much offended-deeplv
nurt tnat MISS Llllywhite should for mo-
with the real existing weakness a M