The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1868-05-09
a J1iiaOe Sketch.


| pride myself on knowing by sight aud by
name almost every man and boy In our parish
from eight years old TO eighty eau not say al
much FOR the female orllon Of our villagers. The
women-the elder Of then al leasi--afc the more
within doors, consequently more hidden. One
does not meet them In the hslds and highways ;
thelr duties make them clnse housektepers. The
little girls, TO be SURE are often enough In slah-
true creatures VI the rlemrnl' -basking Ia the
sun, racing In the wind. rolling In the dust, hab.
bling In the water, playing In the sand harder.
dirlief, noisier, more sturdy aud mote 6ckle'
mere forcible dehers Of heat and cold. wet and
exposure, than even our boys. One sees thcn
quite Often enough TO know them, Ills true bat
then the little elvcs seem 10 change 90 much a,
every step Of their progress toward womanhood,
that distinctive recognition becomrs difficult, u
net entirely impossible. II 10 not merely grow
Ing all the time which alters their general AZ.
Pearance, but II is such a positive, perpiexing.
and perpetual round Of changes In action and
employ meni. A butterfly has not undergone morc
'ransmgraiion In lie progress through life, than
village belle % her arrival at the age Of seven.
teen.
The fret appearance of the little lass Is some
thing after the manner Of q caterpillar, crawling
aud creepiss upon the grass, sitting upright on
the green sward. now laughing nd noW sniveling
hrst rHllinR for ''mansaa. aud then Tor ''pspq,"
wanting this and wanting that, nnd teasing some
WtNu ttttit uufnF OI NN tiuer Nirter. Ihefe SHE
all gathered up into lump, fat. bonelrss rosy
pirce Of health, actually asprisg 10 the great ac-
c0mpishmeeis 1f walking aud talking Sc her
toiiling little thcfub-like form. ~ she sianners
out for something she spies look ~ her cntea-
vors ." s'eurc that desideralum. starting Oh on
rocking Nrsving hOuud, without fear. her hands
ouisire'ch,t. and her bright rtcs vide Fixed In
trntly ahead, stretching her rhuib, little li;nLs
scramhlng and sprnw ling, laughing sud scrcam-
There ale IL In all fhs Afenife fxRaul.ne
ana innocence of the baby. adorned In q pink.
checked ffock. n blue-do'ir1 pinaiorc. and a III.
tie white cap 'olernbly Glenn and quite whole
One is almost inclined 10 inquire whether the
living treasure he boy ur girl for these hardy
little county roguss lonk much alike.
10 the next stage Of their existence dirt incrus-
ted enough to pass for the chr, sails, II II were
not 20 very nbquiti. the rrudsr remains equally
uncertain. Now, our liile mischief has groAn
TO he fair, sinni cuil' patel cihn Of three or
four summers. sporting in the air, chasing but
terhies, plucking flowers and tramping down the
grass all day long shouting. jumping, running.
srcseching, and frolhcking and 10 fact. she Is
just the happcs, compound Of noiss aed idleness,
glee and mischievous pranks, curious capcrs rags
aud rebellion, that ever ;rod the earth.
Then eOmts n sun-burni, gipsy like, Cad about
tom boy STRIPPING, II liz or seven years bc-
gisning to groS tRil snd slim face, hands. and
arms covered with freckles and tan ; and The
CARES Of the world growing upon her. With II
pitcher Ia QUO hand, mop in ihc other. And an
old straw shaker Of Ambiguous shape entirely on-
cring her head and hiding her tangled hair
taiiefed. stuffed petticoai, once bright green.
hanging below an equally isii.ird cntion.iroCk,
once purple, her longing, sharp bnpteping cy,s
are fixed on n game ~ baseball HARDLY, which
the boys arc playing, and vi h whom she fain
would he enjoying the game
So the world Wa4s uil ten ih,u the little
dansti gss admission io the district >, hool md
'ir. ia'n~iu:N ihiihsr every morning. carving
h.r ..nr''.issksi "n ore arm sud . sun-umbrrila
uhdrf ia. other. looking .s dcinuTc as = nun and
as It'd. aud comfortable as anything eau be her
ih"nchisfix-d % hu,;ou.holes aud spelling. books
--'huse engines ~ promotion In young minds
now desi'sing dirt and baseball and all their
JOYS.
Thea. al twelve years ~ age she comes home
again, unesppeti, uniippe'ed, unschooled, and as
brown ne berry, Wild rs colt, busy ne q bee
She assists the folks around home, doing sundFy
little chores aud running on ezra IDS as occasion
may require. II Is great pity, We sometimes
think. that country girl could not stand s;.ll
when she arrives At twelve or thir,een. and there
remain, for then shc is charming her rustic
simplicity is no, To be gainsaycd. Fresh and
blooming a. q rose, as straight rs Q candle, and
rs smiling rs charity, she is the star Of virtue,
the object Of love, aud the hope Of her parents
But the great clock OF lime will ever move for
ward. and al fourteen years she gets a service 10
the neighboring village or town and her next
appearance 10 In the perfec,ioa OF the butterfly
state, dut,sring, giitierng and constani-yea,
vain-thc gayest and gaudies, insect that ever
skinned over the meadows, mountains, aud wales
Of our rural cline.
And this is tue true snl rer lain progress Of On
American rustic beauty whea fully maiursd
hai ievgioisri, YOU win find her the siurdiesi,
hcaiihi.st stnstirsi, the most substantial and