Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-06-25
Choice wtisssllanp.
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white Hands.

tho bhslorIwihlow oni'a bright winter
morhiii4. Letting fallithe magazine IN ]
which she had been reading, she looked
eomplecertly at the delicate tapered
fingers tint lay among the crimson loius
of her dress. . Her other hand, adorned
with snowy cuff and simple Bracelet OF
let, crushed the brown curls that iell
over her brow.
1t was a pretty scene for those who
PASSED through the frozen street on tnat
Il ar clid morning-a radiant, lovely
picture. The lace curtains drawn aside,
the arm chair of blue plush, alld the
graceful form that filed IT, the inerino
dress locking warm and fleeoy III the
sunshine. the young head pensively |
bowed. fhetlowncast eyes OF the delicate |
profile, the shining curls and the lovely
hand carelessly pressing them. = look
ed beautiful mga2ing refectiveIy at the
snowy hand on her knee. .rreYQ
Oh, dearl' she said, wish had q
ring, I'd give all the world for solitaire
like Madge Marden's. How artfully
she put up her little fat hand and pre-
tended to be biting her finger nails, SO
that might see her dimonpf ! Engaged
TO be married-the idea She Is as plain
us q pipe stem, and not much loDgerlI
engaged And l.; well everybody,
knows that Pm pretty, and where's the
harm OF knowing 1t myself?-to fice the
truth, I've never had an offer OF course,
Madee is fool. / wouldn't lrave Dick
Lazy If she was hung with Jewels from
his nose to his toes-not |! But there is
one would have, and oh ! wouldn't
have dimonds, too? Well it takes two
rings to get married, and hayn't. either
of them. Unjust eighteen, and lret-
tier than any girl know, If do say
1t. Shan'tI fec1 old when 1 get to lie
fwantv. fholtph-f ", ts.
Kate was interrupted by the entrance
of her mother, a faded woman of fifty,
whose whole appearance indicated life
of labor. etA
'iSate,' said Mrs. Palmer with some
severity, you must do something. I'm
80 tired that can hardly stand, and
here you sit hour after hour idling away
your time. You must change, your
course. i cannot do all the work any
longer. Change your dress immediately
and come down stairs
Those words theidea' conveyed Kate's
troDgest contempt. Mrs.sPaflner's face
wore an expression of despair. Y.a7t
my daughter she said, quietly, bnt
in o voice that shook with feeling, Pm
growing old. / have labored hard to
bring you up according to my theory OF
right. Too late see that ain. wrong
Ihave denied myselfa thousand things
that you might be denied notliin%--
From your infancy 1 have dressed you
elegantly, and always at the expense OF
my own comfort. Year in and year out
have toiled like q hlayo thatyou might
enjoy flie advantages. What reward
have 2 / was content TO live in four
pleasant rooms, but you wanted more
atyle and since had never learned to
deny you, came here. | was content
with three ply carpet and furniture of
mahogany and hair cloth. You must
need have brussels, and plush, With
rosewood and marble. You were ever
gratified, but ut u terrible sacrifice !!
Then never kept u servant /; now !
certainly cannot. Yet the work Is four
times what it was, and | naturally
thought that You would assist me, but
mistook. You must be dressed in ele-
gahce ut all tmcs--anythln Is good
enough for me. / cannot even go to
church for want Of proper apparel. Your
white hands must not lie soiled. LOOK
at mine! They are bruised, and chnpped,
and swollen, hut no matter II is no one
but mother, and she Is old. Yes, my
child, / am old, and scarcely able totoil
on as have done. i cannut long. i
fear you will live TO remember this with
many vain regrets. nl irfr
Tie daughter was silent, ondtlle weary
disappointed mother rose and left the
room.
i don't care, said Kate, pctulnntly,
as soon as the door was closed. Il can't
help 1t II she does work. ought not 10
spoil my hands. a fine hand is one Of
the first points of beauty So IL Is; and
as long as can keep mine fine shall.
Mothers SO inconsidcrate She might
know that | wouldn't be fit for society,
and would never be married in the world
If my hands were dls6gured thhouse-
work. H0t
"A firm step sounded on the side walk
and Kate looked eagerly out. With u
blush of pleasure she returned the bow
Of fine looking young man who passed
the house. and then, as If from q sudden
impulse, turned back, ran up the steps,
and rang the bell. Mrs. Palmer, rs usu-
al, attended the door.
When he entered the parlor, Horace
Magma found Kate with one exquisite
hand still supporting her head, and the
other carelessly holding u magazine of
fashion. She was just as beautiful
my more beautiful than when he had
seen her from the street.
Her cheeks glowed with emotion her
soft eyes beamed him welcome from
their clear, blue depths her lily hand
trembled In his, and the magazine fell
beside her dainty slippered foot that
rested on velvet cushion.
: But the light had quite faded from the
young mans face. He had sudd, MY
grown cold and distant. She was as
graceful, as affabie, MS entertaining rs
ever, but Horace said little and depifted
soon. He never called ngain. Kate's
whito hands had waited and her blue
eyes beamed In vain. lpnstf
A year af;efward Horace Magma mar
ried sweet Kitty Foster, Her hands
were not white nor even shaped, aud she
was very sensitive about them. Some
how, when they had been married a
twelve month. Horace discovered that
Kitty dii not Ike that he should look
at her hands, gN
q. How Is tLis?' said he. playhilIy. What
aiis my Kitty? Ain'therdear little paws
cleah? or has she some long, sharp nails
that ought notie see?"
Kitty langhed till she cried, and then
told him that her hnnds were so homely
that she co'ldnt bear TO have linn look
at them. I'D 2 ati n3saa isn.t a ,4o
'Ifthey were only beautiful, like Kate
,Palmer's' said she, wiping away the
tears.
Kitty, sit down hcre--I've something
To tell you, said he, ciasping her twt
hands In one OF his, and throwing BIZ