The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-08-12
OATLY dOVIRNATl
Tg,he Argosy.
BEHIND a SOFA.

I
curtain, OF half-open door, or behind
one of the great painted hre-screens,
or in the shadow of the tallest furni-
ture. There 1 have odd little fancIes
all to myself, and wish things and
dream things which nobody knows
ANYTHING about. For / am different
from all the rest; my parents are tall
and handsome, and Louise is the
prettiest girl / ever saw. Then my
brother Harry who was killed. IN the
Indian Mutlny, was like prince In
fairy story, so brave and beautiful.
But IL l am small and feeble. 4
cannot run or Wrestle, and there Is
something growing on my shoulders
which keeps me from standing
straight and they call me detormed
[ shall never grow any moTei stfang-
ers think me nine or ten years olds
but when / count the years from the
date In the family Bible, lind 4 am
sixteen. People always speak kindly
to me- with great pity IN their eyes,
and once in a while pity myself, but
not often. I like to be this queer
little figure. Louise is like the ladies
in legends and ballads. and | am like
the imps and dWarfs; when / read
about them | look at myself in the
mirror, and make grimaees, and Whirl
over on one hand and then on the
other, till Louise looks distressed and
begs me to stop. Being what l am,
of course I don't often 60 anywhere,
except In Summer when we leave
town; and nobody makes me do any
thing; so / roam all over the house,
and read, and lie with my eyes shut
for day dreams, and am merry and
happy almost all the time. l wish Il
were only six inches high, what fun l.
would have ia the worldl Then when
We are in the country, could ride on
the birds backs and down in the
woods / could sit astride of the great
lush toad stools, and drink from
= e acorn eups--or by the sea SHORE,
fancy I could launch nautilus and
like anv grim little eDFLte.
However, to be four feet high has its
advantages. ss.a. a.mrI
"a the hospital, Knowing he must die,
he wrote a long letter to my father
and mother, full of grief, and comfort,
too: and then he told them a thing
which surprised them greatly. How
he was engaged to marry SRI IN
town in which they had been quarter
ed How sweet and lovely she was,
and how desolate she would be now;
and he wanted them to send for her,
and to love her like a daughter, /
cIappad my hands at that. | liked to
have people do things to interest me !;
and the idea of poor Harry having
fallen in love For know very we'll
what love is: L have read the Fairy
Queen all through, and a great many
romances. And some time ago l be.
gan a sly watch over Louise, on ac-
count of certain Philip Rayburn'
coming to the house very often.
But about Harry's lady-loye. My
mother does not like strangers very
well, but being for Harry sake made
a difference, and my mother urged the
plan as for Louise, it seemed as if
she could not be eager enough for
the coming Of Miss Emily Grey, she
was SO determined to cherish aud love
her. For my part, as home IS all the
real world there Is for me, like to
4 have as many characters in it rs pos
sible So when we heard that Emily
! Grey was coming to England, We in
i vited her to stay with US.
She would not come at once. She
was timid it seemed or perhaps
Harry being dead, she would rather
avoid his household. But Louise
pleaded for her, and wrote her a
4 great many loving letters, and at last
Emily came. That first evening
when they brought her into the par
lor, ] was lying under the table with
my head on a hassock, thinking about
the Old Man Of the Sea In the Arab
Il ian Nights and wishing i had been
one Of the genii of those days. But
4 when Emily entered, l forg0tevery-
thing else, and peered out from under
i the tablescOver at her. What a dainty
little lady she was so pale and slight,
she made me think of fTail, futtering
yellow butterflies; partly suppose,
4 because of her yellow eurls, which
j fell all over her shoulders when
Louise took away her hat and shawl.
Her eyes were wide and pale and
She had frightened, deprecating way
of looking up, even after my stately
mamma had embraced her But
Louise kept about her, aud cheered
her aud talkedt to her. till she began
to look brighter. Louise was so diff
ferent, such a darling nut, brown
maybe with honest, dark eyes and
rosy cheeks, and lips always ready to
smile IlOuise is my beauty. A
NV father aud mother went out at
ter 4 while, and Louise still talked to
her guest, while | lay very eontented-
ly on the floor, alt curled up just
whore j could see all that passed
without turning my head Louisa
went to an etagere at the other end Of
the room, to get a little picture oil
Harry, and I idly kept watch of En-
ily That moment she interested me
her wide, pale eyes narrowed and grew
intense she cast quick, furtIye
glance after Louise, and around the
room, curving her little. white neck,
aud a strange bright smile fitted oyer
her lips. / thought instantly Of Col
eridge's Geraldine with the evil eye,
and Just for fun [ lifted the table COW
er and put my head and shoulders
out so thatshe could see me. [ am
afraid / grinned at her. She shrIeked
and flung her hands before her face.
Louise came running back, and
asked what had frightened her.
"OhP she whispered, " such a
dreadful face peered al me from under
The tablet There it is again. And
she shuddered.
- Tlarlesl exclaimed Louise, look
ing around, come out, you naughty
bov and speak to Miss Grey. Its
0nly nv brother Charles our pet
He is full Of freaks. One never know
where he IS.
Emily Grey looked at me like til,
sadGegt and sweetest little creature
that ever lived, rs / went up to her
and she reached out her small white
hand to me, and said, IN low, ,musi