The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-08-12
Behind a Sofa.

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Behind a Sofa.
like to creep away into corners and
hide myself with the fold of curtain, or
half open door, or behind one of the great
painted screens, or in the shadow of the
tallest furniture. There I have odd little
fancies all to myself, and wish things and
dream things which nobody knows. any
thing about. For I am different from all
the rest my parents are tall and hand
some, and Louise is the prettiest girl I ey
er saw. Then my brother Harry, who was
killed in the Indian mutiny, was like a
prince in fairy story, SO brave and beau
tiful. But I! am small and feeble. l
cannot run Or wrestIe, and there is some
thing growing on my shoulders which
keeps me from standing straight, and
they call me deformed. | shall never
grow any more; strangers think me nine
or ten years old, but when count the
years from the date in the family bible,
find am sixteen. People always speak
kindly to me with great pity in their
eyes, and once in q whileI pity myself,
but not often. like to be this queer lit
tie figure. Louise is like the lovely la
dies in legends and ballads, and I am like
the imps and dwarfs when read about
them look at myself in the mirror, and
make grimaces, and whirl over on one hand
and then on the other, till Louise looks
distressed and begs me to stop Being
what am, of course don't often 90 any
where, except in summer when we leave
town: and nobody makes me do anything
: So I 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. | wish I were only six inches high,
what fun [ would have in the world
Then when we are in the country, I could
ride on the birds backs, and down in the
woods | could sit astride of the great lush
toad-stools, and drink from acorn cups
or by the sea-shore, fancy could launch
a nautilus and sail away like any grim lit
tie sprite However, to be four feet high
has its advantages
When Harry was wounded, and lay in
the hospital, knowing he must die, he
wrote long letter to my father and moth
er, full OF grief, and comfort, too; and then
he told them thing which surprised
them greatly. How he was engaged to
marry girl in town in which he had
been quartered 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 daughter. I
clapped my hands at that I like to have
people do things to interest me; and the
idea OF poor Harry having fallen in love
For know very well what love- is T; have
read the "Fairy Queen" all through, and
great many romances. And some time
ago began sly watch over Louise, on
account OF certain Philip Rayburn com
ing to the house very often.
But about Harry's lady-love Nv moth
er does not like strangers very WELL but
being for Harry's sake made difference
and my father urged the plan AS fol
Louise, it seemed as if she could not be
eager enough for the coming of this Miss
Emily Grey, she was so determined to love
and cherish her. For my part, as home
is all the real world there is for me, like
to have as many characters in it as posi-
sible. So when we heard that Emily
Grey was coming to England, we invited
her to stay with u.s.
She would not come at once. She was
timid, it seemed or perhaps, Harry being
dead, she would rather avoidh his house
hold. But Louise pleaded for her, an6
wrote her great many loving letters, and
at last Emily came
Emily came. The first evening wher
they brought her into the parlor, I wa,
lying under the table with my head on :
hasSock, thinking about the Old Man O
the Sea in the Arabian Nights, and wish
ing I had been one of the genii of those
days. But when Emily entered, forgo
everything else, and peered out from I'm
der the table cover at her. What dain
~ little lady she was! so pale and slight
she made me think of frail, futtering
yellow butterflies partly, 1 suppose, be
cause OF her yellow curls, which fell al
over her shoulders when Louise took ava,
her hat and shawl. Her ewes were. wild,
and pale aud blue, her cheeks were color
less, and she had a frightened, denrecaE
ing way of looking up, even, after M
stately mamma had embraced her. Rn
Louise kept about her, and cheered her
and talked to her, till she began to lool
brighter. Louise was so different, such
darling "nut-brown mayde," with honest
dark eyes and rosy cheeks, and lips al
ways ready to smile. Louise is my beauty
My father and mother went out after
while, and Louise still talked to he
guest, while lay very contentedly on tn
door, all curled up just where could Sc