Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-09-07
Behind a Sofa.

| like to creep away into corners
and hide myself with the fold of
curtain, or halfopen door, or behind
one Of the great painted fre-screens,
or in the shadow of the talIest turni-
ture. There 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 pref
test girl ever saw. Then my broth
er Harry, who was killed in the Indi-
an Mutiny, was like a prince in a
fairy story, so brave and beautiful.
But | | am small and feeble. | can
not run or wrestle, 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. Peo.
pie always speak kindly to me, with a
great pity in their eyes, and once in a
while l pity myself, but not often.
like to be this queer little figure
Louise is like the lovely ladies in
legends and ballads, and ! am like
the imp8 and dwartS; when l read
about them | look at myself in the
mirror, and make grimaces, and whirl
over on one hand and then on the 9th.
er, till Louise looks distressed and
bcgs me to stop. Being what | am
OF course | don't often 90 anywhere
except in summer when we leave town
and nobody makes me do anything
so | roam all over the house,a read
he with my eyes shut for day-dreams
and am merry and happy most of the
time. | wish | were only six inches
high, what fun | would have in the
world Then when we are in the
country, l could ride on the bird 5
lacks, and down in the woods could
sit astridc of the great lush toad.
stools,aud drink from acron-cups,-or
by the sca-shorc, | fancy could launch
a nautilus and sail away like any grim
little sprite. However, to be four feet
high has its advantages.
When Harry was wounded, and lay
in the hospital. knowing he must die
be wrote 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 a girl in a
. town in which they had been quarter.
ed. How sweet and lovely she was
and how dcSolate she would be now
and he wanted them to send for her
and to love her like daughter.
, clappci my hands at that. like to
have people DO things to interest me
and the idea OF poor Harry falling in
love. For l know very we'll what love
? is; | have read the " Faery Queen -
+, all through, and a great many roman.
p ccs. And some time ago l began a
sly watch over Louisc, on account Of
certain Philip Rayburn coming to
the house very often.
But about Harry's lady-Iovc. My
= mother does not like strangers very
we'll, but being for Harry $ sake madC
difference, and my father urged the
plan. As for Iguisc,i it seemed as if she
could not be eager enough for tho
coming Of that Miss Emily Grey, she
was so determined to cherish and love
her. For my part, as home is all the
real world there is for me, | like tC
have as many characters in it as pos
siUIe. So when we heard that Emily
Grey was coming to England, we in
ylted her to stay with US.
She would not come at once. ShC
was timid it seem; or perhaps, Har
ry being dead, she would rather avoil
his household But Louise peadeC
for her, and wrote her a great man,
l loving letters, and at last Emily came
Emily came. The first evening wheI
they brought her into the parlor,
was lying under the table with m,
head on hassock, thinking about tn
It Old Man Of the Sea in the Arabian
Nights, and wishing | had been on
of the geuii Of those days. But wheI
Emily entered, forgot everythin!
else, and pccred out from under tn
tablecOyer at her. What a daint
little lady she was so pale and s!ighu
she made me think Of trail, futtcrine
yellow butterflies; partly, suppose
j. because Of her yellow cur!s, which feI
all over her shoulders when Louis
took away her hat and shawl. He
ST eyes were wide and pale and blue, he
checks were colorlcss, and she had
,s frightened dcprccatiug way Of looE
lie ing up, even after my stately MANN
had embraced her But Louise ker
3 about her, and cheeIed her, and talke
to her, till she began to look brighter
Louise was so different, such darlin
Y nut-brown mayde,' with honest, dar
a eyes and rosy cheeks, and lips alway
ready to smile. Louise is my beauty
My father and mother went out a
= ter a while, and Louise still talked t
her guest, while lay very contentet
s. ly on the aoor,all curled up just wher
could see all that passed withou
turning my head. Louise went to a
etagere at the other end of the ROOF
!. to get a little picture of Harry, and
idly kept watch Of Emily. That mt
mcnt she interested me; her wild
pale eyes narrowed and grew intens
she cast quick, furtive glance afte
Louise, and around the room, curvin
her little, white neck, and d strang
bright smile fitted over her lips.
thought instantly of Coleridga'8 &c
aldine with the evil eye, and just fc
fun lifted the table-cover and put II
-" head and shoulders ont so that 81
could see me. | am afraid | CRIME
at her. She shrieked and flung ht
hands before her face. Louise can
running back, and asked what ha
frightened her.
H. " Oh" she whispered, such
dreadful face pcered at me from und,
the table There it is again!' Ar
she shuddered.