The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-12-22

to me.
| When / was eighteen years old I received
ap invitation from an aunt who lived in Bos-
ton to visit her, | had never seen her, and
she knew me only by report. - to.
She wished me to come and spend the win
ter with her. My grandmother was willing
should go, but we were very poor, and it re-
quired a great deal of economy and manage
ment to furnish me with wardrobe fit to
visit the city with.
The family Of my Aunt Caroline consisted
of herself her daughter Julia, and the orphan
children of deceased son. Julia was just
my age, and very pretty. 1t is very hard
thing to say, but | honestly think that my
aunt, to whom my personal appearance had
been described wanted me to associate with
Julia, as foil to her beauty, and to reside in
the family that might assist in taking care
of the children. At any rate, as soon as I
came, the single servant was dismissed
| The family lived elegantly but l soon found
that it was done by the strictest economy.
| My aunt worked hard and managed we'll, and
no one outside the house dreamed that their
income was as painfully small as it was.
| Julia had lover Mr.. Marshall was very
handsome and mighty fine, and | do not won
| der that he appeared very much like god to
me then. He WAS but recently acquainted
with Julia when went there, but he appear
ed very much in love with her. I used to
help her upon the evenings on which he came,
and after she had gone down looking like an
| angel, [ used to shed few tears of sorrow
and loneliness, as | stood and listened to their
happy chat and gay laughter ringing from the
| room below. And | was very sure that
| never could be pretty, and thought that no
body would ever love me.
One day Mr.. Marshall came to dine Extra
| attention was given to the house aud dinner
My aunt had been very wealthy for short
! time when first married. and from her hus-
bands failure she had saved few things
| which gave the house an air of means and
| stylc-some articles of fine table silver and
some handsome oil paintings, remember.
| With my assistance she served the dinner
! herself, and managed SO as to be richly dress
ed to appear at the table. She was cool and
| stately but |, who had fingered until the last
moment in the Kitchen, making gravies and
| serving up vegetables, was SO tired that I
| could hardly speak. never did talk much
though, SO it was not noticed, apparently. Mr.
Marshall conversed of books, pictures and
music, all of which Julia was acquainted with,
! and it was agreeable to listen to them. was
| sorry when the meal was finished
Mr.. Marshall turned to look at the picture
| on the wall, when he arose, and after few
moments my aunt commenced clearing the
table. The dishes were put through a slide
in the cupboard in the kitchen I helped her
to do this. Julia stood looking out of the
window.
i "When the table was cleared of the dishes
my aunt went out. | sat down and took my
sewing, thinking that my aunt would be back
in moment to finish clearing the table, and
that should be allowed, during the afternoon,
the place Of a guest. Mr. Marshall spoke to
me and asked me to play backgammon. It
was the only game Of pleasure that I knew,
and was delighted at the thought I put
down my sewing, and he brought the board
and arranged the game. Julia sat in the cor
ner of the sofa with some embroidery Just
as we were ready to play, I looked up and
saw that the table still stood spread with its
linen cloth, and the crumb- cloth had not been
taken up. Julia glanced at it the same mo-
ment and then turned serenely back to her
embroidery. put down the box tinidly
Excuse me, said ''lny aunt is not COM
ing back, and the table must be put in its
place"
took off the cover and carried it into the
kitchen, and then came back, pulled down the
leaves of the old fashioned table, and was 60
ing to put it up at the side of the room alone,
when Mr.. Marshall arose and did it for mo-
Then [ took up the crumb cloth, and car
ried 1t out and shook it, and put it in its place
in the hall closet, all the time he stood and
watched me as if in surprise. When I was
ready to sit down again he played very bodily
He seemed to be absent minded.
| He came to the house two or three times
after that, but not to spend an hour or two
alone with Julia. Pretty soon he did not
come at all, and Julia used to cry out and be
SO cross that she made the whole family I'm.
| comfortable.
One day he drove up to the door in SPLEEN
did sleigh, for it was winter time, and the
sleighlng was very good. Julia was sitting
at the dinuing- room fire.
'There, she said, jumping up, "he's come
to take me to drive. Now, won't go step
unless he asks my pardon for staying away SO
long,
Her mother showed him into the parlor,
and he asked for me- | went in wonder
lie asked me to 60 and ride as coolly as if |
had been III the habit Of driving with him all
the days of my life; and there was something
IN his manner that would not let me refuse
went, and he asked me to marry him, /
waited three years for him, for he was not
settled in business then; then we were mar
ried, and have been happy every day of my
life since.
One day he told me why he had not married
Julia. II was pleased with her, said he,
but when saw her let you, guest, leave
your employment with gentleman to do her
mothers work, while she sat doing nothing
but embroidery, knew she was INDECENT and
selfish, and she never looked pretty to me af-
| ter that moment Ii it had not been for that
erumb cloth, Mamie, should probably have
married her and been as wretched as | am
now satisfied.
| ONWARp.-The hill you climb is high and
precipitous, aud it is fearful toll to rise it
but press on, The summit can be gained
and then the sense of victory is exquisite.
Onward! You battle with thousand foes