Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-02-23
Gales aud Sketthes.
BELLIES CARICATTRE.

"
Many people make enemies by long
faces and cold manners Belle Bruce had
made them by smiles and love of fun.
The ludicrous points of friends and
strangers were too visible to her bright
eyes, and she was not careful enough to
conceal the fact. Consequently, she had
laughed at her maiden aunts ruffied night
caps, until that lady disinherited her, and
left her worldly all to serious maid who
had waited on her for five-and-twenty
years without a smile; laughed at her
teachers prim ways and peculiarities of
speech, until school became "too hot to
hold her." laughed at her room mate,
Miss. White, who was absurdly romantic,
until she lost the favor of one who was
very influential in certain circles where
Belle needed the exercise of Ter influence
and finally, laughed herself out of her sit
uation as governcss to clergyman's two
daughters because something ridiculous
occurred in church. "a young person SO
forgetful of absolute decency as to laugh
aloud over slight mistake in such place
is not a fit instructress for my girls" said
the Reverend Obadiah Waugh; and Belle
found herself friendless in a large city,
with months salary in her pocket, her
one black alpaca growing rusty at the
seams, and her one pair of kid gloves in
need of mending.
The situation was desperate, and when
a situation in district school at Lemon
offered itself Belle jumped at it instantly.
The salary was small, but it was some
thing. and she had just enough to get there
if she did not stop to dine or sup ON the
way.
So Belle, brave in her way as any sol
der remedied her gloves, sponged her
alpaca with soda-water, spent her last ex
ira money upon blue veil, put her small
stock of underwear into black valise,
papered up pound Of soda-crackers and
four apples, and thus proyisioned, started
for Lemon.
1t was two-days Journey Belle, who
had year or two before been used to din
ing sumptuously every day, did wonder
Just little whether she should look like
the men released from Andersonville, or
taken from the wreck of the "Hornet," by
the time she reached Lemon, and whether
she should come to wishing to make steaks
and soups of her fellow passengers. But
she sailed into the car with an air, and
seated herself as princess might, and
looked about her with that desire of hers
to find something to laugh at. Soon she
found it. Into the Car, all in a hurry, just
as 1t was about to start, waddled little
fat man. One of the shortest. latest men
perhaps, ever to be met with out of a show.
He was not a dwarf nor monstrosity, but
his girth was tremendous, and his legs lu-
dcrously short. His dress, too, increased
the absurdity of his proportion. His hat
enormous, white in hue, and very bell
crowned, was so much too large for him that
it rested on his ears. His coat tails touched
his heels, and when he sat down his
trowsers climbed his calves, exhibiting
gray worsted stockings and high lows
He had with him leather travelling bag,
a palm-leaf fan, an umbrella, and a book.
Scarcely was he seated when he immersed
himself in the pages of the volume, and
grew excited over it-frowning, knotting
his brow, laughing in scorn, and smiling
in commendation--both dumpy feet on his
bag, the umbrella between his legs, and
the fan behind him. In vain Belle Bruce
struggled to wear solemn face. Ere
long she put her veil down, and looking
out of the window went into commissions
of laughter She shook until the old lady
next behind her began to fear that she had
Il fit, and until Il sentimental young lady,
believing her to be weeping Gas she was
hersel) at parting from friends, offered
her the use of her smelling-salts. Belle
took it, bowed courteously. and soon sur
prised her neighbor by returning it with
her veil up, and exhibiting two wonder
fully bright eyes and mouth framed by
two mischievous dimples She was grow
ing used to her vis-a-vis, and now be-
thought her of her grand delight, the
drawing of caricature. Her pencil was
in her pocket; the fy-leaf of volume of
Victor Hugo's last. which she had with her,
served for paper, and she devoted herself
for the next hour to an elaborate earicature
of the gentleman opposite. She was quite
an artist, and had a talent for these things
No one who had ever seen the man could
have mistaken her model. From the tie of
his cravat to the great loop OF his shoe
strings she worked the picture up with
care, and ended by inscribing on the
leather bag the letters which shone there
in white newness, sc. Guise.'
BY that time Belle was hungry, and ate
one apple and three crackers, and thought
in the midst of bite how dreadlully the
nervous old lady on the same seat would
feel if she should become a cannibal at
heart through starvation before her jour
ney's end, and laughed until she choked at
the fancy. Soon they came to a stopping
place, where every one aGghted for lunch,
except one young matron, who was to
leave the cars at the next station, and who
had a basket of ginger-nuts, wherewith to
sustain her young brood. A very nice
smell of beef-steak and onions swept into
the car. and some one outside, either a
person in the employ OF the tavern or a
disinterested passenger, informed Belle
that she had better lunch there, for it was
the best place on the road Belle shrug-
ged her shoulders, spoke with immense dis
gust of the cookery at ''such places and
leaned back, very hungry, but resolved
not to touch her evening rations.
She amused herselfby watching people.
The fat man had his meal and glass of
ale after it, and returned to his old seat
behind her. He blew his nose as though
it was trumpet, and an echo in hill
near by Knocked him. He famed himself
with palm leaf fan, and looked at her.
Bells gravity was upset again, and she
repressed laugh, which was thus changed
into smile. The fat gentleman evident