The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1870-10-21

] How did you come to marry NJ,
,Marshall, Aunt Mamie z, i.
s.. Mrs. Mamie Marshall wasn't IN
aunt, but l had called h her so fe
many years, for she was the kindcs
and truest friend ever had. Sh
sat silent. knitting busily and smil
1 ing a little before she answered me. .
1T all came from shaking Il ia bic
eloth,'' said Aunt Mamie.
! What !! did you trip him up i
its folds, and bring him down on hi
knees to you?"
No; I'll tell you. When I wa
four Pears old my mother died.
don tknow whether children Of tia
tenderage generally remember thei
mothers as remember mine OF NOT:
but whenT was so little that l sas i /,
. high chair at the table, l woul,
wutc b the chairs filing Up around i
with the pcrsistcnt hope that n,
mothsr would come and Sit by ms
and Ldiduot relinquisli this h opessfi
ter l Aas Old enough to- fomprshen,
death, butsclung to it, praying CHaisl
to work Amiracle, asin the old BibfI
tilns and let my dear m other- -
pear to my longing sight. 'A''
: Never was there q more affec
tomato or i'm aginativo child, and my
youth was dreary time. My grand
mother, who had charge Of me mean,
to do her duty by me, and in the
usual acceptance Of the term she did
| was fed and clothed, and she taught
me as we'll as her limited means
would allow. But she never mani.
tested any affec ion for me. She was
one Of those kindof people who think
kisses aud caresses foolisbness, and
though l can look back now and re.
member proof of secret tenderness,
sho never kissed or caressed me when
| was . child.
81 grew up starved for love. Afte,
| was fourteen years old / grew te
lock for it from whence all girls look
for it, from lover. Tread romance.
II built air eastles-yet so we'll had
| been trained in practical ways and
habits that no ono dreamed Of the
turn my mind was taking. My fond.
est dream was of the time when a
material figure, with bold, bright
eyes and gray apparel, should, seat
ed on mi!kwbite charger, appear
before me as l spun in tho porch, or
gathered berries in the field, and
folding me to his heart with tender
and assuring words, leap upon his
steed, and with me in his arms fly to
some unknown country, where be
would make me queen Of his castle.
l never realized, ugly, ignorant child
as was, how peculiarly absurd was
any such idea as applied to me, until
one day something occurred which
destroyed my beautiful illusion and
made me wrctched.
"There were always several weeks
in the fall when, if the crops were
good, was almost necessarily EN-.
ployed in gathering berries. which
my grandmother preserved for winter
use. My only companion in this
work was my cousin Stephen, boy
two or three years younger than M.
self.
'One day, when thus employed,
We caught glimpse Of a man in reg
imentals, riding swiftly through the
woods.
"Who can it be p said Stephen.
ooh - said |, in delight, "per,
haps it is my lover knight. coming
from the wars to find me. Let me
watch until be comes around the bend
in the road Ii it is he. he will take
off his plumed hat and wave it 70,
ME. Then he will gallop up and lif,
me on his horse and carry me to hi.
moated castle.''
"a nice girl you are for knigh,
to run off with, aint you? A hand.
some lady-love you would make, with
your black face and flying hair, like
wild Indians, and mouth al
stained with berries Ho! ho
Wouldn't you look grand flying, and
your shoes falling of because the,
are big T! I'd just like to see you. :
my cloud-land was destroyed
forever. From that moment l knew
thatI was ugly, unoouth and unat
tractivc, and MY hero lover woull
never come. | ceased to expect him
~ grew older; Twas plain ane
awkwardly shy, and stunned whal
society was attainab BILE to me.
"When l was eighteen years OLE
l received On invitation from an aun,
who lived in Boston to visit her.
had never seen her, and she knew m,
only by report. She wished me t.
come and spend the winter with her
My grandmother was willing I shoul,
60. but We were very poor, and it re-
quired . great deal Of economy an,
management to furnish me with ,
wardrobe I'll. to visit the city with.
The faulty Of my Aunt Carolin,
consisted Of herself, her daughtc
Julia, and the orphan childen Of de
ceased son. Julia was just my age
and very pretty. It is very har,
thing tosay, but | honestly think tha
my aunt. to whom my personal ap
poaranee had been described, waute,
me to associate with Julis, as q fol
to her beauty, aud to reside in tn
family that / might assist in taking
care of tho, children. At ssy rate
- soon as | came the single seryan
Was dismissed. =