North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-20

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Short liz isths lhcraing dewdNn ~ &c
Triees enat 1ave made us glad.sN : ~
Evetchanging are our Sorrows,
There's no life an filled with gloom;
Oft gleam of joy will enter
From the cradle to the tomb.
Old Ladies.
| have always entertained the highest
respect and admiration for old ladies'
mean those who are really old, and do not
object to appear so. Middle-aged ladies
are in a sort of transition state, neither
one thing nor the other; and-more es-
pecially if they have been handsome in
youth-are frequently unwilling to allow,
even to themselves, that their reign IS
over. See those same Indies few years
later; how charming have they become
All selfish love of admiration has depart
ed but mark the slight smile Of gratifica-
tion at any chance reference to their forms
er triumphs. Then, among many of them,
what rich stories of anecdote what
quaint illusions to times long gone by !!
My fancy in this respect is so well known
among my most intimate acquaintances,
that my wife often laughingly declares
that, although she has never bad OCCASION
for jealousy in'rsgard tdysuns yomens II
have given her inumerable rivals among
lodies old enough to be her grandmother.
/ cannot deny the fact; which arises prob
ably from circumstances connected with
the early years of my existence.
AT the time of my fathers marriage. he
was past the meridian of life. My mother
died in giving me birth, and in little more
than two years my father followed her,
bequeathing me to the care of his mother,
then already far advanced in years. How
perfectly did she carry out his wishes
No doubt the commandment prohibiting d
man from marrying his grandmother is
most salutary one but in my early days
/ thought otherwise, and invariably insist
ed that would never marry any one but
grand mamma. 1t Jared i'll with my nurse
if she at any time combated my views,
and assured me that such a proceeding
would not be admissible. imagined that
people always married those whom they
loved best and did not conceive it pos
sble that I could ever feel more affection
for any one than did for that noble old
lady, who also on her part loved me in the
best sense ofy9thef word. > was never
spoilt or overrinauig ged, nor was pnnish'
ed indiscrminately. a torn frock or a
broken window elected merely a gentle
reproof; while the smallest approach to
cruelty, falsehood, or dissimulation was
visited with her seyerest disrleasure.
Until the age of seven years she was
nv sole instructress and when at that
age l was sent to school, found myself
placed above most boys Of nine. At this
school remained for more than three
years, when was recalled by the sudden
illness of this my only parent. She ling
cred for few days, employing her little
remaining strength in reiterating many
loving words Of advice and warning, and
left me, when all was over, feeling indeed
alone in the world.
Her death occurred nearly thirty years
ago. and from that time unfit j went,td
college my holidays were spent with Mrs
McDougal, neighbor and an old friend OF
my grandmother, the house which she be>
queathed to me being let for fourteen
years. My property, consisting of severa
farms. and q considerable sum at interest
was carefully managed by oar old family
solicitor.
Mrs. M'Dougal was a very diiferen
character from my grandmother, ane
though several years her senior, nigh
have passed for the younger Of thestwo
She lived to be upwardssof ninety, retain
ing her faculties, as well as her lively dis
position, to the last. How often had
sat with them as little child, watching
my dear erandmother's quietly 'amuse'
face, while her friend would recount som
of the adventures Of her youth
Anon: those which amused sne mos
was her account of being stopped in he
carriage by couple of armed highway
men, in which she described with tn
- greatest spirit how her servants wer
knocked into the ditch, her horses driver
away, and how, after having been depriy
ed of her watch, her rings, and her purse
she recalled one of the retreating robber
with--"Ill thank you, sir, to come bac
and shut the door,"
OF many other old ladies cauld max
most honorable mention but l canne
help pausing to ask myself whether tn
young ladies of the present day will eve
blossom into such healthy fruit. 1t seem
unlikely and yet years hence, when Nj
dame Rachel may be forgotten, an
chignons have become dream Of the pas
it is possible that aareactiofs may tax
place, which will adorn the commence
ment of the twentieth century with lovabl
and lovely old ladies.-EIch.
The following is list of the princip'
al &l.o.~ IaI