The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-09-07

death, TO quit the bougts that bore
them, and 10 rudely sing and froiie
about CIR chimney tops, impudently
blowing down puis of smoke into our
very face, as We sat near our little wood
fire, during the first chilly evenings of
October, while "Jack Frost'-wintel's
own clown and jester-was already at
his pranls, jogging natures arms as
she daintily painted our window panes,
thus causing the long, slantins lines
we see zig agging across them a cold
night, .rougeing nose as. well as face of
old maid and young, nipping sharply
at exposed fingers and toes, and heed
lessly causing many a groan from those
unsheltarel from his merciless fun.
Thus morali2ing myself awake, l
quietly turned out of bed, dressed and
slipped out of the room, leaving Mrs.
Flakewhite--poor tired little body
soundly sleeping.
I went down into the sitting-room
for my shoes, where [ had changed
them the night previous for slippers,
and while engaged in putting them on,
some articles of female attire ON the
chair near by attracted my attention.
First, there lay on top Mrs. Flake
whites hat of brown straw it was
neatly mended in dozen places; the
= II 4 ,,;I,J,o,, ~, IL 4bo,rb Int
little soiled, was creased and perfora-
rated with fine holes, and pricked al
most to q pattern, in places where ii
5 had been sewed on in different shapes
! there were no flowers in it, and the
strings, from much tying under hel
t round chin, were lustreless and ropy.-
o / felt my eyes moisten and my. sight
n grow dim, as looked at it held out a
II arms length, and thought how differ
l cnt it was from the trim bonnet | wish
u ell to see cover that wayy brown hair
u and shade that dear face; but, then
u remembered, with pride and pleasure
J that even in spite Of its being in las
y years style and its other shortcomings
/ many kind admiring glance was di
D. rected at its contents rs Mrs. T. and
" walked ont in the afternoon, when
le became too dark to paint. Then Their
was a well-worn dress half-rippcd VI
: that my wife's ninbIe fingers WEI
j doubtless engaged in tuning and trim
III ming so as to look respectfully INC
T. when household matters took her int
re the street; and lastly, pair OF lit
d CATERS what is there in the who
We range OF a Iady's dress, that, looked {
Oh when separated from the wearer,
IN, charms and fascinates masculine eyt
ur as a well-shaped little boot or gaitel
us Creases of use and marks Of wear on
I'D add interest to the sight, and are, so
re- speak, the finishing touches to the pi
ID ture, only that, in this instance, Il
~ picture belonging to hrs. FlakeWli
tie had been Finishing" too much.
-i0 l replaced these several articles (
Che chair as I found them, and ;turnil
0" with a sigh into my studio, soon forg
Ter my trouble and found relief in work.
SO Whether the sight of the objects of L
use wife's accomplishing. labor had nerv
nef nv hand to unusual efforts, or wheth
1 had CHANGED upon Il peculiarly fort
yer nate moment for work, | cannot SO
my but this much / know, difficulties
OF drawing that had perplexed and hi
md dered me for o week, vanished unt
ear the strokes of my happy pencil t
| at morning. [ touched on little patel
ing of color that astonished and charm
one me with their excellence tints
yer great delicacy and difficulty plat
81 themselves, as it were, by some ma
'aJs cal power not my own, in just the ii!
our place, while deep shadows flowed DO
p ~ from my brush and increased
she effect of all the rest.
lder Not long after a hasty breakfast
ssed my part, Mrs. Flakewhite came i
ltral my studio, dressed to go out-weai
uild the same brown hat with the pearl-t
tage ored ribbon, last years style, that
nat affected me so unpleasantly a few he
con- before-for her habitual good-by k
bout and 1 threw into my greeting Of
more than usual heartiness and tent
the ness, from a feeling of self-reproacl
,k in having allowed so much goodness
rried Ioveliness to disfgure itself with S
uled a bonnet
While Goodbye, JOHN, dear; am so {
n its you are painting SO well this mornil
1 the said she; Eve shall soon see so
sun, body's namerwell known in this, {
my and we shall be Selling all we can pr
gain and shall have to double and quadr
lness our prices, and have offers OF order
real any amount, and we shall have Il
loing handsome studio, with real IL
day light, and window so tall we s
let have to go up on a ladder to ope1
S lay and we shall have anice thick over
u my every winter il we like, and we {
II le- so into the country every sun
4 the sketching, with our little wife to
pub To us while we paint. and we shall ;