Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-06-08
How my Aunt Mamie came to Marry Mr
Marshall.

How did you come to marry Mr.. Mar
SHALL Aunt Mamie 2"
Mrs. Mamie Marshall wasn't my aunt,
but called her SO for years for she was the
kindest and truest friend | had ever had.
She sat silent knitting busily and Smiling 4
little, before she answered me.
1T all came Of shaking crumb cloth,
said Aunt Mamie.
What did you trip him up in its folds,
and bring him down on his knees to you p
No, Iii tell you. VI hen | was four
years old my mother died. | didn't know
whether children of that tender age reuem-
Ter their mothers af remembered mine or
not; but when | was so little that [ sat In
high chair At the table, | would watch the
chairs filing up around it with the persist
ent hope that my mother would come 70 sit
by me ; aud [ did not relcnqGish this hope
after was old enough to comprehend death
lut clung to it, praying Christ to work u
miracle, as In the old Bible times, and let
NY dear mother appear to uIy longing
siEht
Never was there a more afec,ionate OF
imaginative child, and my youth was a
drracy tune. My grandmother, aho had
charge OF me, uicaDt TO do her dug hy the.
ali III the Usual acceptance Of She term she
did It. was fed and clothed, aud she
taught me as well as her limited means
would allow. But she never manifested any
affection for he. She was ore of the kind
Of people vino think kisses and cares
So foOiishness, and though | look back now
and remember proofs of ! secret tenderness,
she never kissed or caressed HE wheu [ was
achi!d,
grew up starved for love. After | was
fourteen years old | grew 10 look for it from
whence all girls look for it-trom a lover.
/ read rOmaGces-l built air castles-yet 50
well had | been trained in practical ways
and habits that no one dreamed of the turn
my mind was taking My fondest dream
was Of the time when a martial figure, with
bold, bright eyes and gay apparel, should,
seated on milk white charger, appear be-
fore me as | spun in the porch, or gathered
berries in the field aad folding 9ne to his
heart with tender and assuring words, leap
upon his steed, anu with me in hi. arms,
III to some unknown couGtry where he
wouid make me queen OF his castle. | new
cr realized, ugly, ignorant child that | was,
that this was peculiarly absurd as applied TO
me until one dag something occurred which
destroyed my beautiful Illusions aud made
me wretched
There were always several weeks in the
tall, where, II the crops were good, | was
almost necessarily employed in gathering
berries, which my grandmother preserved
igr winters use. Ny only companion in
this work was my cousin Stephen, a boy two
Or three years younger than myself.
One day when thus employed, we caught
glimpse of a man with reg;mentals, riding
swiftly through the woods.
" no can that be p said Stephen.
Oh ~ said |, in delight, perhaps it Is
my lover knight coming from the wars TO
d al M. or bn
arou nj the bend Of the road Ifit is be, he
VIII take of his p!umed hat aud wave it for
lac. Then he will gallon up, and lift me to
MS horse and carry me 70 his Moated Gas,
lie"
4 nice girl you are for knight TO run
oil with, aiu't you? i handsome lady-love
you make, with your black face aud flying
halr Ike wild Indians and mouth all
stained up with berries Ho, no Wouldn
you look grand flying away on horse, with
your Old calico dress flying, and your shoes
falling off. cause they are SO big? I'd just
Ike TO see you"
=, Ny cloud land was destroyed forever.
FROM that moment [ knew that | was ugly,
uncouth aud unattractiyc, and my hero
loTer never came; | ceased to expect him.
grew older, and was pale, plain, awk
"afdly shy. felt my personal defects to a
!'''ii =! uSgfee, ana summed what Society
"a1 attalnabie to me.
hen was eighteen years old | received
an invitation from an aunt who lived III
Boston to visit her. | had never seen her,
and she knew me only 10y report. She
wished me to come and spend the winter
with her.
Ny grandmother wa. willing that / should
60 but We were very poor, and 1t required
great deal Of economy and management tC
furnish lie with a wardrobe to visit the city
with: At last my wardrobe was completed
and | went to Boston.
The family Of my Aunt Caroline consisted
oi herself, her daughter Julia, and the or
phan children of deceased son. Julia wa
Ilust my age, and very pretty. 1t is yer.
hard thing to say but | honestly think ml
aunt to whom my personal appearance hat
9een described, wanted me to associate will
Juia as foil to her beauty, and TO reside
IN the family that might assist in taking
care of the children. At any rate, when
came, the single servant was dismissed.
The family lived elegantly, but | 500
FOUND that it was done by the strictest econ
omy. My aunt worked hard ana manage
well. and 20 one outside of the house dream