The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-05-04
WHAT is WOMAN WITHOUT CRINO.
LINE9

Aunt Jerusha-the heroine of this
"o'er true tale was fatalist, for she
firmly believed herself predestined to
unhappiness from the cradle. But on
the 18th day of July, A. d. 1864 (she
had good cause never to forget this par
ticular date), transient CLEAN of hap
piness nevertheless illuminated her
dreary existence.
The fact is, she had just completed her
toilette for an early tea-party in the
small New England town which was her
home, and now stood before the mirror
to review what she had done, and, verify,
she saw that it was we'll DONE" Her
dress Of heavy silk fell in graceful folds
over her voluminous crinoline fer long,
lean body was enclosed without wrinkle
at the waist; the curls of wonderfully
constructed waterfall descended with
"artless artlessness over her neck
costly old lace shaded her throat and
wrists; laced pocket-handkerchief
daintily held in the middle by the thumb
and forefnger of her gloved hand, dis
played its embroidered corners to the
fullest advantage, and the scent of it's
musk rivalled the perfume of the poma-
tuhl III uCl ktllu W Uueb6 eUuD6l-
lishments earrings, brooch, and brace
lets, all set with diamonds, a massive
gold chain-and who could have looked
more resplendent than Aunt Jerusha, or,
to give her full name, Mrs. Jerusha
Virgins, the relict of Mr.. Obediah Wig
gins, wealthy ship-chandler, who had
died of apoplexy during the first year of
his welded life!
And yet, the crowning glory of the
toilette, an old-fashioned gold watch,
also set with diamonds-a marriage gift
of the late Obediah-was wanting.
Something had gone amiss with its
works, and the watch had been sent to
be mended. The matchmaker had been
expressly enjoined to use dispatch but,
though several days had elapsed since,
the article had not been returned. Aunt
Jerusha, who would quite as soon have
thought of attending party without
her waterfall as without her much-prized
watch, had few minutes before ordered
Tabitha, her bosom servant-maid, to go
after it, with the injunction not to re-
turn without it, whether repaired or
not.
Left to herself, Aunt Jerusha sat down
and gave the reins to sombre thoughts.
What had become OF the exultant feel
ings which had only few moments be-
fore swelled her bosom? She could not
forget that she was born to unhappiness
1t now appeared to her inconceivable
that she, whom a cruel fate had doomed
from the cradle, should have permitted
herself to be glad of anything; for to
this days party she had actually looked
forward with something akin to pleas
ure. In succession of gloomy pictures,
her life passed in review before her
minds eye. AS child she saw herself
scolded by her teachers, because her po-
etical SOUL which loved to roam in fairy
land, obstinately rufused to master the
dry details of the catechism and the
multiplication table. AS young maiden
she saw herself the very reverse of what
she had fondly dreamed of becoming
a tall, rather angular girl, 80 tall that
she could easily look over the heads of
the tallest unmarried men in her own
set. She remembered her brief married
life. Alas this union had certainly not
been concluded in the place where all
matches ought to be made. nor with the
slightest regard to the fitness of things;
for the only mortal rash enough tofwoo
the tall Jerusha was the dwartish, broad
shouldered Obediah. Single all her
days, however, she would not, could not,
consent to remain SO she made virtue
of necessity, took Hobson's choice"
and bestowed her hand and handsome
fortune upon him, her only eligible
suitor. Her heart, she felt beforehand,
would have to be unappreciated and un-
mated to the last.
She folded her hands, and gazed with
q wistful expression ON her face out of
the open window on the deserted street
basking below in the hot July sun. All
the blinds of the opposite houses were
closed; not step, not a sound, broke
the brooding silence of the scene.
at is the picture of my life" she
murmured to herself "sad and lonely"
But small, reproachful voice within
her whispered" 1t is your own fault
that you are lonely" And again, in her
minds eye, she saw form, though this
time 1T was the form of q man. His
delicate, slender frame was encased in
fashionable coat; neat was the bow
under his Byronic shirt collar brightly
shone his Lilliputian boots and silk hat;
graceful was every movement of the
small, 1.-THE figure but its most attract
i've feature was pair of sparkling blue
eyes, from which shone out heart big
enough to take in the whole of Aunt
Jerusha with all her excellencies and
charms.
To be candid, our little man, whose
name was Peleg Brent-or as his friends
flippantly called him, Little Peleg .
had already performed that wonderful
\ feat while still an humble clerk behind
Athe counter of Jerusha's father, highly
respected and prosperous grocer. After
he had married, he still continued to
larry her in his heart of hearts; and
when an unexpected legacy enabled him