The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-08-22
Amy's Engagement.

TT HAD been decided in family council
Il that the Daytons should spend the
summer months at the seaside. Which
of the fashionable watering places was to
have the honor of receiving them as guests,
had not been fully determined upon.
Mrs. Dayton was in favor of Newport,
while Miss Belle, with many toss of the
head, declared that Cape May was n hun
dred times better. The matter was settled
at length by rumor, which Mrs. Dayton
brought home one morning, that Mr.. Ralph
Somerville, having finished his studies at
an English university, had arrived in town,
and was expected to spend few weeks at
Newport, where his mother and sister had
already preceded him.
care you quite sure, mamma, that the
rumor about Mr.. Somerville is true? ?" Que
ried Belle.
Certainly, my dear, l heard the story at
three different places you may be sure
that Newport now will be the place of the
season."
"Well, ON the whole, / think we had
better go there. But what shall we do
with Amy, mamma? A pretty subject she
would be for fashionable society. | don't
suppose any amount of coaxing or driving
once day, and you know that ladies some
times change their toilets four or five times
day at Newport"
81 really am quite puzzled about Amy.
She is so odd in her notions she would NOR
tifiy us a hundred times day, if we took
her with us, and if we insisted on leaving
her at home, there would be great outcry
of injustice raised against us. The matter
is really very perplexing"
Sweet Amy Dayton, with her simple, un-
affected manner, her common sense idea of
things, and her intense disgust of the alb
smdities which fashion sometimes imposes
upon her victims, was indeed sad trial to
her mamma and sister. She would not be
persuaded to pile upon her head mass of
cushions and false hair until it became as
large as two heads ought to be but instead,
insisted upon wearing a'chignon of moder-
ate dimensions over which her hair fell in
natural curls. If Belle chose to wear a
hump upon her back which amounted to a
deformity, she wasn't going to burden her
self in such ridiculous way, not she. For
this and similar odd notions, she was often
severely censured by her mamma, and un-
mercifully ridiculed by Belle. But there
was one inmate of the house who thorough
ly appreciated her, and that was her father.
In fact, with the selfish occupation of his
wife and daughter with their fashionable
pursuits, his lot would have been a hard
one, if Amy, her fathers child truly, had
not been always at hand to give him words
Of sympathy, and those numberless little at
tentions which father likes TO receive
from daughters hand.
Mrs. Dayton and Belle were still puzzling
over Amy's disposal, when the latter enter.
ed the room, with handkerchief tied over
bar haad and duofa,. II, haY, hand
"What can You be about p exclaimed
Mrs. Dayton. =" Judging from your ap'
pearance, should think you were the
housemaid of the establishment"
"Only busting the parlors, mamma.
You know that you gave Mary permission
to go home and see her sick mother to-day,
and am helping her what / can, so that
she may go early"
81 do wish, child, that you were not SC
silly. | keep servants enough without
having my daughters obliged to soil theii
hands with housework."
81 know I'm not obliged to do it, mann
ma, but felt just like Il this morning. A
little soap and water will remove the sol
from my hands, and have really enjoyed
the exercise"
Exercise as il one wanted to take any
more of that than one is obliged to this
warm weather. If it continues few day.
longer, shall not wait till the first of July
before starting for Newport"
$50 you have decidcdto go there? p
said Amy, with sigh.
eyes" "replied Belle " one would think
from your forlorn expression of face, tha
you were looking forward to martyrdom'
"To lead the life that some do there
would be species of martyrdom to me
Newport is beautiful place with its splen
did drives and magnificent beach, and
should enjoy it If could do so in rationa
manner but when fashion bids her slave
spend half their waking hours in dressing
and undressing, it strikes me as being alb
surd."
At this characteristic speech of Amy's
Mrs. Dayton and Belle exchanged despair
ing glances, which plainly said, at is jus
as We thought; we never can make any
thing OF her, and what shall we do ?"
0Mamma.n resumed Amy, "if you ar,