Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-05-25
now I WAS WOx.
by RUBY MoRTrMER.

BY RUBY MORTIMER.
My name Is Emily-Enily Wood
ford, and | live over there in that
big brown houAe with mother and
prrtty sister Mary. haVs = won
derfui liking for music, books, and
such things; and at one time had
great ambition TO be teacher, but,
you see, we are those genteel folks,
sons people call poor but proud,
and can't afford help, 80 / am the
"maid Of all wOrk"-qHite an unrO-
mantle level TO my high-fiOWn ideas
and ambitious dreams, and IL was
mOrtifiying, tell you, but il eouldn't
be helped.
You think my sister might help ?
So do /, but she has such beautiful
hand that she is afraid OF soiling
them, so she sits In the parlor and
embTOiders and PLAYS on the piano,
while mother aud drudge in the
Kitchen But You could not help
loving my sister, if you knew her,
for she Is so pretty-has great hazel
eyes, brown curly hair, and the
sweetest little mouth imaginable;
and then she is so good natured that
am compelled TO like her il she
does call me awkward Em and
Smiley (that Is because laugh 80
mHcho and there is no use of me
trying TO DENY my awkwaFdness,
for ever siace / could walk have
had the greatest faculty for step
ping on trailing dresses, running
against people in the street, stump
ing my toes, and a host OF other un-
tuIored maladies. Oh dear no
wonder / shock my sister and my
aristicratic mamma.
But forgot. 1 was going TO tell
what a grand party the HaiusOns
we're going TO give. You see, their
daughter, Miss Clara, was coming
out, and all the elite OF the city
were to be there. Oh, bless mo
don't | remember Clara HainsOn
used TO hate me when we were
schoolmates down at the old Acade-
my, because l was always above her
i'm the classes But now she had fin
ished her education, aud vas ready
to come out In society, and Lob
dearl-was nothing better than a
kitchen girl, with no learning TO
speak of.
My sister was invited, and Of
course l thought she would be de-
lighted, and went up to the house 10
hear what marvellous toilet she
was going 10 make for the occasion;
but there she sat, with a face as
twisted up as the note she held in
her hands.
"why, what is the matter, MayP"
/ asked.
Matter enough. can't go TO the
party. I've nothing TO wear"
my dear Miss Flora McElimsey,
where is your blue silk, your white
null, and"
"DO you suppose would disgrace
the Hainsons by wearing a dreAs
had ever worn befOre2 No indeed!"
and the pretty nose turned up con-
temptuously.
well, am sure l don't know
what you will do. Couldn't you
get her something new, mother p
"YOu silly child, you know "a
well as | what our income is, and
couldn't think OF such n thing
while coal and -four il so high"
81 don't care; the HainsOns will
think you are too poor TO get me
any thing new. that is all, !" said Ma
ry.
How this stung my mothers
pride, for she tried to keep up ap-
pearances, no matter how lean her
purse was.
"Could'nt you let her have that
pink silk your aunt gave YOU? You
know you will never have any use
for it," said my mother 10 me.
al don't care If won't have any
use for it," said l, angrily; "May
has got no right to take what be-
longs to me-"
"Oh, yes, Em, do let me have H."
said May. at will look splodidIy,
trimmed in white lace, and be the
very thing TO wear with my pearls.
Oh, ar'ntt you going to let me
have it 2" said she, as she looked at
my sullen face. 81 will give you my
blue silk fyOu will"
al don't want your old blue
silk" exclaimed; "but ifyou want
my dress, take IL. might know /
wouldn't have any peace until you
did get IL; every one in the house
has to give up TO you"
My sister went of in histories
then, just as she always did when
we quarrelled, aud l went up stairs
and cried to myself for spite. Isup-
pose you thought l was good temp
cred because L was generally cheer
ful. Then you are mistaken, for
was as spunky little thing as ever
you saw, when anything didn't suit
me; and didn't want to give May
my dress, for it was the only pres
ent l had ever received, and / had
laid great plans about what / was
going TO do when / wore 10. Would
you believe it, / imagined / had a
wonderful voice and would be q
great prima donna Now don't
laugh, but il was so.
Well, the night for the party
came, aud very beautiful did May
look in the pink silk, with its folds
of misty lace. laughed as / thought
Of my great big hands and feet, and
| wondered how they would look in
such a dress as that.
"You are a dear good girl" said
May, as | fastened the pearls around
her throat and tWined the rose-buds
in her hair, "and you may practice
on the piano tonight as long as you
please"
''Oh, thank you,r l exclaimed, for
it was rare thing for May TO let
me touch her piano.
Never did time pass so pleasantly,
for had perfect passion for mu-
sic, and before the evening was over
| had mastered ain di Fern, }" a piece
my sister had tried for days and DAYS.
"Hou can't guess who was at the
party" said May that night, as /
was taking down her hair.
"Well, who? You know / could
never guess"
"Why, Ed. Clarance 20
''Ed. Clarance! thought ne was
in Australia"
$50 he was; and they say he
has come back as rich as a Jew
But the fun of it is, he is going to
call tomorrow. Don't that sur
prise you, after knowing what a
letter received when he went away,
saying he never wanted 10 look on
my fair, false face again? oh, how
ridiculous" and May lay back in the
chair, and laughed long and merri-
ly.
Now Idid'nt think it looked quite
fair, for Ed. Clarance was her low
er once, and a generous one, too:
for he bore with her caprices better
than many a man would have done.
But she Tilted him at last. for a
dream-eyed author something of the
kind, who in turnjilted her. Ed.
wentiaway after that, and felt so
sorry for him that 1 wrote him a
note, telling him how l sympatized.
with him. 1t was so silly in me to
do so, but l was young and didn't
know any better, and as he never
answered it suppose he had forgot
ten all about it, SO il was no use for
me to feel ashamed.
ILL.,, I;1 - Ill n =