Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-03-07
LOLA: AN IDYL.

LOLA: AN IDYL.
THE house was one of nest-like sort
low-roofed, thatched, with latticed win.
d0ws buried in greenery, with dove-cote
on the gable, and rustic porch and yer.
anda. 1t stood in a forest country, and,
with its garden, orchard, and scraps OF
velvety pasturage, was surrounded on
many sides by trees climbing on heights
trees dipping and courtesying in hollows
trees wading into the river where the red
sided cattle loved to drink, trees lying in
soft heaps against the silver-grays OF
cloudland with mysteri jus blue mist be-
hind their boles.
The morning glitter was on everything
as the master of the house, going oul
with his dog, stopped and spoke over the
low garden wall to his wife, who, with
hands in her apron pockets, was standing
gazing attentiyely at her bee-hives.
"a" Let Fan have the satin fer this time,
but she must try to 90 with less. Our
living is too expensive"
:" have Just been thinking of where
we can economize," replied the wife, in
an irritated tone. "We are too many in
the house for one thing. 1t is time that
girl Lola was earning her bread"
d" Humph said the husband; "I
think she earns it already. She saves you
nursery governess.
{" l can teach the children myself" was
the reply; and their sisters must learn to
help. Lola gets nothing from us but food
and shelter. 1t would be only fair to let
her go into the world"
She's shy thing and is better where
she is. Besides, what would become of
Granny's children?" -r-
Tho hnohanH ruifa hoI 10
slowly from the bee.hives to the house,
and stood under lattice window. which
lay open:
Talking of Granny said the husband,
how long is Gray going to stay at Rose
lands? He's good deal here, isn't ne?"
He's very pleasant company"
''And our girls are attractive"
"Nonsensel How little you know of
your own children! l have brought up
ny girls to have their feelings under pru-
dent control. There is no mistake about
MS footing in this family"
"Well, I'm glad you're ali so prudent,
for he'd be the better of a good wife.
He's good fellow, and a clever fellow,
though poor as job"
The porch swallowed the mistress of
the house, and the master went off whis-
tling; and then face leaned forward and
looked out of the lattice window, pale,
! but with sort of underglow, giving a
warm charm to its dimpled softness, with
darkness and depth about the eyes, and
brightness aboutth hair which the sun
shine now illuminated with genius for
love in every curve of it, and sort of
golden light wavering across the steady
eyes and grave though happy mouth.
THANK God, am not q young lady,"
murmured Lola, taking her fingers out of
her ears, where she had placed them all
too late. "What would they think if they
knew what he said to me yesterday"
She rose up quivering at the recollec-
tion, nearly touching the slant roof with
her head in her pride The room was
dark, and scarcely large enough to hold
Lola and glass of flowers and some
woodcuts framed with plated twigs on the
dimly- lighted walls.
"He'd be the better of a good Wife"
said Lola, echoing the words that had
come up to her through the ivy, "but he's
poor as Job, and so the fine ladies leave
him to me. wonder what it would be
like, being good wife to a man as poor
as Job. There would be good deal of
scrubbing and rubbing, dare say; but
I'm ready for it if Pm wanted. Thank
Heaven l am not delicatep feeling her
fingers. "Id as soon cook the dinner as
do worsted work any day. It's well l
have no elegant tastes; making common
things look pretty is the finest / have.
have rather a good appetite" (ruefully),
but then l could live on bread and milk.
/ can cook; l can wash; and / can make
clothes. The smallest, tiniest cottage, an
easy-chair and plain one; wine for him,
milk for me; an evening lamp, bookcase,
garden, good humor, plenty of flowers
Lola's thoughts wandered away, and
lost themselves in the delights of the
home she was sketching, She shook her.
self out of her dream with low laugh of
undoubting happiness. "Chicks will be
waiting-Granny will scoldp She ad.
justed her white calico dress, plucked
crimson rose that was hanging over the
sash, and fixed it, with artistic fingers, in
her bosom, smoothed a willful ripple out
of her shining hair, took sun,burned
straw hat from peg on the wall, and
went out of the small chamber, and out
of the house.
Granny's house was handsomer than
that nest-like one in which Lola lived on
sullerance. Granny was not rich, but
she liked to keep up certain old-fash-
Toned grandeur. Indeed, none of these
=
themselves as people who were certainly
poor Granny must have trips to Lon.
don, and two horses in her carriage, and
her son, who lived in the nest.house,
would have been very well off only that
Fan must have her satin dress, and he
his hunters. Lola was the richest of
them all, with her little lodging for moth.
ing under the ivy, and her slender wage
for teaching two small orphan cousins,
whom Granny had taken TO herself. Lola
was the only one amongst them who
knew how to enjoy her life.
Lola's way lay through green lane,
across fields, over the river on a rustic
bridge, and then plunged into wood,
through a blue tunnel followed among
leaves, where the path was moist and
brown with dew. Then she entered
Roselands, which deserved its name, and
went into the house with the perfume of
thousands OF roses hanging about her
Granny was willful old lady, who loved
lilac ribbons in her cap, and old china in
her cabinets, and who could scold and
pet little people, and sometimes big peo.
pie too. She was somewhat severe upon
grown'up young folks, unless they hap
penedi 10 get sick, when she became an
angel. Arthur Gray was an invalid when
she first made his acquaintance, and peo-