The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-05-15
feet symmetry of her 1.-THE and graceful

expressed more than / was myself aware
of, for | remember that as involuntarily
took chair near the one she occupied
she silently drew herself up with quiet
grace and dignity, and leaving her seat,
walked to the door with slow, gliding,
noiseless step, and left the room. Per-
haps it was well she did so, for | will
frankly own she was distracting my at
tention from my future landlady. But
the preliminaries were easily settled;
became boarder, and had no cause to re-
gret the chance which led me there.
And thus it was that l became an in
mate with that lovely being; and day by
day 1 saw her come gliding into the room,
taking her place among us, affable still,
but with calm--I had almost said
haughty-reserve which nothing could
break through, and which effectually
checked all familiarity; for though she
did not repel notice, she never courted it,
and it seemed to me she grew daily more
winning and beautiful.
have said l was confirmed old bach
elOr even then, and this is to be no
shcool-boy's tale of youthful love. l
was long past all the enthusiasm of
my youth. Certainly | did admire her,
possibly l was learning to love her,
but it was the calm, unimpassioned
love one bears to a beautiful and innocent
child, or to some unprotected dumb thing
whose very helplessness is constant ap-
peal to our kindly nature.
But let me describe her as she was
when | first saw her. l have said that |
was old then-ay, old, no doubt, as her
father might have been, or even it may
be, as her grandfather, if she had one.
But yet she was not young-I mean she
was not girl, not in the first bloom OF
youth, and her beauty was not of the rosy,
pink and white, blushing type that poets
sing and lover-like boys rave about. No !;
hers was the early maturity of lovelness,
perfect in rcpose, with mild, thoughtful
eyes, intelligent and tender, a tritle sad at
times, but lighting up with quick bril-
or some vivid thought darted its
light through her brain-for she was
wonderfully quick of percept!on-with
an exquisite figure, splendidly full
and symmetrical, yet swaying and
supple as a young willow, and with un-
studied grace in every quick, sinewy mo-
ton.
She spent little upon dress (I was sure
she was noC wealthy: but though there
was little variety, her dress was always
exquisitely neat and in perfect good taste,
of some soft glossy fabric, smooth as
silk and lustrous as satin, and of the soft
est shade of silver-gray, that color so
beautiful in itself and so becoming
| to beautiful .wearers; simply made,
| but fitting with a nicety- more like the
work of nature than of art to every
curve and outline of that full and stately
figure, and finished off round her white
| throat with something scarcely whittier !;
made to trail slightly, with graceful
sweep as she walked, but carried with an
easy unconsciousness which gave it dig
nifty. l have always looked upon trains
as awkward and unwomanly appendages,
but must own that as she carried hers it
was graceful.
She never wore ornaments of any kind,
no chain, no brooch, no ring, no pin, not
even a wedding ring, that | ever saw
with nothing upon her well-shaped head
but her own thick, glossy hair, always ar
ranged with scrupulous exactness-no
meretricious additions, no false braids, no
waterfalls, no ringlets, no crimpings
she wore her hair an natureL, conforming
as closely as possible to the shape of her
graceful head. Was not that the style in
which Grecian beauty was wont to adorn
itself in the days when Grecian art gave
to mankind the peerless statues destined
through future ages to ''enchant the
world?' But / have spoken of the alb
sence of wedning-ring, and that re.
minds me that l have not yet told you
that she was mother. She had twins
two beautiful little rolly-poly blue
eyed things wonderfully like her
self little shy, graceful creatures
always together, always playful.
the passages, or climbing up and dowr
the stairs, but they always avoided me
and it was long time before l could get
near them. They would stanl peeping
out at me from behind half-open door
with shy, startled glances of furtive curl
osity; but if called to them. or reached
out my hand, or took a step toward them
they would dart away, and would heal
their little footsteps scampering down thu
passages as if fear lent them wings. Blu
at last, by slow degrees, won their con
fidence, and then they would come to m,
uncalled, and climb upon my knees, ant
rest fondly in my arms, or lay the
bright heads upon my shoulder in fearles
man tossthem in the air, and rumple thei
glossy hair, or admire the plant grace o
their young supple limbs but never from
their lips, or from their mothers did
ever hear any mention of their othe
parent.
think she was evidently fond of he
beautiful little ones, and proud of then
,, too. She would often lead them out int
the garden, where, seated on bench, il
the shade of its one tree, she woul
watch their untiring frolics with
calm maternal tenderness and sometimes
sheltered behind my window blind, | hav
seen her, when she thought herself who'll
unobserved, join in their sports with
graceful abandon, and zest apparently a
unaffected as their own; but if a chanc
step or sound betrayed an observer, the
she was in one moment calm, dignitieC
, and reserved again; and if eithe
of the little ones, led on by the eagernes
: of play and the exuberance of anims
q spirits, became In the least rude or boil
I ferrous, she knew in moment how
check and subdue the little offender, an
| never let them go beyond the bounds {
t propriety.
: Often, as l watched this pretty by-play
or saw her moving about the house in quiz
e dignity, had puzzled myself with vagu
n conjectures about her. had made up m
Y mind that she was not woman of wealth
L and it seemed to me that she stood ver
e much alone in the world. No person evt
: came to see her; no letters were brougl
n to her. | did not think she had a hu
i band but-Was she a widow? | did n,
| know that she was, and | could not il
|, quire. She never spoke of her oW
n affairs; and afable as she was, and gent
h in manner, there was something abo'
If her which repelled intrusion. l had, i
+ deed, no right to inquire, and think I
man living would have had the folly
ask her such question, expecting to o
tain an answer. At least had not. Som
times flattered myself had almost We
her confidence, as if she wanted to make