The Van Buren press., 1874-09-08
MISCELLANY.
How She Won Him

Minnlel Minnie! is my chocolat,
nearly ready?'
In one minute, grandmamHa
1t was scrupulously neat anJlainty il
all its appo intments, the lipe parlol
where Mrs. Brighton sat, although th'
carpet was tissue of darns, thyfurniturt
faded, and the hearth rug skillfally ekeo
out by piece Of quite another fabri,
inserted in the spot most worn a few
flowers in slender throaied vase, stood
on the antique, claw legged table, the
fender irons giJtered like golG, and the
thin muslin curtains mended here and
there, were as white as snow; aud Mrs
Brighton her self looked like Cinderella S
god mother. in her dress of aqeent bro
cade, hest yellow thread lace, and the
rings gIittered on her smailsshriveled
hand
Eighty years old, and a lAly to the
last! That was something to be proud
OF What though paralysis had robbed
her Of all the use of those dainty slppercd
leet-what though the grand house she
lad entered as Il bride was now narrowed
down to this one room in second rate
building, where two other families set up
their household alters she was aiady still,
and she could boast that she had never
degraded herself to commonplace toll.
Our means are limited, said old
Mrs Brighton, with the LOFTY ar Of a
duchess; but the pension d my son.
the colonel--who, as you PROBABLY may
remember, was killed on the Florida
frontier--is sufficient to maintin myself
and my two grand daughters and we are
ladies.
Minnie Brcigh,on preas...is@ came in
WIN ner niue cnOcolaNefe on Hapnin
covered tray, and two slices of toast ex-
quisjtely Drowned and cut as thin as a
wafer,
Il hope you haven been kept waiting,
grandmamma she said.
My dear with an air of mild de-
signation--" | am accustomed to wait. -
On, | am 50 sorry! but our fire is
out and had to go and borrow the use
of Mrs fuckers stove to boil the choco
late, and
Mrs Beighton contracted her silvery
brows.
"The Breightons are not borrowing
race, Minnie
L" Shall | get you an egg, grandmam-
map
mot if the fire is out, my dear.
And grandmamma went on with her
breakfast, wearing an injured air, while
Minnie went back to the other room,
where sat her twin sister, cogitating.
Annie Brighton was as pretty rs Min
ME but in quite a different style. She
was dark, with melting, almond shaped
eyes, an olive skin, and lips like pome-
grana,e flower, SO perfectly shaped, so
richly red; while Minnie was tall and
slender and fair as u daisy
Annie laid down a slip Of greasy paper
as Minnie entered.
"lts the grocers bill again, sister,
What shall we do p
Minnie sank into chair.
And the gas yesterday, and the land
lord not paid, and the purse as empty as
Mother Iubbard's cupboard. What
shall we do y
That's the question, said Minnie,
reAectvely archng ber jetty bIows. Ill
we can ouly keep it from guantanamo y
ave must, retortcd Minnie, with a
decisive nod 1t would XIII her If we
were men now, Nanny, we could go out
and get job of wood saving, or house
painting or, -
And why cant we now z!
"Wbyy Because Pat q Neil has got
all Mrs. Barker's wood To saw, and be-
cause we cant climb ladders, with paint
pots over our shoulders
But we eau do something else, sup
pose Listen, Mlnne-money we must
hlve"
"If we go out into the highways and
ask 1t at the point Of the bayonet! IN
teijecled Minnie, gravely
" There's no poverty like genteeI
poverty, " her sister sighed " But you
haven't heard my plan Mrs Barker,the
laundress in our top story, is sick y
What then? We have neither wine
nor jelly, nor yet crisp bank notes to
bestow up on her. "
"And she can t keep up to her engage
ments There are two SWISS muslin
dresses huted and putled beautifully, lv'
inc in her basket, waiting to be done up,
at this present moment FIVE dollars
apec she has for them.
"Well p
| shall do them up. V
Nanny! Your
"Wel, why notY Think what a gold
en- stream of pactolas ten dollars would
he in our empty cotiers Ask yourself
how on earth you or | could earn ter
dollars any other way Aud after all, {
swiss muslin dress is pretty poetica
sort of a fabric to wash aud IRON; ano
into the bargain, poor Mrs. Barker Keeps
her customers. .
"Oh, Mamie have you come to that
"Now you look and talk just like deal
old grandmamma don't be goose
Minnie! Just you invent some story
about my being promenading in the park