The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-07-05

the standard. Mary and Harriet Hallam,
Mary's sister, must spin unpumhered
runs Of Ono linen thread, because she and
her mother before them had outspun all
competition. They must be able TO
boast that they could make n shirt in q
day, with Its full complement OF ruflles
and stitched wristbands and gussets; or
oondRct enc Of their fathers long stock
ings from tho incipient stage Of setting
up through the intricate processes Of
scanning md narrowing, and goring, and
slipping, and binding Of heel and ihstep,
to tho tpal toeing of, in the incon-
ceiyably short space Of one diurnal
round. She had done II, and 80 should
they. There should DO no deterioration
ID tho descending line Of the Hallams.
lt isioing less than Justice to Mary
Hallmap TO say that never was more
prompt and skillful hand than hers
broughtto tasks like these. She worked,
when SO did work, in o style that just
suited aunt Heppy. Itwas strikingly
like Amt Heppy's own work, except
that themachinery had different motive
powors ATary's being carried forward
by sinEng, and the old lady's by scold-
ing. fmust pe confessed that the more
Aunt Ieppy scolded tho louder Mary
would ing. II Is n fact not all to her
credit. + t'I1 fs
.Baty tho old Indy grieyed over and
complaned Of most, was that Mary had
no real oye for these her daily employ
ments. 1t was evident to her mind that
Mary hIlam only worked 80 fast and so
well fc tho sake Of getting through.
And Nien all wns through, aud there
was M longer anything TINT could be
"put brights, then where was AIaryi
Az, wlsre was shot That was tho ques-
She seldom came back as quietly rs
sho wnt. "Troops Of friends " usually
oscortd hcr back, with whose merri-
mont no walls Of tho old mansion would
ring aEbile.
Thre were few quiet pleasures for the
yount people of that day. Music, be-
yond psalm and simple ballad singing,
was attro accomplishment. Books were
rare, though even then Mary found
onouIh Of them to call forth urefrom
ller ilders. aFordyce's Sermons TO
Your, Women" was an allowable, book;
but at,ost everything else was included
undel the general head Of romanoes, and
proscibed as having o decided tendency
to prmote high-aying.
fhs young people Of that day were
gregrious. Every evening they gather.
Cd smowhere, not by stupid, formal
invilhon, but improvisng o party, by
Dropping in, Que aiter another. Mary
HafLm was leader among them, the
circles very center, on which its mirth
turned, and henceit thatwhile Harriet
sat 4 home, and through the winter
evenings sewed up the long seams OF
liner ihey had spun, Mary was away at
Fanny Morris or Ruth Norton's, or
Rebcca Bissell's, or anywhere else
wheathe most sport was To be had.
Blph Mosely, the young man whom
we saw some timo since setting out, like
knisht errant Of old, to tlnd, by the light
of the moon, the lady Of his love, knew
well her haunts, and had traced and re-
eaiaed her in q tithe Of the time We have
takan to exhibit her. A welcome acces-
sion was Ralph too, to tho merry ring,
fol though he was o youth Of no great
coneliness Of person, and Of remarkably
staid and quiet demeanor, there was
twinkle in Ills eye that MI who had been
one In his company knew how to under
stand. He seldom laughed, preferring
b impose TINT labor upon others. 1n
short, Ralph AIosely was % born wag,
anlswould have played tho part assigned
hin to admiration, II he had not fro
qrently marred it by being so thorough
| lyRood.n tured and kind-heartcd. AS
| il was, Ralph Mosely was everybody's
fayorite, and had good reason to believe
that he was Mary Hallam's among the
rest. But this evening opened n new
chapter in his history.
He soon discovered TINT one Christie.
pter Ames, cousin OF Fanny Morris,
Who haa come from New York on a visit,
aud appeared this evening for the first
time In their company, was bringing the
iull force of his city Cruces to bear upon
Mary Hallam, and monopolizipg her
attention in why that was very distinct
Ling to a beholdpr in 1alph's circuui-
stances.
Mary had o natural turn for coquetry,
az had been more than once before
proved, and tho stylish manners of the
new conner, and tho novelty Of his dis
course evidently found great favor in hei
1 sves. Ralph's heart sunk within him,
but he sought Ills opportunity, and told
\ Mary his erranl.
It was n matter Of somc consequence
tI A grand sleighing party Ind been plaii
iI iied for tho next evening, and he wished
n tobe the ilrst to apprise Mary Of 1t, ant
secure her as his special companion fcl
the OCCASION. Alas, poor Ralph MARY
hal not only heard Of It, butwas ,llread.
engaged TO 20 as the partner Of th'
dreaded Christopher Amls.
Heroes in poetry and romance or,
bitter and misndthropic under disap
pointment. Our hero was too good
natnred TO be moody, so lle just turt3ct
and sought Nancy Gay y plain girl
whom other people were apt TO neglect
[ and found her quito ready to accept th'
! invitation lie offered. lilo carried thu
Kind Of heroism still further. When TIL
! company dispersed, he walked hom,
with her and lame Janet Boyd, curbinl
!, his impatience to her Uneven steps
, though lie could not help seeing, as b
passed, that Mary HAllam was carryinl
thn filtration with her new admirer :
4 iIe extent Of a prolonged chat At the hall
closed door. Tho city beaus teeth mus
/ surely layc clattcred in the miist OF hi
4 compliments, for il WIS night whe
a true and tried loyc could hardly kccp
!. man Z heart warm in his bosom.
J. The appointed hour Of thS tieSt t eyer q.