Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1875-12-02
JELL'S SWEEPING-CAP.

Jell was a dainty little school
ma'am, brown eyed. brownhaired,
with a cunning dimple in her left
cheek. She had no beauty but her
hair, and this was her glory. Beau
tiful, glossy, abundant, it rippled
down her back almost to the floor.
Jell reioiced, in innocent, girlish
pride, whenever fashion allowed her
to display this one adornment. Her
elder relatives, grandma and aunties,
said, since she had not the beautiful
face of sister Eleanor, nor the finely
moulded figure and graceful carriage
of Amelia, she must remain an "old
maid.'
because" said grandma, "no one
now a-days marries for real merit,
but for money or beauty; consequent
lv be content, my dear, to remain sim
ole, and be a comfort to your par
ents." laying her soft, wrinkled hand
on Jell's bonny young head.
''She might do worse" said Aunt
Mary, who had just lost husband and
four lovely children.
$50 she might" said Aunt Caro-
line, meditatively threading her
white fingers through Jell's chest
nut locks. "But, if | am not mista-
ken, this brown hair will not want
for admirers"
1t was decided that Jell should be
q schoolteacher; tor Miss Independ-
ence said, as she was not to marry,
she preferred beginning to earn her
living at once. So this little woman
of eighteen was enthroned in the
great armchair belonging to "Dis-
trict No. g." and right royalty she
reigned over the little white headed
urchins who stumbled over aba, ba, -
and those of larger growth, who pene-
trated the mysteries of arithmetic and
geography. 1t was pleasant to teach
in the spring-time, when, all the
world seemed wakening into a newer,
brighter life; when the skies were
blue, birds sang, and the apple bios
SONS drifted down in snowy wreaths
before the schoolroom door. Yes, it
was pleasant to sit there all the long
moons, dreaming of the future, which
seemed to promise sweet and good
though prevented as by thin vel
from showing plainly; just as the
far-off clouds showed the bright
blue sky tints peeping through, Civ
ing only a hint of the glory beyond
But it was not as pleasant when
the sun blazed fiercely, the children
grew fidgety and inattentive, and the
/ yeung teacher became first weary
then-shall we say it?-cross
Neither was il agreeu;,le, af.er teach
ing all the week, to labor busily or
Saturday, which she needed as a rest
day. Still our little Jell cooked and
washed dishes, swept and busted,
only occasionally thinking that hel
two elder sisters might assist in these
duties.
Sweep, sweep, sweep, sup stairs
and down stairs, and in my lady's
chamber went the little maid
Jell, broom and duster in hand
sweeping-cap covering her brown
braids, on busy Saturday morning
This cap of hers was present from
Aunt Mary, who had sent it, accom-
panied by a characteristic note, to
the effect that it only became a
cheerful, smiling face, and never tt
wear it when she was cross. Wei
did it become Jelrs face this sunny
June day. Smiles fitted over hel
countenance as ripples break ovel
the smooth surface of sun -tinte(
lake. Light of foot and light o
heart, she seemed the embodimen
of happiness, as she threw wide opel
the heavy hall door, and stepped
/ blithly forth, sweeping the wide, hos
pitable- looking piazza, and breathing
in the delicious fragrance of th'
roses that strove to reach the roof.
4 An oriole in the walnut tree wa
singing as though filed with ecstac,
on this beautiful dewy morning. H
seemed to inspire Jell, for she, toe
lifted her voice in succession Q
Joyous trills, the rival musicians wa