The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-08-26

while hyaclnth or Il narcissuS was dis
gusting to her. Orange blossoms, ste
phanotis, tuberoses, made her fairly i'll
Shall | ever forget going with her on the
night OF a regimental reception The
colonel was one of our best friends, anC
the regiment Just leaving for the field
Nanny was an enthusiastic patriot it cui
her to the heart to think was lame and
could not 60 with the rest, though she
declared she was glad Of it, and at times
perhaps she was All we could do was
to afford aid and comfort to our comrades
who could go; and when Colonel Blunt
sent for us to 90 to his house that evening
and say good-by, of course we went. II
was a lovely night, frosty, but brilliant
and Mrs. Blunts parlors were crowded
half the officers We're Irishmen, part OF
the rest rough farmers who had left then
poughs, if they had not turned their
shares into swords. Besides these We're
u host of civlians-delic and elegant
women, fresh young girls, Il few men
who could not 90 to the war, even as |
could not u few who We're going soon
The rooms We're beautifully adorned with
rich wreathes of autumn leaves and the
last flowers; here sheaves Of asters, pur-
pie and crimson and white filled y great
alabaster vase, and there a bunch OF gen
tians darkened the sheen of a silver urn
with their lringes Of midnight blue but
in every room exquisite spikes OF tubero,e
in ruby or sapphire glasses filled the air
with their odorous breath, and the eye
with their indolent and ivory calm.
OF course we were all enthusiastic, all
nN nj 1s of n m NJ. Al
sentiment; It's blood and dirt and agony
were unknown to those who should en-
dure them all before the yearrollcd round
again. Tent life in the home camps had
been an agreeable picnic, drill an amuse-
ment. Patriotism famed high, and pat
rlots-Some of them-drank deep Half
the officers there We're redolent of evil
spirits in the literal sense; few showed
their influence decidedly But when men
are going to die for their country, and
wear uniforms, who is going to find fault
with minor lapses? Because we stay at
home. shall there be 10 cakes and ale for
those who 90 to war? Did anybody
blame the army that sWOre terribly IN
Flanders ? We should all have been
shocked to see such a state Of things at
IN ordinary reception in our respectable
town. but now nobody noticed it. | was
talking with Il Milesian lieutenant, who
had evidently fortified his courage ior the
evening. and we We're in an eager dis
course about the woes and wrongs Of his
country as well as mine, when felt a ner-
Yous and stringent clutch on my arm.
turned round, and bcheld Nanny, her face
white even to the lips. and her eyes dull,
Take me up stairs'' She gasped.
But before | could get her to the hail
She sank dead weight on my arm. !
opened the front door, put her in Il We
randa chair, and sent a passing servant
for some water; but the fresh, keen
breath of the west wind revived her be
fore the water came.
NV hat is the matter, Nan ?" | inquired
anXiously, when her eyes at last opened
brightly and the bloom came back 10 her
lips and cheeks
"Tuberoses and whiskey !-u-g-h :" She
answered with 4 ~hudher, "TaKe me
right home, Jack. cant bear it a
minute"
Here was the irEepresSihle nose.
made such apologies as | could, and took
her home, inwarlly thanking Heaven that
my own olfactorics were OF the usual sort
The next unaccountable thing She did
and did the next day, too-was to pull me
down TO Il bed of English Strawberries in
friends garden that | might smell the
delicious odor OF the leaves. Iii vain !
snull'ed and rubbed my nose, and tried to
think | perceived 4 pleasant smell; but
nothing answered. Nanon looked ut me,
amazed. | was sorry, but really slnellcd
nothing at all while she inhaled a deli
cious perfume, she assured me, like no
other to be described
have Since heard il was 4 sign of GOOD
birth to perceive this odor, Mans must
have been very good By-and-by our
house was built We moved into il IL
year from our wedding-day. | must say
my little woman proved herself q 'elt
and dainty housekeeper, Our small cot
taoe was neat rs a bees cell but not
painfully 50. 1t was all lived in, all
home -iIle-no shut-up rooms, no over
fine upholstery too good to use. The
carpets were not Brussels, or the chairs
rosewood. but everything harmonlzed in
tint in every room, and all the ornaments
were good of their kind.
| hate n room filled with fancy work.
like the show-counter of an agricultural
fair OF II worstcd shop; neither tortured
crewels nor abominations in canvas or
paper Uttered up our bright rooms;
there were no tides on the chairs, no
linen covers on the sofas. An indescrb-
able breath OF purity and freshness filled
the house. think this was owing TO her
nose, / confess; though | had to smile
when 1 saw her daily tours through the
premises with that dilate feature high in
air. delicately smiling ut the door of
every closet and chamber and pouncin@
upon any breath of evil rs a hawk on lis
prey. There was no muStY nook in our
house the first faint scent Of damp earthi-
ness was detected; the corner, the crook,
the bottle that generated it was scalded,
soaped, scraped, dried and summed on the
instant; neither was amy sour bread en-
dured an hour; no meat outliVed its use
funess or its pleasantness in harder or re-
irigcrator; no pickles went beyond the
verge OF proper pickledness; our eggs
were always fresh, for Nan averred that
a fresh egg had its own clean odor
Heavens what q nose was that which
could pierce an cgg-shell!
My life was somewhat harassed no
doubt tor my wife developed 4 turn for
locating smells.
"Jack, where have you been?" She
would say, repulsing me suddenly after
the first kiss with which she always re-
ceived me coming from the office at
night, and which pollteness | was always
expected to return -''where hHre you
been?" with a keen flash and Iuiver of
eyes and eyelid
"Why, Nan?"
because you smell Of marhinery.'
by George' (dear reader, forgive the
eXpletivc, | never swear, but a man must
have some satety-valye). " wouldn't
have your nome Man, for FIVE hundred
dollars !"
"And wouldn't be without it for five
thousand. Tell me. now, haven't you
been someWhere?"
Yes, have been to several some
where's. | reluctantly admit, Mrs. Gardi-
ner, that went to Smiths printing office
to see about some .billheads, and spent half
an hour studying out their new press"
thouubt ca - NVaC hnr satisfied re-