Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-09-16

ufst DulDs. anu Ola MIS-.
sent them TO you
II can't help it; ii they came from the
angel Gabriel should send them out o
the window just So was the singular
girls reply. And ! want to tell you,
Jack. don't ever bring In 10 me that hor.
rid brown thing you call strawberry plant
or svrnga blossoms, or one narcissus.
hate them; they choke aud nauseate me- >
This was queer, TO be sure. but no spec.
ial matter. We have our own tastes In
flowers all OF us; |, for my part would as
soon have yellow dog without a tail
abont the house as an althea bush under.
the window; marigolds are an abomina.
ton, and phloxes are a disgust to me. pre-
Ter a sunfiower to a peory, and an anato-
mcal preparation to hpdrangea; so
thought no more about the hyaciuths.
But before long began to find, when |
came home from business, that all the
winds of Heaven were often blowing
through my wifcs parlor. and she herself
wrapped in shawl, sitting in the full
drausht. Naturally | demonstrated
Nanny dear, you will catch cold
"Oh no; and il / do, IL is better than
this horrd smell
II don't smell anything"
why, Mrs. Brown has been here to
call. 80 scented with musk | could scarcely
be civil to her
Or perhaps Mrs. Peters had been odor-
| Gus OF millefleurs, or Mr.. Green of patehouli
The only perfume Nan could endure was
German Cologne, and that only of one par
ticular brand. | began 10 pity my wife; f.;
she could describe the hotel dinner daily
before our fluent waiter ratified off the list /;
nay. before We reached the dining-room,
| from her powers OF smell alone. She
| could tell that her washer-woman had
| fried cakes on ironing day from the odor
OF the clothes. and Mrs. Sullivan had her
| ideas enlarged on the subject frequently
| and persisteDtly. always declaring, and
| even swearing. that she "nivcr fried a
haporth av nothing whin the clothes was
| about "A statement always quietly iguor-
ed by INV wife as il unheard Then | be.
! gan 10 take an interest in the matter phys
| iologically. | tried TO class the scents She
affected. aud involve some fundamental
reason for the pleasure they gave her, but
there was a curious caprice about them.
| Why should she like wall-ilowers aud
object 10 stocks. excep, at a distance. say
/ ing they had an under-tonc of raw cab
/ bageP Why did miguonettc: English,
| Nioirts, helotrOpe. please her, and not or
| ris root: She loved the scent OF all sum
| mcr roses, but a tea rose made her sick.
like swinging. She would hang an hour
over great sheaf of tulips. gently inhal-
/ ing their quaint odor, while hyacinth or
narci>sus WAS di>gu>tin. to her. Or
an.e blossoms, stephanoiiS. tuberoses,
made her fairly III. Shall :ever forget
I going with her on the night OF regimen
/ tai reception, The colonel was one of
our best friends. and the regiment Just
1 leaving for the field. Nanny was an en-.
thu,ia>tic patriot; 1t cut her TO the heart
! 10 think was lame aud could not go viii.
! the re~i, though She declared she WAS
/ glad Of il. and at time, perhaps She was
All We could do was to afford aid and com
| fort 10 our comrades who could 90. and
when Colonel Blunt sent Tor Us TO 20 to
| hi house that evening and say good -byc.
of course We went. twas a lovely night.
frosty, but brilliant. and Mrs Blunt's par
lors were crowded; hall the officers were
! lri-hmen. part of the rest rough farmers
who had leit their ploughs. il they had not
I turned their shares Into the swords. Be-
sides these were host OF civilans-deli-
cate and elegant women. fresh young
girls. few men who could not 20 To the
war. even as / could not, few Who were
going soon. The rooms were beautifully
| adorned with rich wreaihs OF autumn
leaves and the last flowers There sheaves
OF asters. purple and crimson and white
| filed great alabastcr vase. and there
bunch of gentians darkened the sheen OF
a silver urn with their fringes Of midnight
alue: but in every room exquisite spikes
tuberose in ruby or sapphire glasses iilled
the air with their odorous breath. and the
teye with their indolent and ivory calm.
or course we were all enthusiastic, all
excited. War was as yet only a splendid
sentiment; its blood and dirt and agony
were unknown 10 those who should en-
dure them all before the year rolled round
again. Tent life in the home camps had
been an agreeable picnic. drill and amuse-
ment. Patriotism ilamed high. and pat
riots-soE.e OF them-drank deep. Half
the officers there were redolcnt 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 lind fault
with minor lapses? Because We stay TT
home, shall there be no cakes and ale for
those who 20 warI Did anybody blame
the army that swore terribly in Flanders? {?
We should all have been shocked 10 see
such state of things al an ordinary recep-
ton in our respectable town. but now no.
body noticed il. | was talking with 4
Milesian lieutenant. who had evidently for
titled his courage for the evening. and we
were in eager discourse about the woes
and wrongs Of his country as well as
nine, when felt a nervous and stringent
clutch on my arm. | turned round and
1 Othtiu Nanny. HeT lace Nnlle even 10 Tue
lips. and her eyes dull.
Take me up stairs !" she gasped.
Before | could get her to the hall she
sank a dead weight on my arm. | opened
the front door, put her in veranda chair
and sent passing servant for some wa
ter: but the fire. sh. keen breath of the west
wind revived her before the water came.
What is the matter, Nany" | inquired
auYiously. when her eyes at last opened
brightly and the bloom came back to her
lips and cheeks.
"Tuberose and whisky ugh" she
answered with shudder Take me
right home Jack. | can't bear ii minute -
Here was the irrepressible nose l made
/, sucn apologies as | could and took her
home. inwardly thanking Heaven that my
own olfactories were of the usual sort.
The next unacountable thing she did
and did the next day, tOo-was TO pull me
I down to a bed of English strawberries in a
friends garden that | might smell the de-
licious odor of the leaves. In vain l SNUFF
fed and rubbed my nose. and tried to
think | perceived a pleasant SMELL but
nothing answered NanOn looked at me
, amazed. l was sorry, but really smelled
nothing at all, while she inhaled delicate
perfume, she assured me, like no other to
| be described.
have since heard it was sign of good
birth to perceive this odor. Mans mus,
/ have boen very good. By-and-bye our
house was built. We moved into it a year
e from our wedding day. | must say my
' little woman proved herself dett and
y dainty housekeeper. Our small cottage
: was as neat as a bees cell, but not pain
fully so. 1t was all liyed in, all home
e like-no shut up rooms, no Overtime up
I holstery too good to use. The carpets
| were not Brussels, or the chairs rosewood
, but everything harmonized in tint in every
r room and all the ornaments were kgoOd o
f their KIDD.
: I hate room filed with fancy work
It like the show counter Of an agriculture
e fair or q worsted shop; neither tortured
crewels nor denominations in canvas or pa
y per Uttered up our bright rooms; Their
: were no tides on the chairs, no linen GOV
e ers on the sofas. An indescribable breath
II of purity and freshness filed the house.
It think this was owing to her nose, l con
# fess; though had to smile when saw