Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-01-26

"My careless habits worried mother
very much, for she was one of the
neatest and most orderly Of women
but was an only child, and was al
lowed to do very much as preferred
Mother picked up, and mended, aud
fixed, and righted things for me with
untiring patlence.
swell, the year that was eighteen
went to the seaside to spend the
summer months with friend OF
mothers She had daughters about
my age, and offered to chaperone me
that season, because mother could not
accompany us.
81 was eager TO visit a watering
place, of course, and that nothing
might be wanting, a complete new
wardrobe was made for me. Every
article was pretty and fashionable.
Besides this, | had beautiful dress
ing-case, furnished with everything
suitable for the toilet, a large new
Saratoga trunk, and many little thugs
that had been bought to make my
room pretty and attractive,
''The house at which we boarded
was a large, Old fashioned building,
with piazzas running all round it on
every floor. Our rooms opened upon
the first piazza, and were all connect
ed by doors. There were a great
many visitors that season, and as ser
wants were scarce, Mrs. Hamilton, the
lady in whose care | had been placed,
told our hostess that the young ladies
Of her party would attend to their
own rooms.
II was not pleased with this ar
rangement, for | hated the care of the
room; bat | did not trouble myself
much about it. | had too many en-,
joyments outside, to allow this respon
sibility to worry me.
"Thcre was very pleasant and
merry company at the ole seaside
house that summer, and such boat
rides, and baths, and drives, and par.
ties as we had, would have satisfied
the most exacting pleasure seeker.
Every day seemed only more joyous
and happy than the last. TO us,
then-to me, at least-the whole wide
world was oOulem de rose, and the tu-
ture as well as the present had all the
glory Of Il golden age.
"Mrs. Hamilon's son, and two of
his college friends, DR.. Grayson and
Prof. Blaine, came down to the shore
towards the last of the season. 1t
was not long before one OF those two
became to me the 'one only for whose
attentions / cared.
"He was young man from New
England, and possessed all the best
Puritan characteristics of his race.
Thoroughly gentlemanly in his ap-
pearance, manners, and dress, talented
well educated, exquisite in his tastes
almost to tastidiousness. he was, with
al, a person of most excellent charac-
ter, and being fine looking, besides, it
is no wonder that | was attracted to
him. He was several years my senior,
but that only gave additional eclat to
my conquest; for it was very soon no.
ticed that among all the young ladies
at the house, | was apparently the IA
vorite of the elegant professor.
"My wardrobe, as | have said, was
new and fresh, and / was not so plain
looking as you may suppose. My
wrinkles were dimples In those Gays.
and my eyes were as bright as Bella's,
and / did not wear glasses then. In
short, | suppose | was quite belle.
But dresses, however pretty and
fishionably made, will not stay pretty,
and whole, and fresh, if not taken
care of. More than this a beautiful
face is of little account when set in a
frame of tossed and dowdilydJne up
hair. 1t was not many weeks before
my careless habits told upon my ap-
pearance. Mrs. Hamilton and the
girls, or some friendly lady who took
an interest IN me, would now ana then
in company pin up my gathers, smooth
out my ribbons, or pull off some loose
braid from my dress skirt.
"Finally it became the habit Of the
Hamilton girls, and therefore a mat
ter of course, to look me all over be-
fore we went to ride, or down to the
parlors, lest should lose some article
of attire, and call a blush to their
cheeks.
81 remember that once | was very
much mortified, when the professor
handed me teartully soiled collar