Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-01-08
My Modification.
A STORY FOR GIRLS.

and Mrs. Evans, on Main street, girls
She looks nice, but isn't at all pretty
What could he have seen in her to at
tract him9 I can't understand il
Everybody thought he would MARI,
Gertie Graves, he was SO attentive Il
her. I'm sure she loved him, ant
Gertie is very pretty and sweet" Quit,
out of breath, Bella tossed her hat ant
gloves upon the piano, and throwing
herself into careless position ON tn
lounge, awaited reply.
Aunt Sue, who was sewing at the win
dow, smiled at Bella's remark, and ther
concluded to answer her query by {
story. She therefore said, quietly, a.
she went on with her long seam:
"I don't know, Bella, but you may
have explained the reason of Dave
Evans choice in confessing your sur
prise at it. You say his bride is nice
looking. Now, although Gertie Graves
may be very pretty and sweetgirl, you
say, I am sure that adjective would
never accurately describe her. Mice
means neat, orderly and cleanly, and
Gertie is neither cleanly nor neat"
"Why, Aunt Sue, what do mean 2"
and Bella's brown eyes snapped, while
the "girls," her two sisters, looked at
one another ov their needles and
smiled. They understood Aunt Sue,
and thought she had taken very good
text and illustration, for the sermon
they were snre she was going to preach
to careless Bella.
~ will tell you matter Of fact story,
Bella, that is literally true, and then
perhaps you may judge better what !
mean.
When I was a young girl about
your age," she began, ~ was one of
the most careless and untidy persons
you can imagine. 1t never mattered
very much to me whether my bed was
made, or whether my room was fit to be
seen through the day or not. As for
putting away or hanging up my dresses
and clothing at night, that I never
thought of doing. Ny things were
tossed upon chairs, or lay in little white
heaps on the floor, in any spot where I
last happened to step out of thom. You
may imagine, therefore, that they never
looked very smooth or fresh when put
them on in the morning."
As she spoke, aunt glanced at the
elaborately trimmed overskirt, and knife.
plated ruffles of the rumpled silk suit
Bella had curlcd herself up in on the
lounge.
"Of course 1 liked to be we'll dressed
when 1 went out, and generally did look
so, believe, for I had nice clothes, and
was not an altogether plain looking girl,
although you may not think SO now.
But never thought of taking care of
my wardrobe, and l never cared to look
neatly dressed at home.
"Anything would do for breakfast,
used to say; and SO in the morning, my
curls were usually crumpled together
and tucked under net, my collar soiled,
my slippers burst at the sides or down
at the heel, and my wrapper torn. AL
together I presented anything but nice
appearance in my breakfast toilet.
"My careless habits worried mother
very much, for she was one of the
neatest and most orderly of women; but
I was an only child, and was allowed to
do very much as I preferred. Mother
picked up, and mended, and fixed, and
righted things for me with untiring
patience.
well, the year that was eighteen
l 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 accom-
pany us.
~ was eager to visit 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 dressing case, furnished with
everything suitable for the toilet, large
new Saratoga trunk, and many little
things 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 connected by doors.
There were q great many visitors that
season, and as servants were scarce, Mrs.
Hamilton, the lady 10 whose care I had
been placed, told our hostess that the
young ladies of her party would attend
"I was not pleased with this arrange
ment, for hated the care of the room;
but did not trouble myself much about
it. had too many enjcyments outside,
to allow this responsibility to worry me.
"There was very pleasant and merry
at the old seaside house that
summer, and such boat rides, and baths,
and drives, and parties 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, ut least-the whole wide |
world was c0ule,r de rose, and the |
future as well as the present had all the
glory of golden age.
"Mrs. Hamilton's son, and two of his |
college friends, DR.. Grayson and Prof.
Blanc, came down to the shore towards
The last of the season. It was not long
before one of these two became to me |
The 'one only for whose attentions
cared.
"He was q young man from New
England, and possessed all the best |
choro ckorictica of bio roco