Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-03-14
OUR LITTLE WAITING-MAID.
Harper's " eeklY.

pout on her lips and a frown on her
brow, looking out on the road with eyes
that saw nothing, and utterly oblivious
to the fact that her dear, rosy-cheeked,
bright-eyed little sister was Juggling at
her skirt with one small hand and hold
ing up her doll with the other, while
she piteously complained, There's
sumtin berry awful wrong er matter
wifi my baby, Bahia; hers broke in her
inside, an can't cry any more to sabe
her life, " until the speaker, as though
to make up for this deficiency on the
part of her "baby," burst into long,
loud, and fearless cry herself, and even
then Barbara only pulled her dress out
of the dimpled little hand, and said, in
a decidedly mamiabIe manner, ooh,
bother p
Barbara Darling was not pretty, that
IS, not very pretty least there was a
diversity of opinion about her The
young men, abiding to her eyes and
hair, spoke of vlolets and buttercups,
the young women, on the contrary
young women are 50 unpOetical when
by themselves !-sneered, "Blue china
and molasses candy" the young men
liked the deep dimple in her chin, the
young women said it was lawfully
babyish;" the young men called her a.
fairy" the young women "a dwarf"
She was the eldest of eight children;
had no accomplishment, unless singing
a ballad or two passably we'll could be
called one; was eighteen years old,
poor, and-and- to tell the hon
est truth, rather high-tempered And
yet she had for lover handsome, tai
ented, proud, wealthy Anthony Ditto.
the match that all the girls in her circle
had been making eyes at for a year
before, with heart still untouched had
met "wee Bah, as lie called her.
How he came to notice her at all good
ness knows, unless the comicality of the
Introduction struck through the dignity
which envelOped him us mantle. and
softening his heart, rs honest fun
always softens hearts, let her steal
into it, and then being Il bury sort of a
little body, he couldn't get rid of her
afterward
Miss Barbara Darling" said that
provoking Ned Parker, " Mr. Anthony
Ditto" and we Eyes VEIN Bah Darl-
ing) burst out laughing, the names were
SO odd following each other in that man
ner, you know; and from that moment
we were excellent friends until the dav
we ceased to be friends and became
lovers.
Papa and mama were delighted with
the engagement, and so was |, for Of
course | loved him dearly; and vet for
the life of me | couldn't stop what he
called " flirting" though I'm sure
didn't mean it for that You see every
body is SO very kind to little woman
thai it IS almost impossible for her to
be dignitied She gets used to being
treated like Il child, and accepts pet
names and bouquets ard bonb0ns and
gloves and the best Of every thing,
and talks and laughs and sings with
pleasant people of the opposite sex
just as child would.
Now Anthony didn't like it-absurd
fellow! wasn't going to marry him ?
and he used to look, oh! so gery grim
and Ogerish, and lecture me on the i'm
propriety of my conduct, until | felt
myself the most miserable of sinners:
butt don't know how to account for
it always forgot the lecture as soon
Immediately
Well, the other evening Fourth of
July evening 1t was-a party of us
young folks went to the village green
to see the pyrotechnic Il had to consult
the dictionary before ventured on that
world display, and arriving there rather
late, found ourselves. the last corners.
and consequently on the outside of the
crowd. Ned Parker and / tried to push
our way to the front, but we couldn't;
and | didn't see a thing, excepting few
rockets and blue-lights, until the very
las, when Ned lifted me in his arms so
that | might at last catch a glimpse of
Washington blessing his countrymen
and women with one fiery hand, while
he pointed to a Roman candle that had
just gone up with the other.
Anthony was few feet away talking
to Meta Brooke; and when / Joined
him, expecting to meet with a terrible
frown, he greeted me with 4 charming
smile. And all the rest of the evening
he was as amiable as possible, and
though he had several fve-minute
chances to scold me, never referred to
the George w. episode, but he did
Worse-he Vlfted h1nlSey.
That | had never dreamed of, and [
must say that | thought-at the time
it was real mean thing for a great tall
fellow like him to do to revenge himself
on mite like mo.
Yes, he fiirted for two long, very long
hours: and when the party ended at
our house, the children proposed kiss
ing game, he. my naughty, reserved
lover, joined IL with that bold Brooke
girl, and chose her for partner"
every time, kissing her on the mouth
and she has pretty mouth-as he
did so.
should have liked to box her ears,
and his too, for that matter, but didn't
Ned Parker, and looked up into his
face as though every moment 1 discov-
cred some new beauty in it; and when
Meta babe me goodnight Anthony
could find no excuse for offering to walk
home with her, her brother Dick being
there kissed her and hoped she had
enjoyed herself
'Oh! very much-verv, very much
indeed" said she, finging a look which
she meant to be tender, but it wasn't
she has big, black, shallow eyes-at
Anthony. Il never enjoyed myself so
much"
But as soon as the garden gate closed
behind them [ took my engagement
ring from my finger and flung it upon
the ground, and | actually-I'm asham-
ed 10 tell it, but [ did-made my hand
into a fist and shook it at my promised
husband. What would mamma, the
dear. meek darlire-I don't oct my