Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-04-11
lone OF THE MINOR MORALS.
BY LESLIE WALTER.

ANY Gwinne sat alone in her pretty
parlor sewing or rather embroidering
a baby's garment of fabulous fineness,
by a dim drop-light. A cluster of
white globes over her head reflected
the faint ray of the fire, but held no
spark of radiance of their own the
fire itself, i'll tended aud smothered by
bad Goals, burnt low, and within a
small circle, giving little promise of
CHEEKY warmth or brightness.
Perhaps, had lamp or blaze illu-
mined it more plainly, the room might
have been found deficient in other
attributes. A bookcase, piano, both
of beautiful exterior, multitude of
choice ornaments scattered about the
tables and chiffioners even the NICE
ly-assorted coiots and taste of paper,
carpet and furniture failed to redeem
a certain homeless look about the
whole, more like the parlor OF a
clearinghouse, marked for neglect
and discomfort, than that of private
lady. There are some women who
give grace of refinement and care to
the homeliest details of domestic life,
in whose hands ugly accessories are
bewitched into beauty, and beautiful
ones so tended and disposed as to
produce more than their natural eff
feet.
Evidently the fair woman in the
rocking. chair was none of these. She
alone could not see that neglect and
ill-usage were marring her tapestry
and gliding, that dust lay thick upon
the polished mantels, and cobwebs
lurked behind the carved chairs. Her
husbands fastidious taste had hung
the wall with charming pictures to
please her eyes, and spread the floor
with rosebuds for her feet to walk up
on; but she seldom looked at the sun
ny landscapes he loved, and did not
notice how the rose. strewn carpet
was blackened with coal dust from
the carelessness of servants, while she
was intent on the leaves and holes OF
| her broderic Anglaise.
More than the room was neglected
her dress, though it was evening,
and she inhabiting house in a good
quarter of the large city,. was only a
morning wrapper, trimmed with silk,
it is true, and once confined by cord
and tassels but silk so frayed, worn,
and defaced, tassels so scant and bare,
that they had long ceased to be orna,
mental Her beautiful, fair hair, was
combed plainly, and not too smoothly
from her face, and gathered into ar
unbecoming bunch at the back of hel
small head her feet were thrust into
old slippers-I can only hope MOI
down at the heel-her delicate wais
uncon6ned by rosette or ribbon /,
languid, listless, half-invalid air,restins
like cloud over the pretty face ant
figure, almost destroyed their claim.
to youth and beauty.
Yet, less than five years before
Amy Nelson had been charming will
both--had been belle, having score,
of admirers and plenty of lovers
had danced, had dressed, had ridden
skated aud driven, and done all thing
that modern bellies must do, withou
. any painful sense of the fatigues sh
was undergoing-had married 70
love, handsome man of good posi-
ton and rising fortunes the sweetes
bride in the world, in her delicate sill
; and orange flowers, with room ful
of presents and an elegant trousseau
had shone at few parties in dresse
belonging to the same, and then sun
into the Castle of Indolence, her taste
and little ill-health had made of th
home her husband had hoped to fin
paradise.
What he did find it, it would b
hard to say. A clearinghouse, fror
which he could not escape, wher
meals were furnished with frightfr
, irregularity, badly cooked from th
best materials where was no soclet
save that of woman whose careles
costume offended his artistic eye, an
J. conce aled the loneliness for which b