The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1879-12-25

Gkdsvlils She wAs the weAltbiest yoapg
lady IN the place, aud bad lhc additional
bosoF Of being The daughter Of lhe sqaire.
TIE mAlatna Of The village considered ber
3 pArsgoH Of perfection, both In regard to
hsr slyl Of ArrGyIng herseli and lbe M
nsrou' alrs aud grkoessbe assumed aud'
accordingly, with feminine quieksess,
they imitAied ber In the most minute dc.
tails.
She bad been educated st 5 fasbIonable
seminary. Oa Der entrance therein she
possessed the simplicity and truthiuinsss
Of nature; bot these good qualities were
soon rubbed Of by the pernicious innuen.
ees which surrounded her, and sbe re-
turned home With her bead fall Of nom
sense, knowing little OF everything, but
not having proGeient knowledge OF sny
sensible subject.
Like many other people In tbs world
Miss Scraggles Alwsys had hobby. But
Il wa never destined TO exist for any
length Of time. Various bad been the
sewing circles, the mite societies, aud the
fancy fsirs held under ber auspices. But
she soon grew weary, sud abandoned
these different hobbies, and looked shout
Tor fresh one to occupy her thoughts.
Al last AbriiliGnt idea entered her brain.
She resolved that she would dedicate her
time to disseminating the seeds OF learn.
ing among her fellow creatnres. Her life
should be devoted to literature. She had
been reading work on Woman's Mis-
sion, and from the chaos OF confased
thoughts that the perusal Of the book
created in her mind, she received the Inn
pression that every woman bad an allot-
ted labor to perform in this world. Der
work, she resolved, should be TO intellec
tually elevate the people Of Gadsville Ito
give more learned and classical tone TO
the society, the conversation, the manners
and the customs OF her native village.
DeemiBg herself quite capable of per-
forming this task, she entered with ardor
Unto the undertaking. She determined
that she would live TO adorn the name OF
woman, and win lsurels for herself by
strewing the flowers OF learning in the
pathway of others.
Miss Scruggles Invited her youthful
friends. OF both sexes, to unite with her
In forming The Literary Society of Gsds-
vile, for the moral and intellectual i'm
provement Of its memosrs, and the diifu
sion of knowledge among mankind.
The Gsdsville people marveled. They
had been contented TO plod on 10 the
same beaten track for years, never seek
ing literature 10 elevate them. The good
people wondered what aid or benefit they
were TO derive from the society, with the
long string OF names, which bad sprung
1 up in their nidst. However theyrefieeted
that II was one of the new fAugled notions
of the 'Squire's daughter, and must be all
right since she was at tho head OF it.
Having settled everything to her salts
faction, Lavinia impAtiently waited the
time when the first meeting of the society
was 10 be held, The members were TO
assemble al beF residence.
The evening arrived at last, and so did
her literary friends. The gentlemen were
gotten up In manner that BODIED III for
the tender hearts of the ladies'; aud the
ladies themselves looked very bewitching
in their pretty costumes.
The business ofthe evening commenced
The object of the meeting was explained
\ Tie youths endeavored to look wise, and
to eAst into their physiognomies an ex-
presaoa tbat would have bonored one Of
Rome's ,sseieBt senators. The maidens
tried to reRoye the somewhat puzzled
look that.crePt into their faces, aud to
appear as II they eomprehended all that
was goIag On.
Mis- sefaaeiss enea .dHly hArangned
them to re6eel on the pobleuess Of cniti-
waiting the Intellect; TO consider tAe beau.
ties OF literature the pleasures they wopN
/
a. they wandered By lhe cooling banks OF
the streams Of wisdom; aud then she
wound up by remarking on the necessity
Of elecling president for their society
observing that the ladies should suggest
one OF the msssnhnes present 10 act 10
said cspseity.
But here new difficulty arose, Each
! lady desired TO AppoiRt the gentleman sha
wss in love with; aud then ensued the
greatest confusion. Order being restored
by LayiHis. she said that the names should
all be written on slips of paper, and the
4 arsl one drawn should be president. This
wAs accordingly done, aud the choice fell
on Mr.. Adolphus POppiujay.
| Adolphus, who looked as II be was try
Ing 10 solve one Of the problems ofPytba
goras, solcmuly accepted the post assign
cd aud, after arranging several prelimi
naries, he grAvely Informed the literary
circle that they must now decide on wha'
books were TO be read.
There was au awkward pause. In fac
every oue bad forgotten that there wal
70 be any reading 5, ALL They imasinec
That The giories OF literature would sud
denly burst upon their minds, withou
their having to tFoHbls themselves sithe
70 read or to study!
/ Adolpbas farther Informed them iha
The books selected to be read aloud mus
be solely for their improvement.
Al last . red faced yonng man, with
stunning green tie. suggested that theI
should read The Robbers OF Gath; or
The Bloody Aarder Of Tybaral But hi
proposition was received by the lAdie