Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-06-18
MISS PURCELL'S DIARY.
Harper's Bazaar.

piece of egotism to write in a
diary, because you can't help writing
as if you expected somebody to
see it. But if [ write mine in Spanish,
[ can't be accused of writing it for any
body to see. / must have somebody to
talk with, ard Miss Julia can be allowed
to think it my Spanish exercises. This
is-let me see-the how-manveth have
begun? Never mind; it's begun; and 1
hereby solemnly record that the wealth
er is fine and the wind southerly, and if
we don't have the January thaw, it's be-
cause nothing could thaw in Mrs.
Whyte's presence. She received me
when came as if she were the Grand
Duchess of Mangel-Wurzel, and she
looked at my little trunk as if it were a
servants bandbox, and presented me to
her Prince Mangel, otherwise her broth
er-in-law, Mr.. Jervais Whyte, as if she
begged pardon for reminding a Whyte
that such worms craWled the earth.
But she found his worm cup on end"
She was about presenting me to some
more of those about her, when | re-
marked, with my head at its highest:
pray don't take the trouble-I am not
accustomed to promiscuous introduce
tons. will 60 to Miss Julia at once"
I enjoyed seeing Mrs. Whyte's eyes
open then; they let some light in on her
brain, / fancy. "By George!" l heard
the Prince say, as we swept out of the
room together, "Greek meets Creek"
And then the music went on, and we
threaded two long velvet-foored halls
before arriving at Miss Julia's door in
the wing. On our way we met the
Dutchess's husband, Mr.. Gvles Whyte,
long and solemn man, as becomes
him. He said he knew me from my
resemblance to Miss Julia. Well, we'll!
As for Miss Julia, she is sight. A
misshapen little creature not up to my
shoulder; she is very short, she is very
stout, she has almost hump; take any
view, and it seems that her head is set
on wrong side before. But her face
ali, that is nearly heavenly, except
when she gets angry. She can't walk;
but she has crutch, with tap of which
she recalls you if your mind wanders,
and her own mind wanders most Of the
time. 1t is dreadful. They all told me
not to do it. But [ remembered NAM
mas IN junction not to forget that Miss
Julia had once passionately loved my
father, and had hidden it all when she
found that bv the terms of the will If he
married cousin he would be penniless,
and to 60 to her, if she ever needed me,
as If she were my mother. She went
hundreds of miles away, and we never
knew these Whyte relatives of hers. [
don't blame Door little Miss Julia-pa-
pa was so splendid; ones very ideal!
To think of the romance in this little
imagei But she has magnificent eyes,
for all. So has that young Prince below
stairs, Mr.. Gervais. Something about
him minds me of papa-the grand air,
perhaps.
January 1O.-This looks like diary
a whole week gone. But there's no time.
Miss Julia is very peculiar" She says
she is dying Of lonesomeness, that she
hardly secs any body from morning till
night, unless Mr.. Gervais comes in and
reads the Bible to her. "And l don't
want to hear the Bible" she cries. GAS
If were an old woman with one foot in
the grave. want a good roaring love
story. Find me one, my DEAR" One
| nave been here a week, and [ have
read her six. SDe talks them all over,
and has mixed them all up, so that she
mas Guys sanity Amy, in the Heir of
Redclufe, in love with Ouida's Chandos,
and wonders what Brakespeare saw in
that Romola. The Grand Duchess opens
the door and says good-morning; Mr..
Gyles Whyte does the same, and adds,
gently, that he hopes his cousin is well !;
nobody else comes, except Mr., Gervais.
He sits an hour with her. and | take
that time for my afternoon walk. l
don't know how long [ shall be able to
endure it. 1 don't know that I've any
thing better to do. / 60 down stairs
only to dinner, where there is always
company, slip into my seat after the
others are placed. and am, Of course,
never introduced. If Mrs. Whyte is
obliged to mention me, she says, in a
poor-relation sort Of way, Miss Pur-
cell, the cousin and companion of Miss
Julia" However, Miss Julia sent word
that if l came she would pay my board,
SO that [ would be perfectly independ-
ent. Mrs. Whyte is too fine to take
board money from me; she has to take
it from Miss Julia. She takes a good
deal, first and last, from Miss Julia-I
wonder why; she must know about the
property.
january 16.-I can't keep this thing
up In Spanish; it's too troublesome.
SO here goes IN English. Igeta chance
on Sunday mornings, when Miss Julia
goes sound asleep over her prayer-book,
feeling very devout to think where
am. Once, when / was romantic,
thought of going east as missionary.
Well, have gone. 1t makes me shud,
der to think of the life this poor Miss
Julia lived without me. Mr.. Gervais
Is the only one who seemed to think OF
her as anything but an animal that
must be fed and clothed. have been
reading her bundles of old letters thai
she has had me rumage out. When
came from my walk the other night
Mr.. Gervais was still sitting there, and
she was talking of the letters. He was