Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-02-25
A PYRAMID OF cABBAGEs.

lion. III. D. WdchDurf, ~ Chudhoous dppcu~
PYRAMID OF CABBAGES.
s'Why, where are you going. Isabel
Eastmanp Not into the farm-yard,
surelyp"
.'Yes, Miss Lottie Mayell, am GO
ing into the farm-yard, surely" re-
piled Isabel, with mischievous light
in her big gray eyes. and charming
smile on her prettily curved lips, as she
opened the gate leading to that place.
"Nowhere else can we be confidential
without running the risk of being
overheard. The farmers family are in
the orchard; Charley and half dozen
of his play-mates are playing in the
in the parlor at the piano, he making
still younger couple whispering and
giggling in the bay window; auntie is
in my room enjoying "Splendid Mis-
ery;" and grandma is in auntie's room
darning stockings. And so, if you
really want to hear right away why
am here instead oFat one of my
usual summer haunts, you must cen
follow me to the farm-yard. Besides
hich"-speaking with increased ami
mation-"l have lately, strange as it
may seem to you, developed quite a
passion for farm-yards."
"It doesn't seem at all strange to
me, my dear, for during our ten years.
friendship you've always been develop
ing some odd passion or other. But
I've never lost faith in you. Lead on;
I'll follow"
And stepping daintily and gracefully,
unimpeded by trains or demi-trains,
the, young girls threaded their way
through the crowd of hens and chick
ems holding loud and lively converse
tion preparatory to going to roost; past
the cows waiting to be MIXED, and
tuning their heads to look after the
intruders with great solemn browns
eyes; and old Lowhead. the white
horse, shaking his THIRST at the water
trough--to the extreme end OF the
yard, where pile of cabbages, neatly
arranged in the form of pyramid.
confronted them.
"Behold," said Isabel, stopping be-
fore it, chow Nature lends herself to
Art! CThat sounds well, though I
don't know as it means anything.) This
mighty structure, formed Of the green
and succulent cabbage, is no doubt the
work of some humble field-laborer,
who, having read of the Pyramids of
Egypt-incited thereto, no doubt, by
the newspaper paragraphs about our
own dear Obelisk-has sought to vary
the monotony of cabbage lie by build
ing as close an imitation as his material
would allow. Let us hope that this
flight of imagination may lead to a
higher one, and that the cabbage man,
like the butter woman, may meet with
public recognition, and at last be
crowned with Il wreath of laurel. Often
from the humblest sources spring the
greatest works of genius. Burns
ttie''-breaking off suddenly, and as
suming a reproachful tone" why do
you break in upon my elouuence with
rude and unseemly laughter? l was
about to repeat to you Longfellow's
last poem; now | won't. See what
your frivolity has lost you! And take q
seat on the extreme base of the pyramid
II prefer the mound of sods in this
secluded corner, sacred to somebody
rake and hoe), while l 60 back to the
commonplace.
'.Thank you, Bell dear, I'll share the
sods with you. if you please. L have an
idea that cabbage would prove very
uncomfortable seat under any circum-
stances. And do 60 back to the COM
monplace, that's darling, for I'm dy-
ing to know what has happened since
We parted an age ago."
"An age ago! One year and a hall
exactly. l was then engaged to Claude
Venner. Pretty name, isn't itP And
he was q pretty little fellow, with nice
curly hair. and lovely blue eyes, with
lashes long enough for bang, small
dimpled hands, and not an idea in his
littleround head. My mother-with all
due Difference l say it-and his mother
to whom l accord much less defer
ence made the match when / was
eighteen, and unmade it at twenty.
never loved Claude. How could II
And he never loved me. How could he
We were the victims of circumstances
and match making mammas, and two
mortals more unlike it would be hard to
find. He was the most conventional OF
men, and would have nearly died if at
one Of those dreary dinner parties in
which his soul delighted somebody had
whispered to him that his back hair
wasn't parted straight, while l have
often been strongly tempted to shock
the full-dressed guests, at the very
start, by asking for more soup.
"Well, last June. at Newport, my
diminutive friend. Eda Smythe, with a
head the exact counterpart of Claude's,
appeared upon the scene. and she and
my betrothed fell in love with each
other at first sight. Mamma fretted
and fumed and scolded, and asked me,
with tragic emphasis. howl could look
calmly on and see so many thousands OF
dollars being lost TO the family. for she
was sure that artful mink would per
suade poor dear Claude to elope OF
something; but continued to look
calmly on, until one evening Claude,
with deep sigh. kissed Edas hand as
he bade her Goodnight when
turned suddenly upon them and bade
them follow me to my room. There
forgaye-quite in the manner of stage
parenI-the infatuated midgets theii
base duplicity, gave them my blessing
kissed them both; and as soon as they
beaming with joy, had departed,
also, beaming with joy, and not quite In
the manner of a stage parent, except
perhaps in 90 Pinafore'' one, executed
pirouette mad, revolving pirou,
ette, in honor of my newly-acauired