The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-11-25
mis-, BUMPUs AND THE sUNgL0wRRs.

mental labor, with myself, Helena
Warburton. a plain, quiet spinster OF
thirty-fiye. were most delightfully."- sit
mated in q plain farm house. Just where
this old. quaint and brown homestead
stood I shall not tell, 80. kind reader,
locate it east, west, north or south, just
as your fancy leads you.
Our hostess, o tall. spare woman full
of nervous force and vim, gave rs the
best of clean and well-ventilated apart
ments. Three times daily we luxuriated
in homely country dainties, and feasted
our eyes on oldrfashioned blue china,
yellow mugs, and bright, rose wreathed
delf "cups and sassers, as Mis- Bumpus
called them.
October found us yet in our comforta-
BILE quarters, with little excuse for tarry-
ing; the bright eyes, the red and brown
in Walters cheek, and springing step,
would not permit that young gentleman
to claim the petting and privileges that
belong to invalidism, but we were 10th
to leave.
Our landlady, Mis- Polly Bumpus,
"relict OF Elnathan Bumpus," was a
clone widder, with no want of q master,
as she expressed it. Her guide man had
slept the sleep that knows no waking for
her intention of "arising at sun up, and
reiring trifs after sunset, her own
mistress" To hear Mis- Polly boast Of
her freedom and independence, one
would imagine the late Elnathan had
bePn q domestic tyrant; but after q short
soiour1 with her began to think Mis-
Bqmpus was, and had ever been, the
ruling spirit.
She wore bright yellow cotton dress,
of home manufacturer; her hair, almost
matching in color, was twisted tightly
upon the su ummit of her head. A cop
peras hued sunbonnet, made stiff with
pasteboard Stats, shaded the thin, dark
face and snappy black eyes, from morn
until night, as Mis- Bumpus seldom re-
moved her sunbonnet, even when she
sat at the table with US.
We were very quiet. almost oppres.
sively SO, as few visitors came to the
farmhouse, but had, to wait upon
Walter and myself, a bright, intelli-
gent. colored girl of fourteen, who
came certain days in the week. Clo-
rinda told me much of q fashionable
young lady that had spent the summer
near us.
s'Oh, Miss Helena, sine is jess lovely!
All kivered with satins and jewels that
shine.".
Clio always waxed eloquent when she
told me of Miss Lossing's beauty, wealth
and style;
On the afternoon of a perfect day
the air was soft and warm. but not ener-
vating-Walter took his batch of papers
and letters, Just received from home, out
to his favorite tree, while I seated my
self comfortably in a great old-fashioned
arm chair that surely must have been
the property of some ancient relative of
Mis- Rolly,, as this bundle of energy
could never have had any use for such
an encouragement of laziness.
had only to raise my eyes from Zone
Summer" and see through the east win
dow a scene of peace rest and beauty.
Trees clothed in crimson, yellow and
brown, lovely little rivulets, and a
small cascade digni6ed by the name of
''Glen Falls"-a minute Niagara. The
soft tinkle of sheep and COW bells, a lit
tie way off, we're musical. closed my
eyes, and recalled all the poetry and
prose IeAad ever read upon bells. A
line of an old song rang through my
head:
"B alIiAI bells eh. beautif Al bellsl
Loud DER th- yaie. 4 q >oft Ger the sea,
Oh. could I.out hear you once more
Through the west window different
and busy scene presented itself. The
little city of Edgewood, with its hustle,
was not far off.
Olorin1da came in with bunch of
white, yellow and pink chrysan-
themums.
Want sem for your hair, Miss Helena?
They would look fine, think
The faithful creature looked disap-
pointed when / bade her arrange them
in china saucer, and place them near
by.
.'Oh, Miss Helena, you're so plain
Now Rhoda's young lady does keer for
looking nice. Rhoda is proud to wait
upon hers''s
Just then Miss Lossing's stylish
phaeton and handsome pony stopped be-
fore Mis- Bumpus' front gate. It was
with some uneasiness / looked at my
dress-a plain, dark wrapper. Clorinda
summoned me downstairs, where Miss
Lossing waited in grand toilette, if Clos
statement was to be credited.
Come, Aunt Helena, your visitor
And my nephew entered my room, and
offered me his Arm with great flourish
of polite attention.
''Miss Kathleen has the aesthetic and
literary craze in the most violent form.
You will be quite overpowered."
I was not overpowered, but found in
Miss Kathleen very elegantly dressed
lady of any age between thirty and
forty Her blonde hair was banged and
frizzled to an alarming degree. 1t
reminded me of ye olden tune, when
fair ladies sat up o. nights to protect
their elaborate coiffnres. Gold eye
glasses were perched upon the Roman
nose, the richest of velyets and satins
draped the stately form, diamonds
dashed from the throat, ears and hands,
nd the wearer knew well how to display
their beauty.
My visitor proved to be very hard to
entertain. in spite of her outward ele-
gance. Indeed, it was difficult to find q
congenial topic; and weather and sur
ronndings were soon exhausted.
Miss Kathleen was inconsolable in
this dull place. The fashionable open
ings were necessary to her we'll being /;
it was happiness to feast her vision upon
ovely silks, dainty. French bonnets and
dresses.
''Did know which was the newest
and most popular style of jewely, and
was Roman or Etruscan gold ell regle
now. Did / not care for them? Ah?"
And the countenance wore supercil-
ious sneer upon hearing that / could
exist and be passably happy without