Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-10-21
MIS- BUMPUS AND The SUN
FLOWERS.

student, who was really in need Of recu-
perating air, and relaxation from severe
mental labor, with myself, Helena
Warburton, plain, quiet spinster of
thirty-five, were most delightfully."-
situated in q plain farm house. just
where this old, quaint and brown home
stead stood shall not tell, so, kind
reader, locate it east, west, north n
south, just as your fancy leads you.
Our hostess tall, spare woman full
OF nervous force and vim, gave us the
best of clean and we'll ventilated apart
ments. Three times daily we luxuriated
in homely country dainties, and feasted
our eyes on old-fashioned blue china,
yellow mugs, and bright, rose wreathed
delf "cups and sassers," as Mis- Bumpus
called them.
October found us yet in our comforta-
bio quarters. with little excuse for
tarrying; the bright eyes, the red and
brown in Walters cheek. and springing
step, would not permit that young gen.
tleman 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
''lone widder, with no want OF master" I"
as she expressed it. Her guide man had
slept the sleep that knows no waking
for many years, and his ''relict" lived
out her intention of "arising at sun up,
and retiring trifle after sunset, her
own mistress" To hear Mis- Polly
boast of her freedom and independence,
one would imagine the late Elnathan
had been domestic tyrant; but after q
short sojourn with her I began to think
Mis- Bumpus was, and had ever been,
the ruling spirit.
She worea bright yellow cotton dress,
OF home manufacture; her hair, almost
matching in color, was twisted tightly
upon the summit of her head. A cop.
perae bued sunbonnet, made stiff with
pasteboard Stats, shaded the thin, dark
face and snappy black eyes, from morn
until night, as Mis- Bumpus seldom
removed her ''sun- bonnet" 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 i had, to wait upon
Walter and myself, bright, intelligent
colored girl of fourteen, who came GER
tain days in the week. Clorinda told
me much OF a fashionable young lady
that had spent the summer near us.
"Oh, Miss Helena, she is jess lovely
All kivefed with satins and iewe's that
shine"
Clio always waxed eloquent when she
told nae OF Miss Lossing's beauty, wealth
and style.l { 5fA&t1
On the afternoon of perfect day
the air was soft and warm. but not
enervating-Walter took his batch oi
papers and letters, just received from
home. out to his favorite tree, while I
seated myself comfortably in a great
old-fashioned arm chair that surely must
have been the property of some ancient
relative of Mis- Polly, as this bundle oi
energy could never have had any use
for such an encouragement of laziness.
I had only to raise my eyes from
Zone Summer" and SEQ through the
east window scene of peace, rest and
beauty. Trees clothed in crimson
yellow and brown, lovely little rivulets
and small cascade dignified by the
name of "Glen Falls "a minute Mag
ara. The soft tinkle of sheep and COW
bells. little way off, we're musical.
closed my eyes, and recalled all tn,
poetry and prose had ever read upo,