Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-07-06
AURA MERRIANs FOLLY.

rate, know if live to be one hundred
years old, shall never cease to turn
hot and cold every time / think of my
folly.
My roommate at Miss Hough's semi
nary was Ellen March. i did not like
her at first. She was one of those noisy,
ill-hred girls, who rasp your nerves and
make you feel every place is too small
to hold both you and them. We had a
small room, almost closet, and being
the two eldest boarders and in the same
classes, Miss Hough allowed us a good
many privileges
She said to me. al put Ellen March
with you, Aura. because you are one of
the quietest girls in school, and she is
the most boisterous. There is really no
harm in her, and she seems to like you
tend to make her more refined and lady
like"
That was the verdict we all pro-
nounced on Ellen March-"No harm in
her."
She. was given more money than she
needed, and was generous with every
thing she had. Besides this, she was
oblig:ng and good-natured, and of
course was not to blame if her people
were uneducated and vulgar and had not
taught her good manners.
But it wood have been better for me
if Ellen had been atermagant in temper
and as mean and selfish as Lizzie Carnes,
who was by-word to every girl in
school. ..,-
1t was contrary to the rules of the
school for room-mates to talk after
going to bed, but Ellen would insist
upon keeping up a whispered conversa-
tionforlloprs and hours, when we should
have been asleep.
Eat firsS would not ans wer, for up to
that time / had never broken the rules
of the school. Still, listened, which
was Just as bad. She talked about ball,
and parties that she had attc:-.,ied, b.,
her favorite topic was beaux, part GU
larly two young men, to both of whom
she said she was engaged!
ssYou see, Aura" she said, ''it's the
greatest fun to see fellows making fools
of themselves about one. It's Just de-
lightful to make them think each is the
favorite, and then see them glare at
each other whenever they meet. Don't
l have fun when one happens to call
when the other is with me! They're as
jealous as cats, and so polite to each
other! wouldn't miss it for anything.
L don't know yet which I'll marry. Per
haps L won't marry either of them,
but wouldn't be without two strings to
my bow, anyhow. How many beaux
have you gotp'
sssNot one, and I'm glad of it," / an
swered, Indignantly. "Do stop this nom
cnt hAxft In tra hr.ao l.
ing a.ruleP"
swered, placidly. Il didn't come here
to be tied to rules, and pas too rich
for old Hough to be too strict with me.
But just to think! You're sixteen, and
you re prettier than l am, and haven't t
got a beau! Why, I've had beaux since
| was thirteen. And people say if you're
not attractive to gentlemen when you're
young, you never will be; and then, ten
chances to one, you'll be an old maid.
Why, I'd be wretched if the fellows
didn't fall in love with me and l with
them"
You think, no doubt, / ought to have
been disgusted with this conversation.
was at first. But by degrees ! began
to be interested, and out of curiosity
read Ellen's love-letters, which she
used to get under an assumed name,
and in the spirit of fun even helped
her to answer some of them. You will
hardly believe it, but after time, un-
der the influence of her constant talk, 1
began to feel almost ashamed that l
had no beau. think Ellen must have
read my thoughts, for she soon began
to praise her cousin, Guy Reeves.
"Such a splendid fellow!' she said.
"All the girls are desperate about him.
You arc just his style, for he worships
dark beauties. wish he could see you.
know he'd lose his head, and I'd give
ANYTHING to see Guy in love, for he laughs
SO at my little affairs. wish you could
see something of life. You've been
brought up like num-"
Guys real name ] afterwards found
out was Gideon, but Ellen did not think
itsuited the romance she was beginning
to weave about him. She must have
written her cousin about me, for not
long after she said she had message
for me, and then read from letter she
had just received something about his
great desire to meet his cousins lovely
friend.
OF course, you will say that I ought
to have treated this message with cool
contempt, but it seemed very inoffen-
siye. What harm could there be in itf
Thought. So / merely replied in a
bantering way: "Well, he won't get
his desire" But other messages fol-
lowed, until one day Ellen, in great ex-
element, took me aside and said:
80 Aura! / sent Guy your photo
graph, just TO look at it, you know, and
he says you're too beautiful for any
thingr'
"Sent him my photography / ex-
claimed, in dismay. "Why, how could
you do thatp''
..Oh, it was not to keep. just to look
at, that's all. Why, anybody has the
right to look at a photograph. ] suppose
You have the queerest, old-fashioned
notions. I've given away dozens o.
mine TO young men,
was really frightened, but to b,
pronounced beautiful, when / have onl,
a-moderate share Of good looks, flattereo
me to the point of forgiyiDg the pre-
sumption of my roommate. Messag,
followed message after this, until on,
daya letter came to me inclosed in on,
To Ellen. My first loye-letter! II was
miserable piece of bonn sast. but / wa
not disposed TO be critical, though reat
IL with a timid, guilty feeling.
1Of course, You'll answer itn sal.
Ellen, as we talked about 1t that night
think you'd better r send Ii Il back q him
and tell him he mustn't I write again.
'a'll do no snnh thing" Hllsn an