The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1885-03-21

vi DoOtS anu ulOSG ldulbc5S BloNSoi
and her dress was always of some
delicate fabric. | used to watch her
as she moved about in that regal
way which was natural with her,
and think that she, with her refined
tastes and lady manners, should
have been born a princess, instead
of a poor farmers daughter; and
surely no princess ever had more
loving and submissive subjects than
had our Pearl.
Our father, from the time the deli
cate little creature had been held up
to receive his first caress, had never
ceased to regard her with kind of
wondering awe, and with him her
slightest wish was law.
Everybody petted her in a quiet
sort of way, which was manifested
more by relieving her of any triAing
task that might have been allotted
her, or removing obstacles from her
way, rather than by boisterous ex-
pressions; and she received all the
homage paid her as if it was moth
ing more than her natural right.
None of the little surprises we used
to plan for her pleasure ever dis
turbed her cool, calm manner; but
then no one ever expected any de-
monstrations from Pearl.
We lived in the outskirts of the
village of Glenard, on a portion of
the farm which had been located by
our great-grandfather. The original
building had been a square house
built of logs, containing one room
down and one up stairs; but as its
owners had become able or felt dis
posed, there had been additions
made, until now it stood queer
looking, many-cornered house, with
deep porches and airy wings sugges-
tive of quietness and comfort.
have seen just such places
frightened and beautifed by sur
rounding them with gay flowers,
softening their roughnesses and
concealing their defects with trailing
vines; but we did not care to work
with such things, and so the old
house was still plain and rough as
the workmen had left it, with the
exception of the oldest part, the roof
of which was moss-grown, and one
side was covered with wild hop
vine that had clambered over of
its own accord. 1t was a lonely
place, but pleasant still with the
broad plot of thick green turf, and
row of elm-trees in front, and the
orchard of gnarled apple-trees whose
branches had interviewer themselves
so thickly that even the sunlight
could scarce find a place to struggle
through, and where the deep, cool
shadows, so refreshing in summer
time, were never dispersed. Such
was the home of our Pearl.
As may be supposed, she did not
blossom into young womanhood
with her share of admirers; indeed,
there was scarcely one of the village
lads who had not at some time sue
cumbed to the power of her attrac-
tions, but her icy manner chilled |
them, and they generally ended in
preferring some rosy-cheeked coun-
try lass. So it happened that while
merry Josie and stately Adeline,
after innumerable hirtations, had |
both married young, Pearl reached |
her eighteenth birthday without |
even having an offer.
There was one of her lovers, how
ever, though he could not summon |
courage to declare his affection, was
never tempted to desert her for a
more tavoring sweetheart; but Hal
Pierson was only poor farmer, and |
we had all decided in our own
minds that Pearl would marry none
but rich man-one who would |
furnish the golden setting for our
priceless jewel.
One beautiful evening Pearl sat |
upon the steps just where the light |
filtered through the interstices of
the hop-vine overhead, and fell |
upon the ripping golden hair that
glittered through the meshes of the
silken net which confined it, watch |
ing the glorious June sunset. The
great orange and crimson clouds
were heaped and piled one above
another until the whole western sky
a huge bank of fame. So
absorbed was she with this beauty
that she did not notice q stranger
had paused in front of the house
and was regarding her with undis-
guised admiration. A pretty picture
she made, one tiny gathered foot
peeping from beneath the folds of
the thin white dress she wore, her
ha4d supporting her head in such a
manner as to display the perfect
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