The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-07-07
FALLING IN LOVE-

The first time I saw Mrs. Periwinkle
WAS when she was "sweet 49," 1t was at
party my sister gayo to her schoolmates,
and Amelia Ann, for that was the dear
creatures nam0, was tho divinity of the
evening. She woro blue dress-I shall
never forget that dress-whioh was low
out In the neck, showing a pair Of tho
whitest roundost and most polished shout
ders In the world, and she had long golden
ringlets that flowed down her baok-in
short, thought had never seen anything
half so angelic.
Perhaps sho was as much impressed by
my appcarance-sho has often since told
me she was-for she allowed mo to dance
with hor almost every set, said Eyes" to
everything proposed and drank glass of
champagne at supper at my request,
though insisting that she had never done
such wicked thing In her life before,
When Harry Hanson spoke to her and
asked her to cat q phllopena with him
folt as II could have knocked him down.
Dear creaturel / heard her afterwerl 70.
fuse to lot him see her home and shall
never forget how chopfallcn no looked
when she said, with toss of tho head:
"No, thank you. I'm engaged"
1t was ! that escorted her 10 her fathers
door, and when she asked mo In didn't
know for minute whether stood on my
head or on my feet. But declined, plead.
Ing tho late hour. On my way home
whstled, sang ard occasionally danced.
Never had felt SO happy. 1t seemed as II
could almost fly. sob, Amelia Ann"
kept repeating, thinking what a pretty
name 1t was, and then would break out
into Zip Coon" or perhaps dan Tuck
err" till at last Waterman, tapping me
on the shoulder, told mo not to "cut them
Shines" or he'd take me up for being tip
sy. Frightened half out of my wits, gave
him dollar and had the satisfaction OF
hearing him growl ont In return that he
saw was q gentleman, "vioh saved my
bacon"
reached homo and began to undrcss,
but had to stop, with stocking half way
off, to try and recall how Amelia Ann
looked. shut my eyes and leaned back
dreamingly In my chair to call up salts
faotorily the image Of her plump shoulders
and round whito arms. 1t was bitter
cold night, but In spite of 1t paused In
turning down the sheets, and when ono
foot was already raised to get into bed
for II suddenly struck mo that perhaps
Amelia Ann was thinking OF mo at that
very moment: yes, sitting abstraotedly be-
foro her chamber fire. all in virgin white,
blushing and Illuminating. "Ah, dear
Amelia Ami" calculated, clasping the
air and dropping tho coverlid, and in that
ecstasy stood till tho cold bit mo like n
pair Of nippors In 10000 places at onco,
and then popped into bed, and, curling
up like whiplash, repeated, Lovely
Amelia Amt till, falling asleep l
dreamed Of hor all night
called three times that week to SEQ her.
Sho played on tho plano divinely and sang
Ike ST. Cecilia. Her Last Rose OF
Summer was enchanting, better than
Jenny Lind's thought. have never
forgiven her two boisterous brothers, who
used to tnlk aloud while sho sang, and
who, even when silent, never listened to
her The rudo bcnrs!
Tho second week l knew Amelia Ann
spent every evening but one with her, and
then sho had headache and could SEQ no.
body. How l walked up and down on tho
other sido Of tho way, looking up ct tho
windows which l know to DO hers, and
where q light was burning! Once or twice
shadow was reflected OH the curtain, and
that was almost rs good as seeing her.
Dearest Amelia Ami" l said "If
could only have your headache for you'll"
Tho next Sunday proposed. Every.
body but We two had gono to church, and
we remained at homo to read "Lalla
Rookh." can still point out the exact
spot on tho back parlor sofa where sho sat
when sho promised to BIO mino.
Wo have been married five years, but
somehow or Other sho doesn't caro- for dress
any moro, and us for poetry she declares |
it's trash" Her hair Is worn plain and |
often looks frouzy, but sho says it's i'm.
possible, with oil her family, to DO fixing |
1t forever. In truth, our three darlings &C.
cupy go much Of hor attention that she
has timo for nothing. Sho never opens tho /,
piano. 'Sho does not know tho now
pieces" she says, land Is tired Of tho old
ones"
She often tells me it is wonder she
looks as well as sho does, considering the
troubles OF housekeeping, especially tho
reryerslty of children and the difficulty OF
keeping servants. Her cares she declares
"arc wearing out her life" so that con.
slider it Il miracle she survives at all Its
true l cndcayor to Tighten the load for hel
by nursing the baby all the evening and
getting up at night to carry 1t If 1t cries.
1 allow her, too, unlimited credit at the
milliner's, for sho vows she could not be
happy without four new bonnets q year.
used to think, before wo were married,
that she lived on air, perhaps like cha
melcon, or without eating, But sho las an
excellent appetite now. If 1t was not fol |
that, she says, sho would long since have |
sunk under her troubles.
She was very fond Of porter till she |
joined temperance society, since which |
timo sho has found great benefit In drink. |
ing the strongest black tea. Sho has cor
tain dishes which aro quite favorites with
her, for 1t was but yesterday she said:
DO sure you como homo to dinner, love,
for we aro going to have what like above
all things - beefsteak smothered in
onions"
And thus foil in love with blue trosa
and white shoulders, that beefsteak and |
onions might como of 1t. - Now York |