Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-10-11

her great gossip, and young colOred
wench, all washing their faces In the
May dew, which lay in great food
as of diamonds and pearls over ev'
erything.
minded well the superstition, old
er than /, that II maid washed heI
face in the first May dew 1t would
make her skin wondrOus fair, and
laughed to myself as I peeped around
the shutter to think that Mary Cav
endish should think that she stood In
need of such amendment Of nature.
Down she knelt, dragging the hem OF
her chintz gown, which was as gay
with a maze of printed pOsies as any
garden bed, and she thrust her hol-
lowed hands into the dew laden green
and brought them over her face and
rubbed till sure there was never any
thing like it for sweet. glowing rosi-
ness.
And Cicely Hyde, who must have
come full early to Drake Hill for that
purpose, did likewise, and with more
need, as | thought, for she was a
brown maid, not so fair Of feature as
some, though she had merry heart
which gave TO her such Zest Of life
and welcome Of friends as made her a
favorite. Up she scoOped the dew and
>bathed her face, turning ever and anon
to Mary Cavendish with anxious in
quiries. ending in trills of laughter
which would not be gainsaid in May
time and youth time by aught Of so
little moment rs q brown skin. How
look l now?" she would cry out. How
look | now. sweetheart? Saw you ever
a lily as fair as my face"
Then Mary. with her own face drip
ping with dew, with that wonderful
wet freshness of bloom upon 1t, would
eye her with seriousness as to any i'm
provement, and bid her turn this way
and that. Then she would give ii rs
her opinion that she had best persevere.
and laugh somewhat doubtfully ut
first, then I'm full peal when Cicely.
nothing daunted by such discourage
ment in her friends eyes, went brayely
to work again, all her slender body
shaking with mirth.
But the most curious sight of all, and
that which occasioned the two maids
the most merrment though of a covert
and even tender and pitying sort was
Mary's black serving wench. Sukey.
half grown girl, who had been hidden
to attend her mistress upon this morn
ing frolic. She was seated ut dis
tance, square in the wet greenness, and
was plunging both hands into the May
dew and scrubbing her face with Il
fierce zeal as IL her heart was In that
oretty folly. as no doubt it was. And
ever and anon as size rubbed her
.heeks, which shone the blacker and
ylOssier for it. she would turn the
palms Of her hands. which be so curl.
ously pale on Il negro's hands, to see II
perchance some Of the darkness had
stirred. And when she saw not, then
would she fall to scrubbing again.
Presently up Stood Mary ANA Cicely,
and Cicely flashed in tie sun little
silver mirror which she had brought
and which had lain glttering in the
grass little removed, and looked ut
herself, and saw that her brown cheeks
were as ever, with the exception of the
flush caused by rubbing. and tossed it
with her undaunted laugh to Mary.
"The more fool be t. she cried out.
"Instead of washing mine own face in
the May dew, better had 1t been had
l locked thee in HE clotlespress, Mary
Cavendish, and not let thee add to thy
beauty. while | but gave my cheeks
the look of fever or the smallpox. |
trow the skin be off in spots, and all
to no purpose. Look at thyself, Mary