Year: 1867

Fanny Downing, writing for The
land We Love-" thus explains the mys.
terious process by which young lady
prepares for bed


Dismissing Mandy, her foster sister
and maid Miss Preston performed the
task of disrobing for the night, without
other assistance than that of her own
nimble fingers. First the little lace
collar and ribbon were removed from
the neck and the bright merino dress
laid aside; next the snowy skirts were
lifted over the head, then a spring
touched in front of the rounded waist,
when, with q clicking aaametahic sound
down came the wide expanse of crino-
line, whils Miss Charley stepped out of
its steel circle, considerably collapsed,
but all the prettier. 4 somewhat SIM
liar mechanical operation was repeated,
and numerous springs and curls we're
set in lively motion, and then with a
stretch upward of the plump, white
arms and long drawn sigh of relief,
off came the little French "railroad"
corsets, ,and the dimpled shoulders ofthe
wearer rose in unrestricted freedom.
The snowy night gown was now slipped
over the head, and its delicate frills
daintily adjusted to the throat and
wrists. Next the mirror was visited,
and charming little moues made at the
bright face it rsaected, and then seiz.
ing the brush, the girl proceeded to ap.
ply it to her glossy cuels until they
shone like satin. Thence to the wash
stand, where teeth, white as cocoanut
meat were rubbed until they cleaned
shiter, ard the rosy face dipped in the
gilded basin of pure water until it glow
ed with renewed crimson. And then
drawing low seat close to the fire, the
young girl laid one pretty foot lightly
on her knee and began to unlace the
tiny boot which encased it, and in a few
moments both little feet were bare in
their childish beauty, and were pressed
down on the hot bricks of the hearth,
while careful measurement was made
as to the relative lengths of the big toe
and the next to it, for on this important
difference depends the momentous ques-
ton as to which of the two shall rule in
the future married life of the measurer
it having been decreed by mysterious
snd immutable signs that should the
big toe be the longer, the forthcoming
lord of the lady will be the master as
well, while if the second has the pre-.
eminence, similar fate is in store for
herself, and her only master will be her
own sweet will. In the present in-
stance, both of the soft, pink toes were
of such samcness of length that the IN.
ference was sufficiently clear that destiny
decreed the married life of Miss Charley
Preston should be a state of equal
rights. The young lady sat still and
amused herself by doing a little pros
pecting in the way of gazing down into
the Goals glowing before her, apd then
taking her Bible from its stand, she
read the lesson appointed for the even
ing, then knelt and said her evening
prayers. A puff of fragrant breath
from a pair Of rosy lips, aud out went
the candle, leaving the room lighted
only by the rich freight. Then un
boiling the door that Mandy, who slep,
in her young mistress's room, might
gain access, when it should please hel
to leave the delights of the kitchen, the
vouno pirl turped haok tho soft HI, nCots
and snowy sheets of her bed, made the
impress of her rounded figure in it;
downy depth, laid her innocent heac
upon the tastefully trimmed pillow ant
went to her happy dreams.


Oh, dear,