Year: 1873

days"


went back to my work in the garden,
and, full of kind thoughts of my neigh
bors, would often involuntarily glance up
at the windows of the tall house over
looking our cottage, hoping to catch a
glimpse of pleasant face, but the blinds
continued persistently closed, and there
were neither sights nor sounds indicative
of the hustle attendant upon the arrange
ment of furniture in a newly-occupied
dwelling. | could hear shrill voice.
which sounded like Angelica's, singing a
popular song, as if by way of accompani-
ment to the regular strokes of wooden
paddle, with which she seemed to- be
beating clothes. l got through with my
gardening, and, as / gave out dinner, told
Lucy to hurry up her preparations, as l
would want her to bake a rice pudding
L went into the house, put aside my sun
bonnet and gloves, smoothed my hair,
and sat down to hemming rufdes, while
mother, coming out of her room with a
new magazine, began to read to me.
Leaning back in the low rocking-chair
my fingers swiftly traversing the cambria
mothers pleasant tones falling musically
upon my interested ear, an hour or two
passed.


I was just thinking of getting up to
make my pudding when the door-bell
rang, and, going to see who it was, ]
found my nelghbor's servant come to re-
quest the loan of a joint of meat for din
ner, her master not having marketed
the butchers came before he was up.


Fortunately my husband had sent me
two choice soup pieces that morning, one
of which | had given Lucy to prepare for
dinner. l gladly sent the other to Mrs
Dorsey. To a pressing invitation to take
tea with them that night l returned a
polite refusal. When Edgar came home
to his beef-soup and rice-pudding, I re-
galed him with an account of the morn
ings experiences, again and again assert
ing my opinion that we were fortunate in
getting snch kind neighbors I knew l
should love them; but Edgar only praised
the pudding, and laughed at my enthusi-
asm.


On the third day after the arrival of
my neighbors called on them, having
been repeatedly urged to do so through
their messenger, Angelica. The clock
struck eleven as left my dressing-room
and stood for a moment in front of the
long mirror in my little parlor. drawing
on my new sea-green kids, and glancing
to see if the roses in my bonnet were be-
coming. Then looked round the room,
saw that it was in perfect order, stopped
to smell the boquet of rose-colored hya-
cinths and geranium leaves under the
picture of Evangeline, thought how neat
mother looked sitting by the window in
her purple dress and white tarletan cap,
sewing, and, handing her my key-basket,
departed. Standing on the neighboring
piazza, knocked for admittance, walked
up and down, knocked more loudly; but
l had time to note Lucy go to the well
twice to draw water, rap again, and look
about me, perceiving litter of. paper on
the floor, guitar hanging on the banis-
ter, a book lying open on an uncushioned
lounge, ere Angelica admitted me, and
announced that her mistress would be in
directly.


The room was so dark could see
nothing at first, but when / got aeeus-
toned to the dimness, 1 turned to pile
of daguerreotypes for amusement. Get
ting through them, looked up to per-
ceive tarnished and torn oil-painting on
the wall, heaps of books lying on the
floor, great carpet, not folded, but care
lessly tumbled into pile under side
table, a confused look of dust about the
furniture, and ashes in the chimney cor
ner.


whole hour passed while waited,
and l grew nervous at the approach of
our dinner-time, and the prospect of not
being at home to welcome my husbands
coming step. l could hear considerable
noise in the room overhead, sound of
bustling and hurrying to and fro. Just
as my patience was at the point of expir-
ing, the door was thrown open and my
neighbor entered. She was fair-faced,
elderly woman, with mild, blue eyes and
light hair, droop about the corners of
mouth and eyes, a deprecating smiling
manner, and soft, persuasive voice.


She addressed me very cordially, ex-
pressed herself delighted to see me,
charmed with the external appearance of
my home, had no doubt my close vicinage
would be of incalculable benefit to her in
the way of affording her youthful society
1 discovered that Mrs. Dorsey was cul-
tivated person, and was quite fascinated
by her graceful kindlinass. Captain Dor
sey, however, rather nauseated me with
hattery. When he expiated on my in
dustry and energy, laughingly asked
how he knew SO much about me2 He
said: a.


"Why, my dear madam, the very fact
of, your being out visiting so early. con
vinces me you possess those traits. Ne
announced. 1 don't remember having
seen the sun rise in years"


Indeed" said |; then you have lost
daily pleasure. There is no sight in
nature more inspiring, more refreshing,
than a cloudless dawn. 1t is like great
rose unfolding on grand scale" l con-
tinued, thinking of Tennyson's


"God made himself and an awful rose of DAWN


"Ah, madam, see you are poetess; I
must shake hands with you again. /
congratulate myself on having the good
fortune to know you"


felt myself flushing to my ears, and
in my embarrassment rose to leave; but
Captain Dorsey insisted so strenuously on
my waiting to form the acquaintance of
his daughter that / felt compelled to re-
sumo my chair. At length the young
lady, after being repeatedly summoned,
came haughtily in, with disdainful step
and languidly Indifferent air. She was
tall and we'll formed, elaborately dressed,
but she was so stiff and repellant in her
manner that / could find very little to say
to her, and that little l uttered in so con-
strained voice that it sounded entirely
unlike my own. Indeed, l found she
was my antipodes in all respects, and for
me to find pleasure in her society was
simply impossible.


The morning following my visit, An
gelica came to request the loan of the
dress and mantle / had worn, as Mrs.
Dorsey admired them so much she wish
ed for her milliner to cut by them a
duplicate suit for Miss Medora The dress
was a handsome silk-a black ground,
brocaded with purple roses and green
leaves-the mantle of silk velvet heavily
fringed. l was quite fattered by my
neighbor's high appreciation of their ele-
gance and readily loaned them.


The end of the week came, and the ar
ticles not having been returned, as |
needed them for my Sunday wearing