nd ends of character which form the materials for
animated conversation. She had read, too, every thing she could find:
Rollin's History, and Scott's Family Bible, that stood in the glass
bookcase in the best room, and an odd volume of Shakspeare, and now and
then one of Scott's novels, borrowed from a somewhat literary family in
the neighborhood. She also kept an album to write her thoughts in, and
was in a constant habit of cutting out all the pretty poetry from the
corners of the newspapers, besides drying forget-me-nots and rosebuds,
in memory of different particular friends, with a number of other little
sentimental practices to which young ladies of sixteen and thereabout
are addicted. She was also endowed with great constructiveness;
so that, in these days of ladies' fairs, there was nothing from
bellows-needlebooks down to web-footed pincushions to which she could
not turn her hand. Her sewing certainly _was_ extraordinary, (we think
too little is made of this in the accomplishments of heroines;) her
stitching was like rows of pearls, and her cross-stitching was
fairy-like; and for sewing over and over, as the village schoolma'am
hath it, she had not her equal. And what shall we say of her pies and
puddings? They would have converted the most reprobate old bachelor in
the world. And then her sweeping and dusting! "Many daughters have done
virtuously, but thou excellest them all!"

And now, what do you suppose is coming next? Why, a young gentleman, of
course; for about this time comes to settle in the village, and take
charge of the academy, a certain William Barton. Now, if you wish to
know more particularly who he was, we only wish we could refer you to
Mrs. Abigail, who was most accomplished in genealogies and old wifes'
fables, and she would have told you that "her gran'ther, Ike Evetts,
married a wife who was second cousin to Peter Scranton, who was great
uncle to Polly Mosely, whose daughter Mary married William Barton's
father, just about the time old 'Squire Peter's house was burned down."
And then would follow an account of the domestic history of all branches
of the family since they came over from England. Be that as it may, it
is certain that Mrs. Abigail denominated him cousin, and that he came to
the deacon's to board; and he had not been there more than a week, and
made sundry observations on Miss Mary, before he determined to call her
cousin too, which he accomplished in the most natural way in th