Page:Once a Week Dec 1860 to June 61.pdf/56

. 5, 1861.] heavily and slowly, and half melted as they fell, turning to a cold, chilling sleet, soaking quickly through boots and clothes, and giving all the discomfort of a snowfall without any of the bracing, clear, enlivening influence which usually accompanies it. The frost seemed reluctant to come and unwilling to go. Julia was dispirited by the weather, for on such a day she could look for little or any business. As she watched the lagging and irresolute snow-flakes, she said in allusion to the legend of her native place relative to the snow, “The witches in Greenland must be as down-hearted as I am, for they pluck not their geese heartily, nor plump down the white rain feathers as if they were pleased with the coming year, but slowly and lazily, like the mocking Barguest that robs the beef and spoils the pudding. Ill luck betides somebody:

Bonnie north wind blow,

Send us the Christmas snow.”

About noon a young man entered her shop. He was quite unsettled what he wanted. Julia immediately concluded that as it was Christmas he wished to make a present, and was not particular as to what he purchased. She hinted this to him, and he admitted that her opinion was correct.

“To a lady?” she suggested.

“Yes—why—not exactly—to a young girl.”

“We,” replied Julia, “in trade generally call them all ladies.”

“That in my opinion is not exactly correct,” replied the young man, evidently more inclined to talk than to buy; the latter, however, was what Julia wished him to do, and she therefore inquired about the age and other particulars of the girl, and the nature of the present he proposed to make. He replied by giving a glowing account of a lovely face and shape, and then asked:

“Do you happen to know any girl of that kind?”

Julia could not but laugh as she replied:

“Not except in a book—I have known very pretty girls, but your description is too good for any of them. What would you like to take?”

She placed before him collars, ribbons, cuffs, embroidery, and all the various articles of feminine use or wear which her shop contained. He turned them over, tossed them about, quite unable to appreciate their good qualities, or to make a choice, and at length looking up at Julia, boldly and frankly, as if growing conscious of his awkwardness and gaining courage to be more open, said:

“You will oblige me by picking out a few