Читать книгу Our Girls - Dio Lewis - Страница 11

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A good many years ago—let me look in the glass again—never use hair dye—yes, a great many years ago, I was studying my profession in a medical office with several other students. Just below stood a book-bindery, and a little above, the residence of a poor widow. A girl of twenty years passed backward and forward, from one to the other, several times a day. Very rarely did she pass our office without one or more of us observing her. Very natural, you say. But you don't understand me. She was not a handsome girl. Her dress was of the plainest calico, and, I suppose on account of her occupation, it was not always clean. But, nevertheless, she was one of our staple attractions.

Our office was on the main street, and above us were the residences of the rich. Hundreds of girls with handsome faces and rich dresses passed every day, but we were not on the lookout for them. It was only the book-binding girl that drew us to the window.

One of our fellows would cry out, "Here she goes. Come quick, John; quick, Henry."

Curious, wasn't it?

And what do you suppose so excited our interest?

She walked well! Ah! I can see her now! What a queen!

Queenly, we exclaim, with reference to a certain manner of walking. We never say queenly mouth, or queenly eyes, or queenly nose. The word is applied only to a certain style of personal carriage. When we see a woman pass, carrying her head and shoulders in a peculiar way, stepping off in a grand, elastic style, the word queenly leaps to every lip.

Our book-binding girl was a Methodist; and I do not mind telling you that I used to go to the Methodist church pretty often, and always sat in the gallery, that I might see her come in and go out. She frequented a little social organization, in which young men and women assembled for conversation, reading, singing, etc. I joined, although there was no other attraction than our queen.

You may think it very strange, but I was never introduced to her; I never spoke with her. Indeed, I carefully avoided a personal acquaintance, lest a lack of intelligence and sentiment might break the charm of her peerless bearing. I think that nothing in any woman has ever more deeply impressed my imagination than that young woman's splendid mien.