Page:The Ladies' Cabinet of Fashion, Music & Romance 1832.pdf/98

 

there was good reason ; for the instep was the seat of intense pain. I drew it under my chair ; but no rest for it was there. I thrust it back to its first place ; still its anguish was unabated. In spite of myself, I became silent, and a shade passed over my face. The quick eye of my companion detected it, and fearing she had said something that had wounded me, began, with a kindness peculiar to herself, to apply a healing balsam. She had been speaking of an essay in a late number of the " Ladies' Cabinet," and, in fact, commenting upon it with much severity. The thought seemed to flash on her mind that I was in some way interested-the author, perhaps, or a friend to the author. She passed to commendation. " There were, notwithstanding, fine traits in the piece ; redeeming qualities in spite of its imperfections. There was evidence of much talent-talent not all put forth," etc. Dear girl ! she mistook my disease. It was not my vanity that was wounded. My vanity was wounding me.* To gratify it, I had put on the tight boots ; and now, like an undisciplined urchiu, it had become the tormentor of its too indulgent parent. At this moment, my dog, which, it seems, had followed my steps , and waited patiently at the door, amusing himself by calculating, from the doctrine of chances, the probability of his being admitted, took advantage of an opening made by the egress of one of the servants, and walked into the room. Remembering that he had not been regularly invited, and a little doubtful as to his reception, he came slowly forward, with his tail rather under the horizontal, his nose thrust forward to catch the first intimation of my presence, and eyes upturned, glancing from one to another of the company, to see how he was to be received . He made a slight smelling halt at each guest, until he came to my chair. Finding that he had reached the object of his search, he without farther ceremony seated himself on his haunches beside me, wagged his tail back and forward on the carpet, and looked up in my face with an expression of much dignity, mingled with a66 slight twinkle of selfcongratulation, which seemed to say : So, then, I have got here in the right time ?" I was so much occupied with my own sufferings, that I could scarcely be civil to the fair creature at my side ; it is not sur" APOPLEXY.-TIGHT BOOTS.-A celebrated physician says, that he has recently attended four cases of apoplexy, causedby wearing tight boots. Many a grown-up man is now grieving over the effects of this folly of his dandyism, in earlieryears. Corns, toes cramped in a heap, and tenderness of the whole foot, are the penalty which manhood has to pay forthis sin of youth.'