314 HISTORY OF He advanced until he arrived where his sons Jacob and Peter now reside, when his attention was arrested by — "A rose complexioned lass, Nimbly tripping through the grass," with a milk-pail on her arm. He stood perfectly still and saw her pass towards a barn where cattle were feeding. She stepped olf with all the poetry of motion imaginable. How unlike the mincing step of coquetry ! Like Milton's Eve, " Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye, In every motion, dignity and love." Her dress was exceedingly plain, and which was admirably calculated for the exhibition of her exquisitely chiselled form to the best advantage. A handkerchief white as her lily hand was tied loosely over her head. Her hair did not hang in ringlets — ^by no means — -but was carefully and neatly done up. Neither was her waist girted small as a city belle's, but was of a proper size, or to be more specific, an armful ! Her eyes were not diamonds, nor were her teeth pearl ; yet we defy all Christendom to produce a brighter pair of eyes or a finer set of teeth than were possessed by Miss Peggy Feeck. In short, she was not such a girl as would make fifty lovers commit suicide and after all die an old maid, but was one whom you would love for her artless innocence and real beauty. As Walcott justly observes : " The dullest eye can beauty see, 'Tis lightning on the sight ; Indeed it is a general bait. And man, the fish, will bite." As Murphy approached he thought almost audibly, "J — s, what a swate creature !" and slowly advancing, he bade her
