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diff --git a/18181.txt b/18181.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cba6569 --- /dev/null +++ b/18181.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8516 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Path of Duty, and Other Stories, by H. S. Caswell + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Path of Duty, and Other Stories + +Author: H. S. Caswell + +Release Date: April 15, 2006 [EBook #18181] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PATH OF DUTY, AND OTHER *** + + + + +Produced by Robert Cicconetti, Sjaani and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions +(www.canadiana.org)) + + + + + + + +THE PATH OF DUTY, + +AND OTHER STORIES, + +BY + +H. S. CASWELL, + + +Montreal: +JOHN LOVELL, 28 AND 25 ST. NICHOLAS STREET. +1874. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CLARA ROSCOM; OR, THE PATH OF DUTY;-- Page. + + CHAPTER I. + A Sudden Bereavement 1 + CHAPTER II. + Success at School 6 + CHAPTER III. + Clara at Mrs. Wentworth's Boarding School 12 + CHAPTER IV. + Governess in Mr. Leighton's Family 18 + CHAPTER V. + Willie Leighton's Return from England 26 + CHAPTER VI. + An Evening Party 32 + CHAPTER VII. + Failing Health of Clara's Mother 39 + CHAPTER VIII. + A Bright Dream and Peaceful End 45 + CHAPTER IX. + Friendly Attentions 56 + CHAPTER X. + A Surprise 60 + CHAPTER XI. + Embarrassing Interviews 65 + CHAPTER XII. + A New England Home 76 + CHAPTER XIII. + New Occupations 83 + CHAPTER XIV. + School at Mill Town 91 + CHAPTER XV. + A Happy Re-union 96 + CHAPTER XVI. + Miss Simmond's Story 105 + CHAPTER XVII. + Penitent and Forgiven 117 + CHAPTER XVIII. + A New Joy 123 + CHAPTER XIX. + Uncle Charles 127 + CHAPTER XX. + Lights and Shadows 132 + CHAPTER XXI. + Reconciled 140 + CHAPTER XXII. + Clara's Marriage 145 + CHAPTER XXIII. + A Pleasing Incident 148 + + TERRY DOLAN 151 + + THE FAITHFUL WIFE 163 + + EMMA ASHTON 175 + + THOUGHTS ON AUTUMN 199 + + WANDERING DAVY 205 + + LOOKING ON THE DARK SIDE 215 + + EDWARD BARTON 223 + + THE WEARY AT REST 233 + + THE RAINY AFTERNOON 239 + + THE STUDENT'S DREAM 251 + + UNCLE EPHRAIM 257 + + STORY OF A LOG CABIN 265 + + HAZEL-BROOK FARM 281 + + OLD RUFUS 301 + + THE DIAMOND RING 311 + + THE UNFORTUNATE MAN 323 + + THE OLD SCHOOLHOUSE 329 + + ARTHUR SINCLAIR 335 + + THE SNOW STORM 355 + + THE NEW YEAR 361 + + EARNEST HARWOOD; OR, THE ADOPTED SON 367 + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +A SUDDEN BEREAVEMENT. + + +"Awake, my dear child, awake!" These were the words I heard: I started +up, gazing in a bewildered manner into the face of my mother, who had, +with some difficulty, succeeded in arousing me from the sweet, healthful +sleep of childhood. My mother drew nigh to me and whispered, "My dear +Clara, your papa is dying." With a frightened cry, I threw my arms +around her neck, and begged her to tell me what had happened. I was +unable to comprehend the meaning of her words. Since my earliest +recollection, my father had never experienced a day's illness, and so +the reader may be able to form some idea of the shock occasioned by her +words--uttered, as they were, at the hour of midnight. When my mother +had succeeded in soothing me, in some degree, to calmness, she informed +me, in a voice choked with sobs, which, for my sake, she tried to +suppress, that my father had, two hours since, been stricken with +apoplexy, in so severe a form that his life was despaired of. She +further informed me that his attending physician thought he would not +live to see the light of another morning. Well do I remember the nervous +terror with which I clung to my mother as we entered my father's +apartment, and the icy chill which diffused itself over my body, as I +gazed upon the fearfully changed features of my father. I had never +before seen death in any form. I believe the first view of death is more +or less terrible to every child; it certainly was terrible for me to +first view death imprinted upon the countenance of a fond father. I have +ever since thought that my father recognized me when my mother led me to +his bed-side; but power of utterance was gone. It was a fearful trial to +me, who had seen but ten years of life. After the first shock, a strange +calm took possession of me. Though many years have passed since that +period, I remember, as though it were but yesterday, how I sat during +those long hours, scarcely for an instant removing my eyes from my +father's face, but shed not a tear; for, after the first burst of grief, +tears refused to come to my relief. Just as the day began to dawn I +heard the physician say, in a whisper, to a kind neighbor who stood by, +I think he is going. At that moment my father opened his eyes, and, +looking upward with a pleasant smile, expired without a struggle. I +could never clearly remember how I passed the intervening days between +my father's death and burial. I have an indistinct recollection of the +hushed voices and soft footsteps of friends and neighbors, who kindly +came to aid in performing the last offices of love and friendship to the +remains of my departed father. I also remember being led by my almost +heart-broken mother into the darkened room, where lay the lifeless body +of my father, now prepared for the grave; but I have a more vivid +recollection of standing with my mother beside an open grave, and +hearing our pastor, in a solemn voice, utter the words, "Earth to +earth--ashes to ashes--dust to dust." Oh! the falling of that first +earth upon my father's coffin, shall I ever forget the sound? Child as I +was, it seemed to me that my heart would break; but tears, the first I +had shed since my father's death, came to my relief. Those blessed +tears. I may well call them blessed, since the physician afterwards told +my mother that they saved either my reason or my life. Kind friends +besought my mother and me to allow ourselves to be conveyed home and not +await the filling up of the grave. But no. We could not leave the spot +till the last earth was thrown upon the grave, and a mound covered with +grassy sods was to be seen, where a little before was only a mournful +cavity. Then indeed we felt that he was gone, and that we must return to +our desolate home--the home which ever before his presence had filled +with joy and gladness. + +I must pass over, with a few words only, the first year of our +bereavement, as even now I shudder to recall the feeling of loneliness +and desolation which took possession of us, when we found ourselves left +alone in the home where everything reminded us so strongly of the +departed one. There was a small apartment adjoining our usual +sitting-room which my father was wont to call his study, and, being fond +of books, he used there to pass much of his leisure time. It was quite a +long time after his death before my mother could enter that apartment. +She said to me one day, "Will you go with me, Clara, to your father's +study?" I replied, "Can you go _there_, Mamma?" "Yes, dear," said my +mother, and led the way to the door. No one had entered that room since +my father left it on the last night of his life, the door having been +locked on the day succeeding his death. As my mother softly turned the +key and opened the door, it seemed almost that we stood in my father's +presence, so vividly did the surroundings of that room recall him to our +minds. There stood his table and chair, and his writing desk stood upon +the table, and several books and papers were scattered carelessly upon +the table. The last book he had been reading lay open as he had left it; +it was a volume of Whitfield's sermons; it was a book which my father +valued highly, and is now a cherished keep-sake of my own. My mother +seemed quite overcome with grief. I know she had striven daily to +conceal her grief when in my presence, for she knew how I grieved for my +father; and she was aware that her tears would only add to my sorrow, so +for my sake it was that she forced herself to appear calm--almost +cheerful; but upon this occasion her grief was not to be checked. She +bowed her head upon the table, while convulsive sobs shook her frame. I +tried, in my childish way, to comfort her. I had never seen her so much +moved since my father's death. When she became more composed, she rose, +and I assisted her in dusting and arranging the furniture of the room; +and after this first visit to the room, we no longer avoided entering +it. Since quite a young man my father had been employed as book-keeper +in a large mercantile house in the city of Philadelphia, where we +resided. As he had ever proved trustworthy and faithful to the interests +of his employers, they had seen fit, upon his marriage, to give him an +increase of salary, which enabled him to purchase a small, but neat and +convenient dwelling in a respectable street in Philadelphia, where we +had lived in the enjoyment of all the comforts, and with many of the +luxuries of life, to the time of the sad event which left me fatherless +and my mother a widow. I had never, as yet, attended any school. My +mother had been my only teacher, and as her own education had been +thorough, she was amply qualified for the task. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +SUCCESS AT SCHOOL. + + +About a year after my father's death, my mother decided upon sending me +to school, as she thought I was becoming too sedate and serious for a +child only eleven years of age. I had never been very familiar with the +neighbouring children of my own age, and after the death of my father I +cared still less for their companionship. My chief enjoyment was in the +society of my mother; and as we kept no servant, I found many ways of +making myself useful to her; and every afternoon she devoted two or +three hours to my lessons and needlework. Thus passed away the first +year after our great sorrow, when, as I have already said, my mother +decided upon sending me to school. It seemed to me, at the time, quite a +formidable undertaking--this going to school. I had never been separated +from my mother, and the five hours to be spent daily in the school-room +seemed to my childish mind a very long time. I had ever been shy and +diffident in the presence of strangers, and the idea of entering a large +school a stranger to both teacher and pupils, was very unpleasant to me. +But when I found it to be my mother's wish that I should go, I +endeavoured to overcome my reluctance, and assisted my mother in her +preparations for entering me as a pupil at the beginning of the ensuing +term. + +It was with a feeling of timidity that I accompanied my mother through +several streets to the school taught by Miss Edmonds. My mother +accompanied me to relieve me from any awkwardness I might feel in +presenting myself for admission. It was a select school for girls. As my +education had thus far been entirely conducted by my mother, I had of +course, never been subjected to the rules of a school-room; and I must +confess that I had formed an idea of school teachers in general that was +not at all flattering. I fancied them all to be old, sour and cross--a +mere walking bundle of rules and regulations, and I was quite unprepared +to see the sweet-looking young lady who answered to my mother's summons +at the door. Surely, thought I, this young lady cannot be Miss Edmonds; +and when my mother enquired if such were her name and she replied in the +affirmative, I thought going to school might not be so bad after all. +After giving Miss Edmonds my name and age, my mother held some +conversation with her regarding my studies, and left me with an +encouraging smile. I felt all my timidity return when I thought of +entering the school-room with Miss Edmonds, but her kind and friendly +manner reassured me. The school consisted of about thirty girls, many of +them older than myself. I had feared that my attainments would be +inferior to those of the youngest of the pupils, and I was equally +pleased and surprised when Miss Edmonds, after a long and careful +examination in regard to my acquirements, placed me in one of the higher +classes. There was to me an irresistible attraction in the countenance +and manner of my teacher; and, from the first moment I saw her I loved +her. Although her home is now far distant from mine, and we have not met +for many years, I love her as dearly now as when she took me by the hand +when a child of eleven years. She conducted her school in a very +systematic and orderly manner, and was very particular to require +perfect recitations from her pupils; but as I possessed a retentive +memory, I found my tasks much lighter than did many of my classmates. + +When I had been about a year at school, Miss Edmonds offered a prize, +in the class to which I belonged, to the young lady who should write the +most able composition upon a given subject. The prize was to be a small +gold pencil-case, and was to be awarded at the close of the summer term. +The closing day at length came; there was much suppressed excitement +when we were called to order that morning. As we expected no visitors +till the afternoon, we spent the morning mostly in reviewing our various +studies. By two o'clock our school-room was crowded. We first passed a +very searching examination in the different studies we had pursued +during the past year. I believe we passed our examination in a manner +creditable both to our teacher and to ourselves. + +The reading of our compositions was reserved, as the closing exercise. +The compositions, with the name of the writer, were read by Miss +Edmonds. Each person present was at liberty to write down each name as +it was read by our teacher, annexing to it the numbers one, two or +three, according to their opinion of the merits of the composition, each +desk being furnished with paper, pens and ink for the purpose. When the +compositions had all been read, the slips of paper were collected and +handed to our pastor, who was to read aloud the fortunate name with the +greatest number of ones annexed. What then was my amazement and that of +all present when our pastor, after carefully examining the papers, rose +and said,--"Miss Clara Roscom will please come forward, and receive from +the hands of Miss Edmonds the reward of so much merit." I remember I +felt a nervous dread of crossing the large school-room alone, when I +knew every eye would be directed to me. Composing myself by a strong +effort, I rose and walked up to the raised platform, where at her desk +sat Miss Edmonds, with our pastor and several other friends. As I bowed +low in acknowledgement of the gift, Miss Edmonds, with a few kind words, +dismissed me to my seat. I heard many flattering remarks among our +assembled friends; but the proudest moment of all, to me, was when I +gained my mother's side and she said to me in a low voice, "My dear +Clara, this seems to me a token that you will prove a blessing to your +poor widowed mother." + +Miss Edmonds often remarked that I made wonderful progress in my +studies, and these commendations, coming from my teacher, incited me to +still greater diligence. I take no credit to myself for superior talent, +but I certainly did my best, for, be it remembered, I was studying to +please my dear mother, who often said to me, "You must, my dear Clara, +make the best of your opportunities for improvement, as the time may +come when your education may be your only means of support." My mother +often regretted that we did not own a piano, for she was very anxious +that I should study music; but our means did not justify the purchase of +an instrument, and she thought that lessons without the necessary +practice would be useless. The parents of Miss Edmonds resided in the +city. They had once been wealthy, but owing to those reverses to which +all are liable they had become reduced in circumstances, so much so that +Miss Edmonds gladly turned to account the superior education she had +received in their prosperous days, and she had for some time been a +teacher when I became a member of her school. My mother happened to +mention to Miss Edmonds one day her regret that I was unable to take +music-lessons, for want of opportunity for the needful practice, when +she informed my mother that she still retained her piano out of the +wreck of their former affluence, and that, if she wished me to take +lessons, I was at liberty to practice daily upon it. My mother accepted +for me the kind offer, and I at once began taking lessons. I remained +four years under the instruction of Miss Edmonds, with much profit to +myself. At the end of this time, Mr. Edmonds removed with his family to +the city of New York, having through the influence of friends, obtained +the situation of cashier in one of the banks in that city. It was a +severe trial for Miss Edmonds to resign the school where she was so much +beloved by her pupils; but she thought it her duty to accompany her +parents to their new home. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +CLARA AT MRS. WENTWORTH'S BOARDING SCHOOL. + + +As it was my mother's intention to give me a thoroughly good education, +she began, after the departure of Miss Edmonds, to consider the +propriety of sending me to a noted seminary for young ladies, about two +hundred miles from Philadelphia, as she learned from various sources of +the excellence of the institution. There was but one difficulty in the +way, and that was the money needful for defraying my expenses. At my +father's death, he left us the owners of the house we occupied, and a +sum of money, though not a large one, in the Savings' Bank. Up to the +time of which I speak, we had only drawn the annual interest of our +money, while the principal remained untouched, my mother having obtained +needle-work to eke out our small income; but, in order that I should +finish my education according to the wishes of my mother, as well as my +own, a portion of the principal must be withdrawn. After some reflection +upon the subject, my mother decided that a good education might prove of +more value to me than money, so a portion of the money was drawn, and we +began the preparations for my departure from home. It was the high +reputation which the school sustained that influenced my mother in her +decision to send me so far from home. There was a lady residing in the +near vicinity of the school who had been a loved school-mate of my +mother in their youthful days. My mother wrote to her upon the subject +and received a very friendly reply, informing her that, owing to their +own early friendship, she would be most happy to fill a mother's place +to me, so long as I should wish to remain at school. I should have been +much elated at the proposed journey had it not been for the thought of +leaving my mother, who had ever been my confidant and adviser. My mother +also felt keenly the coming departure, although she strove to conceal +her feelings as much as possible. I strongly objected to leaving her +alone, but we had as yet been unable to devise any plan to avoid so +doing. My mother would have rented a portion of our dwelling, but it was +not adapted for the convenience of two families, neither could she +endure the disquiet of keeping boarders. + +"Clara," said my mother one day, as we sat at work, "I think I will send +for Aunt Patience to come and stay with me during your absence." + +She laughed outright at the look of dismay with which I regarded her, +occasioned by the recollection which I retained of a visit she paid us +when I was eight years of age. She was a maiden lady somewhat advanced +in years, possessed of a very kind heart and many excellent qualities; +but the name of Patience seemed to me a misapplication in her case, for +she certainly possessed but a small quantity of that valuable article. +Early in life she had passed through many trials, which might have +tended to sour her disposition. I remember that during the visit +referred to, my mother had occasion to spend a day from home, leaving me +in care of Aunt Patience. It seemed a very long day to me. Like all +children, I was restless and troublesome, and to one unaccustomed to the +care of children it was doubtless very annoying. During the day I +received a severe box on the ear from Aunt Patience, for saying to her +in an outburst of childish anger, when provoked by her continued +fault-finding, + +"I don't know what makes them call you Aunt Patience, for you scold all +the time." + +She informed my mother of it upon her return, and she gave me a reproof +for allowing myself to speak disrespectfully to my relative; although, +while listening to the relation of the difficulty by Aunt Patience, she +found it extremely difficult to repress a smile. However, my mother both +loved and respected her, and thought she could live very comfortably +with her during my absence; indeed my mother thought her quite a +desirable companion, for, setting aside her irritability at petty +annoyances, she was a woman of good sense, and was well informed upon +most subjects, so I gladly joined in the invitation which my mother sent +her, to come and make our house her home for an indefinite period. As +she lived only a day's journey by railway from Philadelphia, she arrived +a week before I left home. She did not like the idea of my mother +spending so much money in sending me to school. To all of her remarks +upon the subject my mother replied pleasantly, for she was her own aunt, +and she would not treat her with disrespect. During the few days I +remained at home after her arrival, I formed a much more favorable +opinion of Aunt Patience than I had done during her visit in the days of +my childhood; and when I observed how kind she was to my mother I found +it easy to love her. + +I felt very sad the morning I bade adieu to my mother and Aunt +Patience, to go into the world alone. My mother had before given me many +kind counsels regarding my future conduct, now she only said, as she +embraced me at parting, "My dear daughter, I trust you will improve your +time and talents, and conduct yourself in a manner that will not +disappoint your mother." As Aunt Patience bade me good-bye, she said, +with a countenance of much solemnity, "You must remember, Clara, all the +advice I have given you." Sad as I felt, I could not repress a smile, +for during the past week her advices regarding my future conduct had +been so numerous, that it would have required a memory more retentive +than mine to have remembered them all; but I knew they were intended for +my good, and I readily promised to try and observe them. I wish not to +weary the reader by giving a detailed account of my journey. I arrived +safely at my destination, and met with a very cordial welcome at the +house of Mrs. Armitage, my mother's friend; two days later I became a +member of the celebrated school for young ladies, taught at that time by +Mrs. Wentworth, aided by competent assistance. + +Mrs. Wentworth was a widow lady, of superior education and noble mind. +I spent four happy years in this institution, having visited my mother +but once during the time. It was very pleasant for me to find myself +once more at home, with the opportunity for rest and relaxation, after +four years, application to books. During my absence, my mother and Aunt +Patience had lived very quietly, they saw but little company, and were +much occupied with their needles as a means of support. During the first +three years of my absence my mother enjoyed good health, but, during my +last year at school, she was visited by a long and painful illness, +through which she was attended, with the utmost kindness and attention, +by her aunt; my mother being unwilling to recall me from school, if it +were possible to avoid it; and she had been obliged, on account of her +illness, to withdraw most of the sum remaining in the Savings' Bank. On +my return home I found her enjoying a tolerable degree of health, but I +feared that such close application to her needle had been too much for +one whose constitution was naturally delicate. She seemed like one weary +both in mind and body. After my arrival, however, she seemed to regain +her usual cheerfulness, and in a short time seemed quite herself again. +It was now I felt it my duty to turn the education which my mother had +been at so much pains to give me to account by teaching, in order to +assist her, and also to obtain a support for myself. We had decided to +offer Aunt Patience a home for the remainder of her life, indeed I felt +that I owed her a debt of gratitude for her past kindness to my mother. +We therefore told her that so long as we possessed a home, we would +gladly share it with her, provided she felt contented to remain with us. +She at first demurred a little, as she was aware that our means were +limited; but when my mother told her that she would not know what to do +without her, it seemed to set her mind at rest, and she gladly assented +to our proposal, and it was settled that for the future her home was to +be with us. + +I had as yet settled upon no definite plan in regard to teaching. My +mother wished me to apply for the situation of governess in a family, as +she thought that position would command a higher salary, and would prove +less laborious than a situation in a school. About this time we noticed +in a daily paper an advertisement for a governess, wanted in the family +of a Mr. Leighton, residing in the suburbs of the city; the salary +offered was liberal, and I thought, with my mother, that I had best +apply for the situation. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +GOVERNESS IN MR. LEIGHTON'S FAMILY. + + +It was with a feeling of trepidation, such as I never before +experienced, that I ascended the steps of the splendid residence of Mr. +Leighton. When I found myself at the door, my courage well nigh failed +me, but without giving myself much time for reflection, I rang the door +bell. After some little delay the door was opened by a domestic, of whom +I enquired if I could see Mrs. Leighton. The servant replied that she +did not know, but that she would see if her mistress was disengaged. +"What name?" enquired the servant, "Miss Roscom," I replied. The servant +ushered me into the parlor, and left the room. Being left alone, I +amused myself by taking a survey of the apartment. It was evident that I +had entered the abode of luxury and wealth. The sofas and chairs were +covered with rich velvet, while satin curtains draped the windows. An +elegant and costly piano occupied one corner of the room; the walls were +adorned by costly pictures, and on the marble centre-table were many +books in elegant bindings; and rare and exquisite ornaments were +scattered with lavish profusion. Upon the entrance of a tall, and, as I +thought at the time, rather haughty-looking lady, I rose, bowed and +continued standing, as she said,-- + +"My servant informs me your name is Miss Roscom." + +I replied in the affirmative, and added, "I have the pleasure, I +presume, of addressing Mrs. Leighton?" + +The lady acknowledged her claim to that name, and I continued,--"Seeing +your advertisement for a governess, I have made bold to apply for the +situation." + +The lady bent upon me a searching look, as she replied,-- + +"Pray be seated Miss, and we will converse upon the matter." + +I gladly obeyed her request that I should be seated, for I felt nervous +and agitated. After a moment's silence she addressed me, saying,-- + +"You look rather young, for the responsible duties of a governess." + +I replied that I was not yet nineteen years of age, that I had not as +yet been engaged in teaching, having only myself left school three +months since,--but that I found it necessary that I should do something +for my own support and that of my widowed mother,--and that I would +gladly do my utmost to give satisfaction, could I obtain a situation. + +Mrs. Leighton, after a moment's thought, said,--"Although you are young +for the position, your countenance pleases me, and I feel inclined to +give you a trial." + +She then informed me that my pupils would consist of two girls, the +eldest twelve, the other ten years of age, also a little boy of seven. +She added, "I had almost forgotten to enquire if you have brought any +references?" + +Whereupon I handed her the certificate of qualifications given me by +Mrs. Wentworth when I left school. She looked pleased as she replied, + +"Your being for four years a member of Mrs. Wentworth's school is in +itself a recommendation." + +I also handed her the names of several ladies well known in the city, +telling her she was at liberty to make any enquiries of them she might +think proper. She replied that she felt almost certain she would engage +me, but that she would send me a decided answer in the course of two or +three days. I thanked her, and, bidding her good morning, set out on my +return home, much elated with the success of this my first application. + +The salary offered by Mrs. Leighton was a weighty consideration to me, +and although aware that my duties would often prove unpleasant and +irksome, I felt that I could endure much with the consciousness that I +was assisting my dear mother. + +My mother advised me not to be too sanguine as I might not obtain the +situation; but, on the third day after my application, my suspense was +relieved by receiving a note from Mrs. Leighton, saying that she would +gladly engage me, if I still wished for the situation; and she named an +early day when she wished me to enter upon my duties. I replied that I +gladly accepted the situation, and would be ready to begin duties at the +day appointed. + +Now that I had accepted the position, I began to experience many doubts +as to my success in the undertaking. I had no knowledge as yet of the +dispositions of the children that were to be committed to my care, not +having even seen them; but my mother told me I was wrong to allow such +thoughts to trouble me, and that the blessing of God would surely rest +upon my labors so long as I continued in the path of duty. I therefore +cast away all my desponding fears, and hastened the preparations for my +departure to the home of the Leightons. + +I was kindly received by Mrs. Leighton upon my arrival; and, when we +were seated in the parlor, she summoned the children for the purpose of +introducing them to me. + +"My dears," said she, addressing the children, "this is Miss Roscom, +your governess." + +Then, turning to me, she introduced them each by name. I must confess +that I was not prepossessed in favor of the eldest of the girls. She was +very tall for her age; she had a dark complexion, with very black eyes +and hair, and had, as it seemed to me, rather a forbidding expression of +countenance. She also gave me, as I thought, rather pert replies to the +few remarks I addressed to her. There was not the slightest resemblance +between her and her younger sister; her name was Georgania. There was +something peculiarly attractive in the countenance and manner of Bertha, +or Birdie, as she was called by all the family. She was indeed a child +formed to attract the admiration and love of all who saw her. Her +complexion would have appeared almost too pale but for the rose-tint on +either cheek; she had beautiful eyes of a dark blue, and her soft brown +hair fell in luxuriant curls upon her shoulders. She came forward as her +mother called her name and placed her hand in mine. I thought at the +time that I had never before seen so lovely and engaging a child. The +little boy, Lewis, was a manly looking little fellow for his age, +although I feared, from his countenance that he might possess a temper +and a will not easy to be controlled. He somewhat resembled his sister +Georgania, as his complexion and eyes were dark; but he had a more +pleasing expression of countenance. When Mrs. Leighton had dismissed the +children from the room, she turned to me, remarking that probably I +would like to retire for a time to my own room, she called one of the +servants and requested her to show me to my apartment. As I was leaving +the parlor she informed me that tea would be ready at half-past six +o'clock. The room appropriated to my use was very pleasant, and was also +tastefully furnished. At the tea-table I was introduced to Mr. Leighton, +whom I had not before seen. I was very much pleased by his manner, which +had none of that patronizing condescension with which the rich so often +address the poor. I found him a gentleman, in the truest sense of the +word. + +After tea, Mr. Leighton requested me to favor them with some music. +Accordingly I seated myself at the piano and played several pieces, with +which he seemed much pleased. He remarked that they were quite at a loss +for music since their eldest daughter, Laura, left home for school, as +their two youngest daughters had but recently commenced taking lessons. +As I rose from the piano, Mrs. Leighton enquired if I sang. I replied +that I sometimes sang to oblige my friends. She asked if I would favor +them with a song. Resuming my seat, I began the first song which +occurred to my mind. It chanced to be that much-admired song, by Foster, +called "Willie, we have missed you." When I concluded I was surprised to +find Mrs. Leighton in tears. She informed me, by way of apology, that +their eldest son's name was Willie, and that he had been absent for some +months in England, on account of the death of a wealthy uncle, who had +made him his heir. She remarked, further, that he was the life of their +dwelling, and they had indeed missed him very much. I said that I was +sorry to have given her pain. She replied that the song had afforded her +a pleasure, although, said she, "I could not refrain from tears while +thinking of my absent Willie." + +In order to change the subject, Mr. Leighton remarked that they were +fortunate in securing a governess who could both sing and play, as he +was very fond of music. + +When I left Mrs. Wentworth's school I was called an excellent performer +on the piano, for I was very fond of music, and had devoted much time to +practice. We also enjoyed some very pleasant conversation during the +evening, and the more I saw of Mr. and Mrs. Leighton I felt disposed to +like them. When I retired to my own room I kneeled and thanked my +Heavenly Father for directing me to a home where I had a prospect of +being useful and happy. + +It is not my intention to give a detailed account of the events of the +next two years; and a few words must suffice for that period of time. + +If I had trials of temper to endure from my pupils,--and who ever yet +was a governess and had not,--I also enjoyed much pleasure in their +society. The eldest of my pupils gave me more trouble than did both the +others. Her memory was not retentive; she had also a certain +listlessness of manner during lessons which was at times very annoying. +But it was a very pleasant task to instruct Birdie; she drank in +knowledge eagerly, and possessed an excellent memory. In music she made +astonishing progress, for a child of her years; and she was of a most +affectionate disposition, which made the duty of imparting knowledge to +her doubly pleasant. The progress of little Lewis was equal to that of +most boys of his age. I found less trouble with him than I had at first +anticipated. I found him to be a child that would never be controlled by +harshness, but he was easily restrained by kindness. + +As often as I could do so conveniently I visited my mother and Aunt +Patience. Aunt Patience seemed happier than I had ever before seen her. +I think the quiet of her home tended to soften her somewhat irritable +temper. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +WILLIE LEIGHTON'S RETURN FROM ENGLAND. + + +Soon after I became a resident in the dwelling of Mr. Leighton, they +received a letter from Willie, informing them that the estate of his +deceased relative could not be finally arranged in less time than a +year, perhaps longer; and he thought that instead of returning to +Philadelphia he would enter a College in England, and devote the +intervening time to study. His parents could not object, knowing it to +be for his interest, as he had not, when a boy taken very kindly to +study. A year passed away, and Willie did not return, but they received +frequent letters from him. Near the close of the second year he wrote, +informing them that he intended leaving England on the tenth of the +month following, as the matters pertaining to the property left him were +now satisfactorily arranged. + +About this time Laura returned home from school, having finished her +term of study. Mrs. Leighton intended sending Georgania to the same +institution where Laura studied, but she was not to go till the coming +autumn. She wished, however, that I should remain with them till Birdie +and Lewis should be old enough to send from home. I had been very, +_very_ kindly treated in the home of Mrs. Leighton, and had become +strongly attached to my pupils, especially the two younger of them; and +I was glad of the opportunity of remaining near to my mother. + +As the time drew near when they looked for the return of Willie, all the +family were busy with their preparations for giving him a joyous +welcome. + +When I observed the eagerness with which they looked forward to his +return, I could not at times help feeling a pang of regret that I had +neither brother nor sister of my own. Had it not been for my surviving +parent, I should have felt entirely alone in the world. Not that I +envied the Leightons--far from it--but I could not help sometimes +contrasting my position in life with theirs. They being blessed with the +love of fond parents, brothers and sisters, along with the possession of +abundant wealth, and every comfort which tends to form a happy home; +while I was a poor, fatherless girl, obliged to labor for my own support +and that of my mother. I could not help thinking how different all might +have been had the life of my father been spared. I do not think that I +was usually of an unhappy disposition; on the contrary, I was inclined +to be hopeful and cheerful; but I believe with the best of us, the +happiness of others more favoured than ourselves will give rise to a +feeling of sadness. + +The time soon arrived when, according to the letter they had received +from Willie, they might daily expect his arrival. None of the family +were able to settle their minds upon any employment, and it was with the +greatest difficulty that I could obtain the attention of my pupils +during the time appointed for their daily lessons, and, being aware of +the cause, I could hardly blame them. Their suspense was at length ended +by the arrival of Willie. Never shall I forget the joy which was +depicted upon the countenance of little Lewis when suddenly he burst +into my room, exclaiming, + +"Oh! Miss Roscom, our dear, _dear_ brother Willie has come at last! +Don't you wish you had a brother Willie too?" + +Had he known the pang which his childish remark occasioned me he +certainly would never have made it. With much difficulty I kept back my +tears and tried to appear as much pleased as the child evidently wished +me to be. I had been accustomed, since my residence in the family, to +spend my evening mostly with them in the parlor; but on that evening I +remained in my own room, feeling that I should be an intruder upon that +family reunion. I took up a book and endeavored to interest myself in +its pages. I could distinctly hear the joyous murmur of voices from +below, varied by bursts of laughter, not loud, but strikingly mirthful. +I soon heard light footsteps ascending the stairs; the next moment +Birdie rushed in, exclaiming, + +"Mamma says she has been so much occupied that she had almost forgotten +you; but she says you must come down at once; you mustn't sit here alone +when we are all so happy." + +I begged to be excused from going down, saying that they would probably +prefer being left to themselves on this evening of Willie's return. + +"Oh!" said she, "Papa and mamma both expect you to go down." + +Fearful of giving offence, and after making some slight alterations in +my dress, I accompanied Birdie down stairs and entered the parlor. + +I believe most persons feel a kind of embarrassment when meeting for the +first time one of whom they have long heard much. I was sensible of this +feeling when I entered the parlor that evening. + +Willie rose as I entered the room, and Mrs. Leighton, coming forward, +said,-- + +"Miss Roscom, allow me to introduce to you my son Willie." + +I felt much relieved by this unceremonious introduction. For a time we +engaged in general conversation. The manner of Willie was so genial and +pleasant that I at once felt at ease in his society. I had often thought +that Birdie resembled no other member of the family, but that was before +I saw Willie. He had the same complexion, the same cast of countenance, +with the same smile, only in a more mature and masculine form. + +After an hour spent in social conversation, he said some music would be +very welcome to him, it was so long since he had enjoyed that pleasure +in their own home. Laura immediately went to the piano, and sang two or +three songs which she knew to be favourites of his. Willie invited me to +play, but I begged him to excuse me for the time being, as he had three +sisters present, who all played more or less. + +After his sisters had each in their turn favored him with some music, he +rose, and taking the vacant seat at the piano, asked if we would not +like to hear an English song. His sisters laughed heartily, thinking him +to be only in jest; but their amusement changed to wonder and admiration +when, after running his fingers lightly over the keys, he began playing +a soft and melodious prelude. It seemed that when a boy of fifteen, he +had as a sort of amusement learned the rudiments of music, but he had +not begun with any settled purpose of making progress in the study, and +had soon become tired of it. What then was their surprise to hear him +sing with much taste and skill, to a beautiful accompaniment, a song he +had learned in England. + +He explained, that while in England, a class-mate of his, who was an +excellent musician, had given him lessons; and that after a time he had +become very fond of it, and had practised much during his leisure hours. + +It was easy to see that Willie was almost idolized by all the family. +During the evening Mrs. Leighton could scarcely take her eyes from the +face of her son, and they all eagerly listened to his every word: and +any one who saw the noble-looking young man, could not wonder at their +affection for him. When he rose from the piano, Birdie and Lewis begged +for one more song, but Mrs. Leighton reminded them that it was late, and +that their brother must be fatigued. And soon after prayers, the happy +family separated for the night. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +AN EVENING PARTY. + + +Previous to the return home of Laura and Willie, the Leightons had seen +but little company for a family of their wealth and social position; but +now, instead of the heretofore quiet evenings, their superb parlors were +thronged with acquaintances and friends, for both Willie and Laura had +been favourites with both young and old. + +Laura had intended giving a large party, but had deferred it till Willie +should return home; and soon after his arrival the invitations were +sent, and preparations were commenced for the contemplated party. I did +not expect, neither did I wish, to be included among the guests. I had +never attended a fashionable party in my life; and I thought, even were +I favoured with an invitation, that I should feel strangely out of place +amid so much display of wealth and fashion as I should be sure to meet +with at a party given by one of the most wealthy and influential +families in the city. + +I was much surprised when I received from Laura a very cordial +invitation to attend her party. I at first declined the invitation, +saying that I was unaccustomed to any thing of the kind, and that as +most of the guests would be strangers to me, I should prefer not +attending; but when Mr. and Mrs. Leighton expressed their wish that I +should attend the party, I overcame my reluctance and consented. + +The evening at length came, and although I anticipated but little +pleasure from the party, I felt a degree of restlessness and expectation +when the appointed evening arrived. My wardrobe was not furnished with +any superfluities in the way of dress, and my command of money was not +sufficient to allow of any extravagance in apparel. Laura kindly offered +to present me with a beautiful silk dress for the occasion, but I +delicately, though firmly, declined the gift, for I wished not to appear +otherwise than in my true position. I therefore selected the most +appropriate dress I possessed for the occasion; it was quite plain, +though of rich material. The only ornament I wore was a pearl necklace, +which had been a bridal gift to my mother. + +Laura assisted me in making my toilette, and insisted that I should +allow her to place a few natural flowers in my hair, and to please her I +consented to wear them. Laura looked very lovely in the costly dress +purchased for the occasion; she also wore a set of diamond ornaments, +which her father had presented to her on her return from school. + +As soon as we had finished our toilettes, we descended to the +drawing-room, where Mr. and Mrs. Leighton had already taken their +places, as it was near the hour when they might expect their guests to +begin to assemble. + +I went down thus early to avoid the unpleasantness of entering the +brilliantly lighted drawing-room after it should be filled with guests. +I had requested of the Leightons that I might receive as few +introductions as possible under the circumstances. Truly it was a +brilliant assembly which soon filled those spacious apartments. Among +the guests who first arrived were a Mr. and Mrs. Lawton, with their +daughter, to whom Laura gave me an introduction. + +Their kind attentions and lively conversation soon dispelled the feeling +of embarrassment with which I first found myself in the company of so +many wealthy and distinguished people. + +Dancing was soon introduced. Dancing was an accomplishment which I had +never learned, as my mother disapproved of the amusement. Willie seemed +disappointed when he invited me to become his partner for the quadrille +then forming, and I replied that I did not dance. When he learned that I +did not dance he introduced to me a young gentleman by the name of +Shirley, who was seated near us, and who, for some reason or other, did +not join the dancers. Mr. Shirley's conversational powers were extremely +good, and we engaged in conversation for some time, in the course of +which I enquired why he refrained from dancing? A shade of sadness +passed over his countenance as he replied,-- + +"When a mere youth I was very fond of the amusement, and devoted much +time to the practice of it. I believe it is the only thing which I ever +knowingly did against the wishes of my parents; but my fondness for +dancing amounted almost to a passion, and I often frequented the giddy +ball-room when I knew that I was grieving my fond parents by so doing. +My father and mother considered dancing a sinful amusement; but as my +inclination to follow it was so strong, they finally forbore to admonish +me further. + +"When I was about twenty years of age my mother died. I was then +residing at a distance from home. When mother's illness became alarming, +I was summoned home. I was tenderly attached to my mother, and my grief +was overwhelming when I saw that she must die. A short time before her +death, she said to me one day, when we chanced to be left alone, 'My +dear son, there is one subject upon which I wish to speak with you, 'ere +I leave you for ever. You know I have ever considered dancing to be a +sinful amusement. There may be no sin in the simple act of dancing, but +it is an amusement which certainly has a tendency to evil. I know that +you very much enjoy it, but you are now capable of serious reflection, +and allow me to ask you if you feel in a suitable frame of mind for +prayer and meditation when you retire to your room after having spent +the evening in the frivolous amusement of dancing?' This was an argument +which I could neither gainsay nor resist, and coming as it did from the +lips of my dying mother, I was much affected by it. Before leaving my +mother's room, I solemnly promised her that I would never again +participate in the amusement of dancing, and that promise I have most +sacredly kept. I now often wonder that I could ever have been so fond of +an amusement which at the best affords so little real enjoyment to its +votaries. I trust you will pardon the liberty which I have taken in +talking so long of myself to you, an entire stranger; but when you +enquired my reason for not joining in the dance, something in your +countenance impelled me to be thus candid in my answer." + +We remained for some time longer in conversation, and I really began to +enjoy the party. There were several ladies and gentlemen seated near us, +engaged also in conversation, and I could not avoid hearing much that +passed among them. Presently I heard a lady enquire of a Mrs. Kingsley, +a lady to whom I had been introduced in the early part of the evening,-- + +"Who is that young lady with whom Mr. Shirley has been so long +conversing?" + +"Oh!" she replied, "she is _only_ the governess in Mrs. Leighton's +family. A _person_, as I am informed, of good education, but very poor, +and obliged to teach as a means of support for herself and mother, who +is a widow." + +Why should I have felt so indignant at those words, which, if +maliciously intended, were certainly true? I suppose the attentions I +was receiving at this my first party were causing me to forget my true +position. The lady who had first spoken remarked further to Mrs. +Kingsley,-- + +"Don't you think her very pretty--almost beautiful? I think I never +before saw so intelligent a countenance." + +Mrs. Kingsley replied,-- + +"I see nothing so very intelligent in her countenance, and if you +consider her pretty, I must say that I am astonished at your taste; +indeed I think her quite common-looking. I almost wonder that the +Leightons should have made her a guest at a party with their friends; +but then Miss Laura is kind-hearted, and I presume invited her out of +pity--those _poor people_ have so few pleasures." + +"Hush! She may hear you." + +And they changed the subject. I had, however, heard quite enough to +spoil my enjoyment for the rest of the evening. I was young and +inexperienced then, and this was my first, though by no means my last, +lesson in those distinctions which the world draws between the rich and +the poor. Had I possessed a little more knowledge of the world I should +better have understood the matter, knowing as I did, that Mrs. Kingsley +had an unmarried daughter present, of uncertain age, with a fair +prospect of remaining for some time longer in her state of single +blessedness. I forbear describing Miss Kingsley, and will only say that +if Mrs. Kingsley thought me common-looking, I, on the contrary, thought +her daughter, Miss Kingsley, to be very uncommon-looking. + +After the remarks to which I had been an unwilling listener, I derived +very little pleasure from the party. I mentally said, if my poverty is +to be made a subject of conversation in parties like this, I wish never +to attend another; and I was heartily glad when the gay assembly +departed, at two o'clock in the morning. + +Thus ended my first party, which would have afforded me much enjoyment +had I not chanced to hear those annoying remarks from Mrs. Kingsley. + +The party given by the Leightons was soon succeeded by others among +their numerous acquaintances. To several of those parties I was favored +with invitations, which I invariably declined, for I had decided to +attend no more fashionable parties. At length, when urged by the +Leightons to give my reasons for steadily refusing all invitations, I +informed them of the remarks I had overheard from Mrs. Kingsley on the +night of Laura's party. Never shall I forget the look of scorn and +contempt with which Willie Leighton listened as I related the +circumstance; but he made no remark, as he knew Mrs. Kingsley to be one +of his mother's most intimate friends. Mrs. Leighton remarked that Mrs. +Kingsley possessed many good qualities, although she was sometimes +inclined to make malicious remarks. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +FAILING HEALTH OF CLARA'S MOTHER. + + +I soon had a far more serious cause for disquiet than the remarks of +Mrs. Kingsley or any one else could have occasioned. I had many times +during the past year feared that my mother's health was failing. She +looked thin and pale, and seemed to lack her usual activity in +performing her household duties. I frequently enquired if she were ill, +and she had ever replied that she was quite well; only it might be a +little fatigued. But the truth could no longer be concealed. My mother +was ill, and that seriously. She still attended to her daily +occupations, but she was greatly changed; she seemed during the past few +weeks to have grown thin almost to attenuation. She was very pale, +except at times there was a feverish glow upon her cheeks. I was then +too young to detect, as I should now do, the insidious approach of that +foe to human life, consumption. Going one day to visit my mother, I was +so struck by the change so visible in her countenance, I privately asked +Aunt Patience if she did not feel alarmed for my mother? She burst into +tears, and was for some time unable to reply. I had never before seen +Aunt Patience so much affected. I begged of her to tell me if there was +any real cause for alarm, for I had hoped she would be able to dispel +all my fears in regard to my mother. Regaining her composure, she told +me that consumption was hereditary in my mother's family. I had never +before chanced to hear it mentioned, but Aunt Patience now informed me +that several of the family had fallen victims to that disease, and that +she feared it had already fastened upon my mother. + +"I am glad," she said, "that you have spoken to me upon the subject. I +have long wished to make known my feelings to you, but I shrank from +giving you pain. I have been unable to persuade your mother to call a +physician. She imagines herself better; but I can see but too plainly +that such is not the case." + +I forebore mentioning the subject to my mother at that time; indeed I +could not have done so. I was now thoroughly alarmed--almost terrified, +and it was with a heavy heart that I returned to the dwelling of Mrs. +Leighton. + +I had frequently spoken to Mrs. Leighton of my mother's failing health, +and I now felt it my duty to resign my position as governess, for a time +at least, and return to my mother, that she might be relieved from all +care. When I returned to Mrs. Leighton's on the evening in question, I +again spoke to her upon the subject, saying that I feared I should be +obliged to resign my situation in her family and return to my mother, +who evidently needed my attention. Mrs. Leighton expressed much sympathy +for me in my trouble, saying that I ought by all means to hasten to my +mother; but added that she did not wish me to resign my position, as she +was willing to wait for me for any length of time I might find it +necessary to remain at home. She said, further, that Laura would be +quite willing to give some attention to the children during my absence; +and she tried to cheer me up, saying that she trusted my mother would +soon be better. I too tried to be hopeful, but the impression that my +mother was to die had taken deep hold of my mind. + +I visited my mother the next evening, and, to avoid surprising her by +suddenly returning home, I informed her that I intended spending a few +weeks at home, as I needed rest from teaching, and that Laura would +attend to the children during the time I should remain at home. My +mother seemed so cheerful that evening that I began to hope that I might +have been too much alarmed; but, when I had opportunity for speaking +privately with Aunt Patience, her words confirmed my worst fears. She +informed me that at her earnest solicitation my mother had that day +summoned a physician; that he had prescribed some medicine for her, and +given her some advice in regard to diet, walking or riding in the open +air, &c. She further informed me that she had herself spoken privately +to the physician, requesting him to tell her candidly what he thought of +my mother's case. He replied,-- + +"As you have asked me a plain question, I think it my duty to give you a +candid answer. I know not," continued the physician, "how it might have +been had I been called six months ago, but now I fear the case of Mrs. +Roscom is beyond the reach of medicine. I will gladly do my utmost for +her, but I fear that a few months, it may be a few weeks, will terminate +her life." + +This was _fearful_ tidings to me, as I had strongly hoped that the +opinion of the physician would have been more favorable. When I became +outwardly composed, I rejoined my mother, in company with Aunt Patience. +My mother was not aware that Aunt Patience had held any conversation +with the physician regarding her illness. She seemed much pleased at the +prospect of my return home. I informed her, before leaving, that she +might expect my return in the course of two or three days. + +She failed rapidly from this time; and, shortly after I returned to my +home, was obliged to give up all employment, however light. We often +reminded her of the physician's wish, that she should walk in the open +air; but it was seldom she felt equal to the task of walking even a +short distance. + +Mrs. Leighton and Laura often called, and brought many little +delicacies to tempt the appetite of my invalid mother. Mrs. Leighton +told my mother that she would be happy to send her carriage as often as +she felt strong to ride out. My mother replied that on fine days she +would gladly avail herself of her kind offer; and, so as long as my +mother was able, the carriage was sent every fine day to give her the +benefit of a short ride in the open air. + +I presume that, on ordinary occasions, I should have felt some +embarrassment in receiving a visit from Mrs. Leighton and Laura in my +home, which appeared so humble, compared to their own elegant residence; +but now it never cost me a thought, for, in the presence of a great +sorrow, all trifling considerations vanish away. + +It was in the month of May that I returned home, and by the last of June +my mother was entirely confined to her room, and much of the time to her +bed. She suffered much from nervous restlessness, and at times her cough +was very distressing. She would allow no one, as yet, to sit with her +during the night, but I gained her consent that I might sleep on a +lounge which stood in her room. + +There was no end to the kindness we received from the Leightons; no day +passed without some one of the family calling to enquire for my mother. + +Soon after this time my mother appeared much better. She was able to sit +up more than formerly, and her cough was far less troublesome. I +remember one day saying to Aunt Patience, when we chanced to be alone, +that I began to think my mother would yet recover, she seemed so much +better. + +"My dear Clara," she replied, "I hope your mother may recover; but you +must not build hopes which I fear will never be realised. This seeming +change for the better is only one of these deceitful turns of her +disease by which so many are deceived. I do not wish to alarm you +needlessly, but I dare not cherish any hopes of her recovery." + +The idea that my mother would die had been impressed upon my mind from +the first; yet, when I observed her improved appearance, I thought that +the physician, as well as ourselves, might have been deceived. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +A BRIGHT DREAM AND PEACEFUL END. + + +The seeming favorable turn of my mother's disease proved, as Aunt +Patience had feared, of but short duration. She was soon again almost +entirely confined to her bed; except that, in the after-noons for the +sake of the change, she would recline for a short time upon the sofa in +the parlor. But this was only for a few days, and then she was unable to +leave her own apartment. + +As I have said so little regarding my own feelings, in view of my +mother's death, the reader may be led to think that I felt less keenly +than I might have been supposed to do. If I have said little, it is for +the reason that I have no words adequate to describe what my feelings +were at the time. I felt stunned as by a heavy blow; and it seemed to me +if my mother died I certainly could not live. I had yet to learn that +grief does not kill--that is, not suddenly. + +I have often since looked back to that time, and felt deeply humbled, +while thinking how little I felt resigned to the will of heaven. I could +not then, as I have since done, recognize the hand of a kind and loving +Father in the stroke. I could only feel that my mother was leaving me, +and all was darkness beyond. I now scarcely ever left my mother's room, +except when Aunt Patience would almost compel me for a short time, to +retire to my own apartment, that I might obtain a little rest. But the +thought that soon I would have no mother was ever present to my mind, +and I wished to remain with her as long as she might be spared to me. + +About three weeks previous to my mother's death, Aunt Patience urgently +requested me one afternoon to retire to my own room and seek some rest, +saying I looked entirely worn out. After obtaining from her a promise +that she would not allow me to sleep too long, I complied. My room +seemed very cool and refreshing that sultry afternoon, and, lying down +upon my bed, I soon sank into a profound slumber, which continued for +three or four hours. Upon my going down stairs, I was surprised at the +lateness of the hour, and enquired of Aunt Patience why she had not +called me? She replied that as my mother had seemed quite comfortable, +she thought it best to let me enjoy a sound sleep. I persuaded Aunt +Patience to retire to rest soon after tea, as I intended watching that +night by my mother. Thus far we had ourselves been able to attend to the +wants of my mother, without assistance, as it pleased her better that +either Aunt Patience or I should attend to her; but we had lately +allowed a friend to sleep in the house, as we did not like to be left +alone. That evening, after my mother had partaken of a little light +refreshment, she seemed inclined to sleep. I took up a book and tried to +become interested in its pages. As my mother now seemed to enjoy a +peaceful slumber, I remember I thought her dreams must have been happy +ones, for I often noticed a smile upon her countenance. I think she had +slept nearly two hours, when she awoke, and requested me to give her a +drink. I supported her upon my arm as I held to her lips a glass in +which I had mixed some wine and water. Laying her gently back upon her +pillows I enquired if I could do anything farther for her comfort? She +replied that she felt quite comfortable; and, thinking that she might +again fall asleep, I resumed my reading. After remaining quiet for +sometime she softly called my name. As I stepped hastily to her +bed-side, she said,-- + +"Come and sit near me, Clara, I have something to say to you." + +Obedient to her request, I drew my chair near to her bedside, and seated +myself. She clasped my hand in both hers, as she said,-- + +"My dear Clara, I have long wished to ask you if you are aware that I +must soon leave you?" + +As she said these words the grief of my overburdened heart defied +control, and, burying my face in her pillows I sobbed convulsively. This +sudden near approach to death sent an icy chill over my whole being. + +"You must endeavor to compose yourself, my daughter," said my mother, +"and listen to me." + +I tried to restrain my tears as my mother continued. + +"I have long wished to talk with you, but have deferred it from time +to time, through fear of giving you pain; but I now feel it an +imperative duty to converse with you upon the subject. Allow me to tell +you a dream which visited me in the slumber from which I awoke a few +minutes since. In my dream I seemed to be walking alone on a calm +summer's evening, without any definite object in view. When I had walked +for a considerable distance the scene suddenly changed, and I found +myself walking by the banks of a placid river. Looking forward, I +observed a person advancing to meet me, whom I at once knew to be your +father. My joy was great at the prospect of meeting him; for in my dream +I recollected that he had been long dead. I enquired of him how it +happened that I met him there? He replied, 'I saw you coming when you +were yet a long way off, and feared you might lose your way.' Turning +back in the direction from whence he had come, he turned towards me, +with a pleasant smile, and said, 'follow me.' As we walked onward, I +observed that the river by which we walked seemed gradually to become +more narrow the further we advanced. He continued to walk onward for +some time, a little in advance of me, when suddenly stopping, he turned +to me and said, 'My dear Alice, look across to the other side of the +river, and behold the place which is now my home.' The breadth of the +river had continued to lessen, till it was now only a narrow line of +water which separated us from the opposite shore. I looked as he +directed me, and, oh! Clara, I can find no words by which to describe to +you what I saw. It so far surpassed anything pertaining to this world +that I am unable to give you any description of it. I felt an intense +desire to cross the narrow stream which separated me from the beautiful +place. I enquired of your father if I could not with him cross the +stream and enter those golden gates, which I could plainly see before +me. He replied, 'No, my dear Alice, every one must cross this river +_alone_. You must go back for a brief period, as you have yet a mission +to perform before taking your final leave of earth. You must comfort the +sorrowing heart of our child 'ere you leave her. Tell her of the home +which I now inherit, where there is also a place prepared for you and +for her, if you so live as to be found worthy to enter those gates which +you see before you.' He then said, 'I must now leave you, and you must +return to our Clara for a few brief days, when you will be summoned to +rejoin me in yonder blissful abode.' I turned to make some further +remark to him, but he had gone from my sight, and I awoke with my mind +deeply impressed by my dream. But now," added my mother, to me, "the +bitterness of death is already past. It is for you only that I grieve. I +trust however, that instead of grieving immoderately for your mother you +will endeavor to discharge your duty in whatever position it may please +God to place you, and so live that whenever you may be called from this +world it may be to meet your mother in Heaven. Since my illness my mind +has been much exercised regarding my own state as a sinner; for be +assured, Clara, that, in the near prospect of death, we find in +ourselves much that is unworthy, which had before escaped our notice +while in the enjoyment of health. But I am now happy while I tell you +that all is peace with me. I now feel willing to depart whenever it is +the will of my Heavenly Father to call me hence, and I feel confident +that in a very few days I shall be summoned from earth. I am sorry to +see you grieve," said my mother, for I was weeping bitterly; "endeavor +to derive consolation from what I have said; and be thankful that when I +leave you it will be to rejoin your dear father where there is neither +sorrow nor sighing." + +Seeing that my tears agitated my mother, I succeeded in checking them, +and assumed an air of composure, which I was far from feeling. After the +above conversation with me, my mother enjoyed a night of tranquil +repose. I now felt the certainty of her death, and prayed for strength +to meet the sorrow which that event would bring to me. + +So calm and peaceful were the last days of my mother's life that we +could hardly recognize the presence of the King of Terrors, till the +damps of death were gathering upon her brow. She died at sunset on a +mild evening in September. She had passed the day almost entirely free +from pain. Toward evening she slept for an hour; on waking, she said to +me,-- + +"My dear child, I think the hour of my departure has arrived. I feel +that I am dying." + +I now observed that look upon the countenance of my mother which tells +us that a loved friend is no longer ours. She requested me to call Aunt +Patience, which I instantly did. I also sent a hasty summons to her +physician, although it was needless, for she was even then entering the +dark valley. The physician soon arrived, and after one look at my +mother, said to me, in a low voice,-- + +"My dear Miss Roscom, as a physician, I can be of no further use, but as +a friend, I will remain with you." + +The physician was an old and valued friend, being the same who had stood +by the death-bed of my father, and he deeply sympathized with me in +this, my second bereavement. + +As I stood by my mother, my grief was not noisy; it was far too deep +and powerful for that. Outwardly, I was quite calm. My mother had +endeavored to prepare my mind for this hour. I had also prayed for +strength to meet it with fortitude and resignation; but those who have +stood by the dying bed of a fond mother may understand my sorrow. My +mother was spared much of the suffering which attends the last moments +of many. She seemed to be softly breathing her life away. After lying +for some time tranquil and quiet, she suddenly opened her eyes and +looked from one to the other of us. As they rested upon me, she made a +sign that I should go nearer to her. + +"Weep not, my dear child," said she, in a whisper; "be faithful, and you +will yet meet me in heaven." + +She also addressed a few words of like import to Aunt Patience. +Suddenly, she raised her hands, and, as she looked upward, with a smile +upon her countenance, we heard a sigh--and her spirit had returned unto +God Who gave it. + +I was borne from the apartment in a state of insensibility, and, when I +awoke to consciousness, the doctor and Aunt Patience were standing at my +bedside. After administering a quieting draught, the physician left us, +saying to Aunt Patience that she must try and induce me to sleep, as +that would help to restore my shattered nerves. Aunt Patience sat by me +during the long hours of that night, but it was not until the day began +to dawn that I sank into a heavy slumber, from which I did not awake +until a late hour in the morning. On first awaking, it seemed to me that +I had had a frightful dream; but, as my mind became more clear, I +realized the sad truth that my mother was no more. I heard a footstep +enter my room, and soon a familiar voice addressed me, saying,-- + +"My dear Clara, I have come to see if I can be of any assistance to you +in your sorrow." + +It was Mrs. Leighton who had thus entered my room, she having hastened +to our dwelling as soon as she learned of my mother's death. I could not +at first reply to her kind words; I could only weep. She did not force +me to talk, but, gently as a mother could have done, did she bathe my +fevered brow and throbbing temples. Telling me to remain quiet for a few +moments, she left the room, and soon returned, bearing a cup of tea, +which she insisted upon my drinking. She assisted me to dress, and +opened a window to admit the cool morning air. I tearfully thanked her +for those kind attentions. She insisted that I should lean upon her for +support, as we descended the stairs, and indeed I felt scarcely able to +walk without assistance. + +On going below, I found several kind friends, who had remained with +Aunt Patience to render their assistance in any office of friendship we +might require. Mrs. Leighton accompanied me to the room where lay the +lifeless remains of my mother. I folded back the snowy napkin which +covered her face, and gazed long upon those dear features, now stamped +with the seal of death. As I gazed upon her now peaceful countenance, I +felt that to wish her back again would be almost a sin. I also derived +much comfort from the consoling words of Mrs. Leighton. I cannot dwell +longer upon these sorrows. When I stood at my mother's grave, and looked +down upon her coffin, after it had been lowered into the earth, I almost +wished that I too were resting by her side. Since that period I have +experienced other sorrows; but the sharpest pang I have ever felt, was +when I turned away from the graves where rested the remains of both +father and mother. + +As I have before mentioned, Aunt Patience had, in the course of her +life, passed through many trying vicissitudes, and, previous to her +death, my mother had considered that we could make no better return for +the debt of gratitude we owed her than by making provision for her old +age. I say, with good reason, that we owed her a debt of gratitude, for, +during her residence with us, she had shown the utmost kindness to both +my mother and myself. And when my mother's health failed her, the care +and attentions of Aunt Patience were unceasing. With a view of making +provision for Aunt Patience, my mother had made arrangements that our +house should be sold, and the money deposited for her future benefit. In +making this arrangement, my mother wished me to accept of a portion of +the money which the sale of the house would bring; but I declined, +saying that, as she had given me a good education, I was amply able to +support myself, so long as I was blessed with health. My mother assented +to the arrangement, saying that I could draw money from the deposit +should I ever have occasion so to do. + +We remained for two months in our lonely home, after the death of my +mother; at the end of which time the new owner took possession of the +dwelling. Aunt Patience had decided upon going to reside with a relative +who lived in Massachusetts, and the interest of the money, deposited for +her use, was to be regularly remitted to her. We disposed of the +furniture, with the exception of a few cherished articles, which I +reserved for myself; these the purchaser kindly allowed me to leave in +one of the upper rooms till I might wish to remove them. The same day +that Aunt Patience set out on her journey to Massachusetts, I returned +to Mrs. Leighton. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +FRIENDLY ATTENTIONS. + + +It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been +otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows. As it was, +when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander +to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the +book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils. +Georgania having left home, I had only Birdie and Lewis as pupils. Much +pity did those affectionate children evince for me when they could not +but observe my grief. Birdie would often say,-- + +"Please, Miss Roscom, do not grieve so much; we all love you dearly, and +will be very kind to you." + +And Lewis, who could never bear to see my tears, would say,-- + +"I will be a little brother to you, Miss Roscom, so please don't cry any +more." + +To please my pupils, I endeavored to appear cheerful; but truly the +heart knoweth its own bitterness. One thought, however, afforded me some +consolation, and that was, that I was obeying my mother's dying +injunction, by striving to do my duty in the position in which I was +placed. As days and months passed away, I, in some measure, regained my +usual cheerfulness, although I was nowise inclined to forget my mother. + +A year had now passed since I saw her laid in the grave. I often visited +her resting-place, and there I renewed my resolve to follow her +precepts; and many a time, kneeling by her grave did I implore wisdom +from on high to enable me to follow the counsels I had so often received +from those lips, now sealed in silence. It seemed to me, at such times, +that I almost held communion with the spirit of my mother. + +I experienced much kindness from every member of Mr. Leighton's family. +I spent my leisure time mostly in my room. They did not, of course, +invite me to join parties, but they would often urge me to join a few +friends in their own parlor; but I always replied that my deep mourning +must be my excuse. I had no taste for company or mirth. + +One afternoon the Leightons had gone to join a picnic party some two +miles from the city. They had invited me to accompany them, but as usual +I declined. I felt sad and lonely that long afternoon, and, being left +entirely alone, I could not prevent my thoughts from recurring to the +past. I thought of all the happy, careless days of my childhood; then my +memory ran back to the night, when, at ten years of age, I stood by the +death-bed of my father. With the eye of memory, I again saw my mother, +as she stood bowed with grief at the grave of my father; and now I was +left alone to mourn for both father and mother. Memory also fondly +turned to Miss Edmonds, my first teacher. I felt that to see her again +would indeed be happiness; but I knew not where Miss Edmonds then +resided. The last time I had heard from her she contemplated going +South, as governess in a gentleman's family. Then came the memory of the +happy years I passed in Mrs. Wentworth's school. Where now were the many +friends I had then known and loved? As these thoughts passed in quick +succession through my mind, I could not refrain from weeping; and, as I +was under no restraint from the presence of others, my tears seemed +almost a luxury. I know not how long my fit of weeping might have +continued had not one of the domestics entered the room, and informed me +that a poor woman was in the kitchen seeking charity. + +"I thought," said the girl, "as the other ladies are all away, you might +give her a trifle, for she seems very needy." + +Hastily drying my tears, I went down to the kitchen, where I found a +young woman, who would have been very pretty but for the look of want +and suffering depicted upon her countenance. It was evident, from her +appearance, that she was not an habitual beggar. As I approached her, +she seemed much embarrassed, as she said,-- + +"Sure an' its mesilf that never expected to come to this at all, at +all." + +"My poor woman," said I, "you appear to have been unfortunate." + +"An' its mesilf that has been misfortunate," she replied, as the tears +gathered in her fine, dark eyes. She continued,-- + +"There was never a happier couple than Dinnis O'Flaherty an' I the day +the praste made us one. But, after a while, the wages got low, and the +times were hard wid us. 'Polly,' says Dinnis to me one day, 'will you be +afther goin' to Ameriky wid me?' 'Dinnis,' says I, 'wherever it plases +you to go its I, Polly McBrine, that's ready and willin' to follow.' We +sailed in the _St. Pathrick_, and tin days afther I saw my darlin' +Dinnis buried in the salt say. He fell sick wid a faver, and all me +prayers for his life could not save him; an' here I am, a lone widdy, in +a shtrange land, without a penny in me pocket, nor a place to lay me +head." + +Here the poor woman's grief choked her utterance, and, covering her +face with her hands, she wept aloud. I requested the domestic to bring +her some food, which she ate like one famishing. I placed in her hand +money sufficient to secure her from want for two or three days at least. +I did not in the least doubt her story, for her countenance bore the +impress of sincerity. When she left, I requested her to call again in +two or three days, as I felt certain that Mrs. Leighton would assist her +in obtaining some employment. She left me with many thanks, and blessing +me after the manner of her country. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +A SURPRISE. + + +After tea I felt that I must walk out in the air, as I was suffering +from a severe headache. I made my way to the church-yard, and sought the +graves of my parents; and, seating myself at the headstone of my +mother's grave, I remained for a long time wrapped in profound +meditation. + +I know not how long I remained thus, for I took no note of time; but +when I raised my head at the sound of approaching footsteps, the shades +of evening were gathering around me. It was Willie Leighton whose +footsteps had aroused me from my reverie. + +"My dear Clara," he began. + +But when I looked up with a little surprise at his familiar use of my +christian name, it being the first time he had thus addressed me, he +colored slightly, and said,-- + +"I beg pardon, Miss Roscom, for thus intruding upon your solitude, but, +finding you absent on our return, I came to seek you and, with your +permission, to escort you home. I think you do wrong to come to this +lonely place to cherish a sorrow which seems to me to be almost +unreasonable. I would not have you forget your parents; but, surely, if +they are permitted to look down upon you from their home in heaven, they +would not wish to see you thus debar yourself from society and all the +innocent pleasures of youth. The dews of evening," said he, "are +beginning to fall, and I must insist upon your return home." + +On our way home I could not help a feeling of uneasiness lest Willie's +attentions to me should displease the family. I had allowed him to +accompany me home, as I could not have done otherwise without absolute +rudeness; yet I feared that, in so doing, I should displease his +friends. My uneasiness increased as, upon entering the house, I thought +I detected a shade of displeasure in the manner of Mrs. Leighton toward +me. If Willie noticed anything of the kind, he _seemed_ unconscious of +it, for he made several efforts to engage us in conversation; but, for +some reason or other, no one, except himself, seemed inclined to be +social that evening. I felt very much depressed in spirits, for I +attributed their silence to displeasure because Willie had accompanied +me home, and, at an early hour, I bade them good night, and retired to +my own apartment. After reading, as was my custom, a chapter in my +Bible, and commending myself to the care of Heaven, I sought my pillow; +but hour after hour passed away and sleep refused to visit my eyes. +Again and again I mentally asked myself what had I done to merit the +coldness which Mrs. Leighton had shown in her manner to me? It was not +my fault that Willie had sought me, and in a kind and gentlemanly manner +escorted me home; and I only attributed his attention to that respect +which the _real_ gentleman ever accords to a lady, be she rich or poor. +I, however, decided that in future I should receive no attentions from +Willie. The Leightons were kind, but extremely proud, and I feared that +the pleasure Willie had lately evinced in my society had displeased +them, although his attentions had been nothing more than a person +socially inclined might be expected to show to one dwelling beneath the +same roof. Again did the remark made by Mrs. Kingsley occur to my mind, +and I firmly decided that, if Mrs. Leighton was displeased, she should +have no further cause for displeasure, for I too was possessed of a +proud spirit. The dawn of the new day glimmered in the east 'ere sleep +closed my eyes, and then my slumbers were disturbed by unpleasant +dreams. One dream, in particular, I still remember. I seemed, in my +dream, to be a homeless wanderer I know not whither. I had left the +limits of the city and was walking in the open country, on a road that +seemed strange and unfamiliar to me. At length such a feeling of +loneliness and misery overpowered me that I felt unable to proceed +further. Seating myself by the roadside, I burst into tears. Raising my +eyes, I observed a female figure approaching me, which I soon recognized +as my mother. She drew near, and, laying her hands upon my head, as if +in blessing, said,-- + +"Fear not, my beloved daughter, only continue in the path of duty and +all will yet be well." + +With a cry of joy, I sprang forward to embrace her, and awoke to find +the sun shining dimly through the partially closed blinds of my window. +I felt fatigued and nervous, after passing such a restless night. I was +startled by the pale and haggard countenance which my mirror reflected +that morning. I had scarcely finished my toilet when the breakfast bell +rang, and I hastened down stairs, where the family were already +assembled around the breakfast table. + +Whatever of displeasure Mrs. Leighton might have felt the previous +evening seemed to have vanished with the light of morning. Perhaps, +thought I, her displeasure existed only in my own imagination, after +all. Noticing my pale countenance, she enquired if I was ill? I replied +that I had a slight headache, owing to my not having slept well. She +kindly offered to excuse me from attending to my pupils that morning, +but I told her that I felt quite able to attend to my usual duties. In +the course of the day I mentioned to her the case of the poor woman who +had called the day previous. She replied that, after seeing her and +making some enquiries regarding her capability, she would speak to a +friend of hers, who was in want of a servant, and she had no doubt she +could influence her friend to engage her, should she consider her a +suitable person. Accordingly, when Mrs. O'Flaherty called, two or three +days after, Mrs. Leighton questioned her in regard to her capability as +a servant. She replied that she had had considerable experience as a +servant in genteel families, previous to her marriage in the old +country. Mrs. Leighton requested her to call again shortly, saying that +she hoped to be able to find her a situation. Mrs. Leighton further +informed her that, if the lady engaged her, it must be entirely on her +own recommendation; and that she hoped she would prove herself faithful +and trustworthy. She replied,-- + +"An' its mesilf that'll be afther doin' me best to plaze the leddy, +mem." + +And, with many thanks, she left the house. Mrs. Leighton was much +interested by the intelligent countenance and honest, truthful manner of +the woman, and she accordingly so strongly enlisted the sympathies of +her friend, Mrs. Wallingford, that she agreed to give her a trial. Mrs. +O'Flaherty seemed very thankful when she called, soon after, and Mrs. +Leighton informed her that she had obtained a situation for her. Mrs. +Leighton also furnished her with money sufficient to purchase some +plain, but decent clothing, and a few days after she entered upon her +duties in the dwelling of Mrs. Wallingford, who afterwards frequently +remarked to Mrs. Leighton that she had much reason to thank her for +providing her with the best servant she had ever engaged. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +EMBARRASSING INTERVIEWS. + + +My time passed in the usual daily routine of duties. About this time +Georgania returned to spend a few weeks at home. Though much improved in +personal appearance, she was far from being a pleasant companion. Her +manner, to me, was exceedingly haughty, almost contemptuous. She seemed +to have entirely forgotten my unwearied pains in laying the foundation +of her education. I could never understand the reason of her dislike to +me. The feeling must always have existed, though kept in check during +the time she had been my pupil. I think the rest of the family must have +noticed her unpleasant manner to me; and, I have no doubt, remonstrated +with her upon the subject. I was of a proud, sensitive nature, and the +many slights, in an indirect way, which I suffered from her roused my +indignation, and I was revolving the idea in my mind of seeking another +home, when an event occurred which caused my departure from the home of +the Leightons sooner than I anticipated. On the morning of the day of +which I speak, Laura was unable to get out, as she was suffering from a +cold. She was very anxious to execute some shopping that morning, and +asked me if I would undertake to make her purchases, as I knew exactly +what she wanted. I gladly assented, and, as I passed the sitting-room, +on my way up stairs, I heard Willie say,-- + +"I too have business up town, and I will drive Miss Roscom to the store +where she is to make her purchases, and call for her on my return." + +Mrs. Leighton replied in a low, but changed voice,-- + +"Why not send James, the coachman; it is more proper." + +I did not wait to hear Willie's reply, but, when I came down, prepared +for going out, the coachman was in waiting with the carriage. I was glad +that Willie was not to accompany me, for, since the evening he had +escorted me home, I had carefully avoided his society. + +I was sitting that evening in the garden, in a kind of arbor, covered +with weeping-vines. I was deeply interested in the volume I held in my +hand, and was much surprised when Willie suddenly entered the arbor, and +took a seat by my side. I made a hasty movement to rise and leave the +arbor, when he addressed me saying,-- + +"Why is it, Miss Roscom, that you constantly avoid me, and treat me +with such marked coolness? I am sure I have not merited such treatment. +I have long sought an opportunity to speak with you alone, and now you +must hear me. Allow me to tell you that I have long loved you, with a +deep and true affection. Will you not become my wife, and thereby render +me the happiest of mortals?" + +I was so much surprised by this unexpected declaration that it was some +moments before I could collect my thoughts sufficiently to reply. I at +length said,-- + +"Although deeply sensible of the honor you have done me, I must say in +reply, that I can never become your wife." + +He regarded me with unfeigned surprise as he said,-- + +"Then you do not love me, Clara. I had hoped that I was not wholly +indifferent to you." + +I replied,-- + +"As I believe you have addressed me with candor, I will answer you in +the same manner. I do love you; and, were I guided by my own heart in +the matter, my reply to your honorable proposal would have been +different. But there are insurmountable barriers to our union." + +"Name them," was his reply. + +"Mr. Leighton," I answered. "Whether or not you are aware of the fact, +that I am unable to say; but I _know_ that your family would never +consent to your marriage with their governess. They may respect and +treat me kindly in my present position, but would never be willing to +receive me as a daughter. It will, therefore, be wiser for you to place +your affections upon some one in your own position in life." + +"Am I not," replied Willie, "free to follow my own wishes in the +matter? What care I for those butterflies of fashion, whose highest +enjoyment is to shine in the gay assembly or crowded ball room. My +heart's devotion must be given to one who possesses true nobility of +mind. Should my parents refuse their consent to our marriage, then shall +I feel justified in following the dictates of my own heart. I have never +disobeyed my parents, and have endeavored to be guided by their +counsels, but in this matter I must act in accordance with my own +affection and judgment. In everything except wealth you are my equal, +and I have enough for us both. Allow me to tell my parents that my +happiness rests upon their consent to our marriage; and, should they +withhold their consent, I will marry you and abide the consequences, for +I am certain they will soon be sensible of their error." Being anxious +to terminate the interview, I replied,-- + +"I must answer you, Mr. Leighton, in the manner which I consider will +be best for us both. Never will I consent to become the wife of any man, +and, by so doing, alienate him from his parents. I have experienced +nothing but kindness from all your family, and I cannot take a step +which will bring sorrow and disquiet into your heretofore happy home. Be +advised by me and never allude to this subject again. I can be your +friend, but not your wife. I intend, as soon as circumstances permit, to +seek another home. Remember me as a friend only, and whatever my own +feelings may be, I shall at least have the satisfaction of knowing that +I have acted wisely and for the best." + +His countenance expressed extreme agitation, as, rising, he said,-- + +"You have made me very unhappy, Miss Roscom. I will remain silent for +the present; but go not away from here, as that would destroy my only +hope." + +When I entered the house, I heard the excited voices of Mrs. Leighton, +Laura, and Georgania in the parlor. I heard Mrs. Leighton say, as I +passed the door of the parlor,-- + +"Are you sure, Georgania, that you understood aright?" + +"Quite sure, mamma," she replied; "I plainly heard Willie ask her to +become his wife; how I _hate_ her; and the thought of Willie's loving +her almost causes me to hate him." + +"Hush!" exclaimed Mrs. Leighton; "I will investigate this matter +myself." + +I hurried up to my room. I knew there was trouble in store for me, and +I felt strong to meet it; for my own conscience acquitted me of any +wrong-doing. After some little time had passed, I heard the footsteps of +Mrs. Leighton ascending the stairs; and a moment after she rapped at my +door. I opened the door and invited her to enter, and be seated. She +then seated herself, and sat for some moments in silence. Her +countenance expressed both sorrow and anger, for, up to this time, I +believed that Mrs. Leighton had loved me. I waited for Mrs. Leighton to +open the subject, for I well knew what had brought her to my room, and I +cared not how soon she made known the object of her visit. At length she +said,-- + +"It seems to me, Miss Roscom, that you have rendered a very base return +for my kindness." + +As she seemed waiting my reply, I said,-- + +"Will you have the goodness, Mrs. Leighton, to explain your words, for I +am unable to comprehend their meaning?" + +Her voice expressed much displeasure as she answered: + +"I was not aware that my words required any explanation; but, if they +do, it shall be given in few words. How dare you so far forget your own +position, and ours, as to entice my son into making a proposal of +marriage to one so much his inferior as you must know yourself to be?" + +Should I live a hundred years I can never forget the shock her words +gave me. I fairly trembled with anger. Rising to my feet, I looked her +steadily in the face, as I said,-- + +"That your words are false, as well as heartless, I need not tell you, +as you are already aware of the fact. I appeal to you if I have ever in +any way courted the society of Willie. If he has asked me to become his +wife, is it through any fault of mine? But you need give yourself no +uneasiness upon the subject, for I have already told Willie that I will +never become the wife of any man whose friends would look upon me as +their inferior. For, though poor, and obliged to labor for my bread, I +possess a spirit equally proud with your own, and that spirit your +insulting words have roused. When you accuse me of enticing Willie into +making a proposal of marriage, you well know that your accusation is +false and without foundation." + +"I suppose," said Mrs. Leighton, after a short silence, "that you will +see the propriety of seeking another home." + +"You might," I replied, "have saved yourself the trouble of reminding me +of this, as I intend, this night, to leave your house. I intend to show +you that I shall prove no hindrance to your son's marrying in accordance +with your wishes. Allow me to express my heart-felt thanks for your past +kindness to me; but we must now part." + +Mrs. Leighton's anger, by this time, was beginning to cool. + +"I am perfectly willing," said she, "that you should remain here till +you can obtain another situation. When I spoke of your seeking another +home, I wished not that you should understand that I wished you to leave +immediately." + +I thanked her, but said "I preferred going at once." + +She enquired whither I intended going? I replied that there were several +families residing in the city who had known and loved my mother, who +would gladly shelter her orphan daughter. + +Mrs. Leighton owed me, at the time, one hundred dollars of my salary; +as I had not required the money, I had left it in her hands. Leaving the +room, she soon returned with the money in her hand, and pressed me to +accept of fifty dollars over and above what was owing me. I thanked her, +but said I wished to accept only of what was my just due. As she refused +to receive back the money, I laid it upon the table, and began making my +preparations for leaving her house. In less than an hour my trunks were +packed, and I was ready to go. Laura and Georgania, I think purposely +avoided me, for I did not see them before leaving. I felt grieved when I +parted with Birdie and Lewis, for I had become strongly attached to +them. Lewis used often to say that boys never ought to cry; crying, he +said, was only for girls and babies; but he must have forgotten himself +on this occasion, for he cried bitterly when I bade him good-bye. As I +turned from my pupils, Mrs. Leighton came forward and extended her hand +to me. I could not refuse the hand that had so often administered to the +wants of my dying mother. Neither of us uttered a word. We shook hands +in silence, and I passed from the house, and entered the carriage which +was in waiting for me. There was a family by the name of Burnside, with +whom I had been intimate from childhood; to them I intended going, and +in a few minutes I was set down at their door. + +It chanced to be Mrs. Burnside herself who answered my ring at the +door. In a few brief words I informed her of the circumstances which had +caused me to leave Mrs. Leighton so suddenly; at the same time, asking +her if she was willing to afford me a home for a short time, till I +could obtain another situation? + +"My dear Clara," she replied, "to my home you are freely welcome for any +length of time you may wish to remain. To-morrow we will talk further of +the matter, but not another word to-night, for you look very much +fatigued." + +The family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Burnside, and an aunt of Mrs. +Burnside's, who resided with them. They had two daughters, but they had +both married and removed a long distance from their early home. Mrs. +Burnside offered to conduct me to my room, which offer I gladly +accepted, for I wished to be alone. The excitement which had sustained +me through the events of the past few hours had now subsided; and, when +left alone in my room, I sat down to reflect calmly upon my situation. I +could not but feel justified in the step I had taken; but I could not +avoid a feeling of uneasiness when I reflected that I was now homeless. +I did not wish to remain long with Mrs. Burnside, as I well knew they +would accept of no compensation from me; and, for that reason, I felt +the necessity of obtaining another situation as soon as possible; but I +could come to no decision till after conversing with Mrs. Burnside upon +the subject. After kneeling and imploring the protection and guidance of +my Heavenly Father, I retired to rest, and, as I was worn out by the +exciting events of the evening, sleep soon furnished a welcome relief +from all anxious thoughts. + +I was greeted kindly by Mr. and Mrs. Burnside the next morning, when we +met at the breakfast table. The aunt, being somewhat of an invalid, did +not usually take her morning meal with the family. The only allusion to +my circumstances was made by Mr. Burnside, who said I had better defer +any conversation upon the subject for the present, and that, in the +meantime, he wished me to consider his house as my home. + +About eleven o'clock that morning, as I was sitting in the room with +Mrs. Russell, Mrs. Burnside's aunt, the servant came up to inform me +that a young gentleman was in the parlor, who wished to see me. Looking +at the card which the girl handed me, I read the name of Willie +Leighton. I was sorry to wound his feelings; but, when I left their +dwelling, I firmly resolved that I would never intentionally meet with +Willie again. I therefore requested the servant to inform Mr. Leighton +that I was engaged. It was no easy matter for me to send this message to +_him_; but my pride sustained me. + +Two or three weeks passed quietly away. During this time, Birdie and +Lewis twice came to see me, but whether by permission or by stealth I +could not determine, and I would not enquire. Willie called repeatedly, +but I never granted him an interview, as I deemed it best for both that +we should not meet. + +I shall never cease to remember with gratitude the kindness I received +from Mr. and Mrs. Burnside, and, as I wished not to abuse their +hospitality, I thought it advisable, when some two months had passed +away, to devise some means of earning my own support. They would have +assisted me in obtaining a situation in Philadelphia; but I wished to +leave my native city, and see if new scenes and new friends would not +have a beneficial effect upon my mind. I had now no remaining tie to +bind me to Philadelphia. I grieved, it is true, at the thought of +leaving the place which contained the graves of my parents. +Nevertheless, I felt myself to be in the path of duty, while preparing +to leave my native city. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +A NEW ENGLAND HOME. + + +I knew I had an uncle living in the State of New Hampshire, whom I had +not seen since I was twelve years of age--he having visited us at that +time. He was my mother's only brother, and to him I decided to go. I +once thought of going to aunt Patience, but finally gave up the idea. I +retained a very distinct recollection of my uncle. I remembered that he +and my mother had strongly resembled each other, although he was ten +years her senior. When quite young he had married a very worthy woman, +and their union was blessed by two children, a son and daughter; but +they had laid them both in the grave at an early age; therefore they +were now childless. I had never seen my aunt, but my heart turned toward +them, and my resolution was soon taken to visit them. They resided about +three miles from the village of Littleton, in New Hampshire. + +The only obstacle in the way of my wishes was the long journey from +Philadelphia to New Hampshire. I felt reluctant to undertake so long a +journey alone. This obstacle was unexpectedly removed by the arrival of +a Mr. and Mrs. Egmont, from the State of Ohio; they were relatives of +Mrs. Burnside, and were journeying to the Eastern States, to visit some +friends who resided there. Mr. Burnside mentioned to them my desire to +visit my uncle in New Hampshire, and they gladly consented that I should +accompany them on their journey. As they intended remaining but a few +days in Philadelphia, I was obliged to hasten the preparations for my +departure. + +I could not but observe the hand of a kind Providence in directing Mr. +and Mrs. Egmont to visit Philadelphia at this particular time. + +On the evening preceding my departure I paid a farewell visit to the +graves of my parents, and I shed some very bitter tears when I reflected +that I might never again stand by this loved spot. I exacted a promise +from Mrs. Burnside that, should any of the Leightons make enquiries +concerning me, she would not inform them of my destination. + +We left Philadelphia at a very early hour the next morning, and, after +a very long and somewhat tedious journey, arrived in safety at the busy +village of Littleton. Mr. Egmont conducted me to an hotel till he could +make the necessary enquiries for finding my uncle. I knew he resided +about three miles from the village, but was unable to say in what +direction. Mrs. Egmont invited me to accompany them to their friends, +who lived in the village, and rest before seeking my uncle; but, as I +had arrived so near the termination of my journey, I wished to reach the +home of my uncle without further delay. After accompanying Mrs. Egmont +to their friends, Mr. Egmont returned to the hotel, where I awaited him. +I was seated near a window, in the sitting-room, and heard him making +enquiries of one and another for Mr. Wayland my uncle. No one seemed to +know anything of the person he sought. As the landlord passed that way, +he turned to him and enquired if he knew a farmer in that vicinity by +the name of Wayland? He replied that, having resided only for a short +time in Littleton, his acquaintance did not, as yet, extend beyond the +limits of the village, and that he knew of no such person. I was +beginning to fear that my uncle had removed to some other place, as I +had not heard anything from him for a considerable time, when a +ragged-looking boy, apparently about twelve years of age, made his way +up to Mr. Egmont, and said-- + +"I can tell you where Mr. Wayland lives. He lives about three miles from +here, on the Waterford Road. I knows you see, for I worked for him this +fall, pickin' pertaters." + +Giving the boy a piece of silver as he thanked him for his information, +Mr. Egmont came to inform me that, when I had partaken of the dinner he +had ordered for me, he would accompany me to the home of my uncle. + +The lad before mentioned had given Mr. Egmont so accurate a +description of my uncle's residence that, when we came in view of the +square, old-fashioned farm-house, described by the boy, we at once knew +it to be my uncle's home. As we came in sight of the house, the +question--how will they receive me?--arose in my mind; but the +recollection which I retained of my uncle was of so pleasing a character +that I had little doubt of meeting with a cordial welcome. As we drew +near, I observed an elderly-looking man in the yard, engaged in mending +some farming implement. From the appearance of the place, it seemed that +the front entrance was but little used, the front door and blinds being +closely shut. I was at that time wholly unacquainted with the habits and +customs of country people. As we drove up to the gate, the man I had +before observed, paused in his employment, and regarded us, as I +thought, with no little surprise. Surely, thought I, this man cannot be +my uncle Wayland. At the time of his visit to my mother he was a young +and fine-looking man; but the man I now beheld was bowed as it were by +age, and his hair was nearly white. I should have remembered that since +I had seen him he had laid both of his loved children in the grave. True +it is that sorrow causes premature old age; but, upon a second look at +his countenance, I could clearly trace his resemblance to my mother. His +eyes, when he raised them to look at us, so strongly resembled hers that +my own filled with tears, which I hastily wiped away. + +Alighting from the carriage, Mr. Egmont addressed my uncle, saying,-- + +"Have I the pleasure of speaking to Mr. Wayland?" + +He replied in the affirmative, and added,-- + +"I know not whether or not I am addressing an old acquaintance; but your +countenance is not familiar to me." + +Mr. Egmont replied,-- + +"I am not aware that we have ever met before; but this young lady who is +your niece, Miss Roscom, has travelled in company with myself and wife, +and I wished to leave her in your home before resigning my care of her." + +My uncle seemed overjoyed at seeing me. He assisted me to alight, and +embraced me with true affection. He immediately conducted me into the +house, and introduced me to my aunt. She was a middle-aged, +kindly-looking woman; and I also received from her a cordial welcome to +their home. They invited Mr. Egmont to remain till after tea, but he +declined, saying that he had promised to return to their friends as soon +as possible. After some conversation with my uncle and aunt, they +advised me to retire to my room and seek rest, after the fatigues of my +long journey; and I gladly followed my aunt up the stairs, to a neat +bed-room, tastefully furnished. I was weary both in body and mind, and, +lying down upon my bed, I soon sank into a sound sleep. When I awoke, +daylight was rapidly fading before the shadows of evening. I hastened +down stairs, fearful that I had kept my uncle and aunt waiting for their +tea. I enquired of my aunt if such were the case? She replied saying,-- + +"I gave the hired men their supper at the usual hour, but your uncle and +I have waited to take our tea with you." + +Can it be possible, thought I, that they take their meals with their +hired servants? I had yet to learn the different usages of life in the +city of Philadelphia and in a farm-house in the New England States. I +wisely said nothing to my aunt of what was passing in my mind. Tea being +over, we passed the remainder of the evening in social conversation. We +had much to say, mutually of family matters. I told them many +particulars connected with the death of my mother, of which I had never +informed them by letter. They also told me much concerning their +deceased children. Their son had died at the age of fifteen. As he had a +decided taste for books, my uncle intended giving him an education, +instead of training him to the life of a farmer. For a year previous to +his death he attended school in Massachusetts. Returning home to spend +his vacation, his parents thought his health was impaired, but +attributed it to hard study, for he was naturally studious. They were +hopeful that relaxation from study, with exercise in the open air, would +soon restore him to his usual health. But their hopes were not to be +realized; even then had death marked him for his prey; and consumption, +which was hereditary in his father's family, soon laid him in the grave. +Three months after the grave had closed over their beloved son, Walter, +their daughter, Caroline, fell a victim to a malignant fever, which at +that time prevailed in the neighborhood, and they saw her too laid in +the grave, at the early age of twelve years--thus leaving them childless +and sorrowing. We shed many tears while conversing of our mutual +sorrows; and it was quite a late hour for the simple habits of their +household when we separated for the night. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +NEW OCCUPATIONS. + + +When going down stairs the next morning I was surprised, the hour was +so early, at finding my uncle and aunt, with their two farm servants, +already seated at the breakfast table. I must confess that these two +farm servants seemed to me strangely out of place, sitting thus +familiarly at the same table with their master and mistress. My uncle +introduced them to me, by the names of Mr. Barnes and Mr. Hawkins, their +Christian names being Solomon and Obadiah, and by those names they were +mostly called in my uncle's family. Solomon, was a good humored looking +man of some thirty years of age; he had, I afterwards learned, been for +some years in my uncle's employ. Obadiah was a youth of about seventeen +years of age. His extreme bashfulness in the presence of strangers in +general, and of ladies in particular, caused him to appear very awkward. +Added to this, he was, to use a common term, very homely in his personal +appearance. His hair was very light, almost white; his eyes too were of +a very light color, and uncommonly large and prominent. He was also +freckled, and very much sunburned. He seemed very much over-grown, and +his general appearance suggested the idea that he must be in his own +way--a position of which he seemed painfully conscious. He had a most +unpleasant habit of keeping his eyes constantly in motion. As I was +seated directly opposite to him at the breakfast table, I found it very +difficult to restrain my inclination to laughter, for I could not raise +my eyes without encountering one of those furtive glances. The idea +occurred to me that he was meditating on some means of escape from the +table, and it was with much difficulty that I maintained a becoming +gravity. I was very glad, however, when my uncle made some remark which +provoked a general laugh; but I am ashamed to acknowledge that I looked +to see what effect a smile would have upon the countenance of Obadiah; +but my curiosity, however, was not to be gratified, for, judging by his +appearance, his thoughts were of too serious a nature to admit laughter. +I was glad when breakfast was over, and I am certain that Obadiah was +more than glad. + +My aunt, like most of the farmers' wives in the vicinity, had no +assistance in performing her household work, except in very busy +seasons. I begged of her to allow me to assist her, although I feared +that I should appear very awkward in the performance of duties to which +I was so little accustomed. My aunt at first refused, saying I was not +accustomed to kitchen-work. But when I begged to be allowed to try my +hand in assisting her, she brought me one of her large, checked aprons, +which she advised me to put on. Thus attired, I washed and wiped the +breakfast dishes, and arranged them in her spotless cupboard, saying to +her that, while I remained an inmate of her house, she must allow me to +assist her to the best of my ability, adding that I should be much +happier if allowed to assist in her labors, than otherwise. Seeing me so +anxious, my aunt allowed me to take my own way in the matter. I +succeeded much better than I had feared; and when the morning's work was +finished, my aunt laughingly said that, with a little practice, she +thought I should make a very useful kitchen-maid. + +In the afternoon she invited me to accompany her to the room which had +been her daughter's. The room was tastefully, though not richly +furnished. + +"This," said my aunt, "was Caroline's room from her childhood. I have +never allowed anything to be disturbed in the room since her death, +except that I occasionally air and dust it. I suppose I am somewhat +childish and fanciful; but it would pain me to see this room occupied by +another." + +Over the mantel-piece--for almost every room in my uncle's house +contained a fire-place--there hung a picture of my cousin Caroline, +taken six months previous to her death. I drew nigh to look at the +picture. One glance told me that she had indeed been a beautiful child. +The picture was enclosed in a beautiful frame of leather-work, which had +been the work of her own hands. I gazed long upon the fair picture, +fondly hoping that the loss her friends had sustained, by her death, was +her eternal gain, by being thus early removed from a world of sin and +sorrow to her home in Heaven. Opening a drawer in a small bureau, my +aunt told me to look at her school-books. + +By examining the books I was convinced that she must have been a child +of no ordinary capacity, for her age. I also examined some of her +apparel, with many other articles, which had been presents to her from +friends. + +Seeing the tears, which I found impossible to repress, my aunt became so +much affected that I made some pretext for hastening our departure from +the room; and, when we went down stairs, I endeavored to turn our +conversation to some cheerful subject, to divert her mind from her +sorrow, which had been vividly recalled by our visit to that lonely +room. + +The view which my uncle's residence afforded of the surrounding country +was very pleasing to the beholder. Whatever way the eye turned, it +rested upon well-cultivated farms, on which were erected comfortable +and, in many instances, handsome and commodious dwellings. + +In the distance, the summits of the White Mountains were distinctly +visible, they being about twenty miles distant from my uncle's +residence. + +Mr. and Mrs. Egmont, according to promise, paid us a visit before +leaving Littleton. My uncle and aunt were much pleased by their friendly +and social manner; and, when they took their leave, we parted from them +with sincere regret. They left Littleton soon after, on their homeward +journey. + +Three weeks had now passed since my arrival at my uncle's home, and I +found myself daily becoming more and more attached to my kind uncle and +aunt. Obadiah appeared to feel much more at his ease in my presence than +at the first. When I learned that he was an orphan-boy and had no home, +I felt a deep sympathy for him; but still, when I encountered one of +those glances, I often found it very difficult to avoid laughter. I +learned from my aunt that he, being left an orphan, had been put to work +at a very early age; and, consequently, had had but few advantages for +study and improvement. He could read tolerably, and write a little. My +aunt was of the opinion that notwithstanding his peculiarities, he was +possessed of good common sense, and would make good progress in study if +he had any one to render him the necessary assistance. I at once offered +to assist him in his studies, and proposed to him that he should spend a +portion of the long evenings in study. He seemed at the first to be +somewhat startled by my proposition; but, seeing that I was in earnest, +gladly consented, and forthwith commenced his studies. My aunt cautioned +me about laughing, if he should chance to make comical blunders; and it +was well that she did so, for some of his blunders were laughable in the +extreme; but "forewarned is forearmed." After a time I learned that he +really possessed an intellect of no mean order. He soon made rapid +progress in study. He seemed fully to appreciate the pains I took in +teaching him, and endeavored, by many little acts of kindness, to show +his gratitude to me. + +Soon after my arrival, my aunt, one day, said to me,-- + +"I hope you will feel happy with us; for I wish you to consider our +house as your home for the future. You know not," she continued, "how +glad I am of your company, and how your presence cheers us; we will +gladly adopt you as our daughter, if you can be happy with us." + +I thanked her with tears in my eyes, and added that I was very happy in +receiving so warm a welcome to their home, and would gladly do my utmost +to fill a daughter's place to them. I further informed my aunt that I +should be very happy to consider her house as my home, but that I should +prefer teaching, as soon as I could find a desirable situation, as such +had been my intention when I left Philadelphia. But when I mentioned the +subject to my uncle, he seemed much hurt that I should think of such a +thing. I told him that the wish to teach did not proceed from any +feeling of discontent in my home, but that I thought it wrong to remain +idle, while possessing an education which qualified me for usefulness. +He replied that if I felt anxious to teach, we would talk about it the +following spring; but, said he, you must think no more about it for this +winter, at any rate; and so the subject was suffered to drop. + +We led a very quiet life at my uncle's that winter. We saw but little +company, except that occasionally the wife of some neighboring farmer +would drop in to take a social cup of tea with my aunt. + +There was a maiden lady residing in the village of Littleton who was +always a welcome visitor at my uncle's residence,--her name was Miss +Priscilla Simmonds. She was somewhat advanced in years, and of a very +mild and prepossessing appearance. Upon the death of her parents, which +took place many years before, she was left the owner and sole tenant of +the house in which she lived. She lived entirely alone, and was +considered a very valuable person in the village. She seemed, upon all +occasions, to adapt herself readily to surrounding circumstances. At +merrymakings, no one was so lively or social as Miss Simmonds: in the +chamber of sickness, no hand so gentle and no step so light as hers; and +when death visited a household, her services were indispensible. +Although occupying a humble position in life, she was very much +respected by all who knew her. Very few there were in the vicinity but +could recall some act of kindness from Miss Simmonds, rendered either to +themselves or their friends; and many there were who could remember the +time when her hands had prepared the form of some loved relative for its +last resting-place in the grave. Thus was Miss Simmonds bound to the +hearts of the people of Littleton, as by a strong cord. In person she +was tall; she had fine dark eyes, and her hair was lightly sprinkled +with grey. From the expression which her countenance wore at times, I +gathered the idea that she had, at some period of her life, experienced +some deep sorrow. I one day enquired of my aunt if such were not the +case. She gave me an evasive reply, and, perceiving that she wished to +avoid the subject, I made no further enquiries. + +I trust the reader will pardon this digression from my story. + +In the course of the winter my uncle gave a party, to afford me an +opportunity of becoming acquainted with the young people of the place. +If the party lacked some of the forms and ceremonies practised in the +city drawing-rooms upon like occasions, it certainly was not wanting in +real enjoyment. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +SCHOOL AT MILL TOWN. + + +I believe there is no season more favorable to sober reflection than +when we find ourselves alone, after mingling for a time in a scene of +mirth and gaiety. After the departure of our guests, and my uncle and +aunt had retired to rest, I indulged in a long fit of musing, as I sat +alone by the kitchen-fire. In the silence and loneliness of the hour, my +thoughts turned to my former home, and to the circumstances which had +caused me to leave it; and although I had resolved to think no more of +Willie Leighton, somehow or other, on this occasion, I found my thoughts +wandering to him and to the seeming fatality which had separated us. The +only living relatives of whom I had any knowledge were my uncle and +aunt, and the before-mentioned aunt of my mother. + +But a circumstance which I had heard my father mention in my childhood +had of late often recurred to my mind. I recollected often hearing my +father speak of a twin-brother, and that they had been left orphans at +the age of eight years; also, that he, my father, had been adopted by a +gentleman residing about fifty miles from the city of Philadelphia, who +had given him a very good business education, and had procured for him a +situation in the city when he became of suitable age. But the case had +been different with his brother Charles. He too had been adopted, but by +a very different kind of man from the one who had received my father. He +did not give him sufficient education to qualify him for mercantile +business, and at the time that Mr. Williams procured a situation for my +father in the city, his brother Charles was apprenticed to learn the art +of printing. He had, it seemed, entertained a dislike to the employment +from the first, which increased to such a degree that he ran away from +his employer; and instead of returning to his former home, he left the +city. He was then fifteen years of age. My father had never been able to +gain any tidings from him, and at length came to the conclusion that he +must be dead. I know not why it was, but of late this circumstance had +haunted my mind continually. The idea seemed to fix itself in my mind +that I should yet see this long-lost uncle. I tried to banish the +thought as an absurdity, but was unable to do so. As the idea returned +to my mind with such frequency, I ceased trying to banish it, and prayed +that what I now thought to be an idle fancy might prove a happy reality. + +How cheering to us is the return of spring, after the deep snows and +severe frosts of winter. + +I very much enjoyed the sugar-making season at my uncle's farm. I +derived all the more pleasure from its being to me such a novelty. + +Although quite happy in my uncle's home, I still wished to carry out my +former design of teaching, and as the season advanced, I again spoke to +my uncle and aunt upon the subject. They were at first very unwilling to +yield their consent; but, as they perceived that I was really anxious +about the matter, they yielded their assent to my wishes. + +About five miles west of my uncle's farm was the small village of Mill +Town, so called from the number of different mills erected on the fine +water-privilege it contained. As the village was small, it contained but +two schools; one a public school, and the other a select school, which +had for three years been taught by a young lady from the State of Maine, +who had relatives residing at Mill Town. But Miss Landon, for such was +the lady's name, intended returning to her home in Maine in the month of +June. I had formed a very pleasant acquaintance with this young lady +during the winter, and she strongly advised me to secure her pupils, if +I wished to teach, promising to use her influence to aid me in obtaining +pupils; and, owing to her kindness, I had no difficulty in obtaining a +sufficient number of pupils for opening a school. I was very glad to +obtain a situation so near my home, that I might be able to visit my +uncle and aunt at least once every week, and spend my Sabbaths with +them. + +"After all," said my uncle, "I don't know but you are right in wishing +to teach, and I dare say, will be happier thus employed than otherwise." + +Accordingly, I opened my school about the middle of June, with +twenty-five pupils. I had made arrangements to board in the house of the +minister, who resided in the village. His name was Mr. Northwood, or +Parson Northwood, as he was usually called by the villagers. He was very +much respected on account of his many excellent qualities both as pastor +and friend. His family consisted of himself, his wife, and two little +girls, who attended my school. + +I was highly pleased with my school at Mill Town. My pupils were mostly +girls between the ages of ten and fifteen years. I had one class of +quite young boys, whose parents preferred a select to a public school. + +Many years have passed since I was wont to summon those loved pupils +around me in that little school-room. Since that period, when far +removed from those scenes, and surrounded by circumstances widely +different, memory oft recalled those pupils in that New England village. + +About this time I received a letter from Aunt Patience. The letter +informed me that her health was somewhat impaired, and that she sensibly +felt the approaching infirmities of age. I knew not her exact age, but I +was certain that she must be considerably advanced in years. She stated +that she was quite happy in her home, but added,-- + +"My Dear Clara, I had thought to have ended my days with your dear +mother; and when the thought comes home to my mind, that she is now no +more, it makes me very sad." + +I was happy to know that, owing to the provision made for her, Aunt +Patience enjoyed all the comforts of life. Since her removal to +Massachusetts we had not often corresponded; but, as often as I did +write, I enclosed a small sum from my own earnings, lest the interest of +the deposit should prove insufficient for all her wants. + +My mother left with me the injunction that, should my own life be +spared, never to forget Aunt Patience in her old age: and I would +cheerfully have endured any privation myself, if, by so doing, I could +have added to her happiness; for the injunction of my dying mother I +regarded as most sacred. + +I closed my school for the summer holidays, and I was, as well as my +pupils, glad to be released from the school-room during the sultry +weather which prevails in the month of August. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +A HAPPY RE-UNION. + + +Upon my return home, my uncle said he thought I should enjoy a change of +air and scene for a time as he fancied I was looking pale and thin. I +replied that I felt quite well, and felt no wish to leave my home during +vacation. + +However, about this time, a party was formed among my acquaintances for +visiting the White Mountains, and they were anxious that I should make +one of their number; and, as my uncle and aunt strongly advised me to +go, I at length consented. + +The sublime scenery of the White Mountains has been so often and so ably +described by tourists, that any description from me would be +superfluous. Upon our arrival at the Profile House, we found it so much +crowded with guests that we had no little difficulty in obtaining +accommodation. When one party left, the vacancy was almost immediately +filled up by fresh arrivals of pleasure-seekers. Every one seemed highly +to enjoy themselves, and time passed swiftly away. + +I was one evening seated on the piazza, engaged in a very pleasant +conversation with several ladies and gentlemen, who, like me, had sought +the piazza to enjoy the refreshing coolness of the evening air, after an +intensely hot day. I noticed a carriage approaching in which several +persons were seated. I did not at first pay much attention, as the +arrival of strangers was a matter of very frequent occurrence; but, as +the carriage drew nigh, my attention was riveted by a lady seated +therein. She made some smiling remark as one of the gentlemen stepped +from the carriage and assisted her to alight. That smile was +sufficient--it was the very smile of Miss Edmonds, the same happy smile +which had so pleased my fancy years ago. The seven years which had +passed since I had seen her had somewhat changed her countenance; but +her smile was the same. As she took the arm of the gentleman who +accompanied her, and ascended the steps of the piazza, I stepped forward +and spoke to her as any stranger might accost another in a place of +public resort. I wished to see if she would recognize me. She replied to +me only as she might have done to any other stranger, but without the +least sign of recognition. Perceiving that she did not recognize me, I +went near to her and said,-- + +"Can it be possible, Miss Edmonds, that you have forgotten your old +pupil, Clara Roscom?" + +In a moment I was clasped in her arms and felt her kisses upon my cheek. +Turning to the gentleman whose arm she had left, she said,-- + +"Allow me, Miss Roscom, to introduce to you Mr. Harringford, my +husband." + +I acknowledged the introduction as well as my feelings of joyful +excitement would admit of, for I knew of no other friend whose presence +would afford me so much happiness as she with whom I had so unexpectedly +met. Seeing that she looked very much fatigued, I conducted her at once +to my own apartment. She was very anxious to learn all that had befallen +me since we parted in Philadelphia, but I insisted upon her resting +before entering upon the long conversation which we anticipated enjoying +together. + +When Miss Edmonds, or Mrs. Harringford as I must now call her, had +somewhat recovered from her fatigue, we derived mutual satisfaction from +a long and confidential conversation. In giving me a brief sketch of her +life during the time we had been separated, Mrs. Harringford said,-- + +"On going to New York, I obtained a situation as governess, which, for +various reasons, I did not like, and I decided upon seeking another +situation. I chanced about this time to meet with a lady whose home was +in South Carolina. Her husband had business which required his presence +in the City of New York, and he had prevailed upon her to accompany him. +The lady had, some years before, formed a slight acquaintance with Mrs. +Leonard, the lady in whose house I was employed as governess, and when +she visited the city she sought out Mrs. Leonard, and their former +acquaintance was resumed. During one of her visits I happened to hear +her remark that a friend of hers, residing in Greenville, S. C., had +commissioned her if possible to find her a governess for her three +little daughters, who would be willing to remain for some years, and the +salary she offered was very liberal. Instantly my resolution to go South +was taken. As I had anticipated, I had some difficulty in obtaining the +consent of my parents to my undertaking, but, when they found that my +heart was really set on going, they at length consented. I felt no fears +regarding the journey, as I was to accompany Mr. and Mrs. Carlton on +their homeward journey, and they promised to see me safely at my new +home. It is needless for me to dwell upon particulars. I spent more than +four years in the family of Mr. Leslie, where I went as governess. I was +kindly treated by them, and shall ever remember them with gratitude. +During the last six months of my residence with the Leslies, I became +acquainted with Mr. Harringford, who is now my husband. He was +transacting some business in Greenville, which detained him for a +considerable time. I often met him at parties. We were mutually pleased +with each other, and, when he left Greenville, I was his promised wife. +My home is now at Jackson, in Tennessee, where Mr. Harringford resided +previous to our marriage. + +"I felt a strong desire to visit my parents, at New York, this summer; +and, as Mr. Harringford had heard much of the beautiful scenery of the +White Mountains, he persuaded me to accompany him to New Hampshire for +the purpose of visiting them, and to that circumstance I owe the +happiness of again meeting with you. I have ever remembered you as the +bashful school girl I left in Philadelphia, and when I found you so much +changed you cannot wonder that I failed to recognize you." + +In my turn I narrated to Mrs. Harringford the events of my life since we +parted. Her tears flowed often as she listened to the particulars of my +mother's death, for she had much loved any mother. I kept nothing back, +not even the circumstance which had caused me to leave Mrs. Leighton. +The intimate friendship existing between us made it easy for me to speak +freely to Mrs. Harringford. She informed me that she intended visiting +Philadelphia before returning South, as she had many old friends +residing there. As she contemplated visiting the Leightons, I exacted +from her a promise that she would conceal from them her knowledge of my +residence. I had never once heard from them since leaving Philadelphia. + +Mrs. Burnside was the only one with whom I had corresponded; and I had +requested her to avoid mentioning the Leightons in her letters to me. +But of late I had felt a strong desire to hear from them, and I +requested Mrs. Harringford to give me some account of the family in the +letter she proposed writing from Philadelphia. + +The party of young friends who had accompanied me from Littleton were +quite ready to return at the expiration of a week; but Mrs. Harringford +intended remaining a week longer, and she was very anxious that I should +remain with her. I therefore allowed my friends to return without me. I +wished to enjoy the society of Mrs. Harringford as long as possible, for +I thought it quite probable that we might never meet again. + +We spent a happy week together after the return of my friends to +Littleton. The only shadow upon our happiness was the thought--how soon +we must be parted, perhaps for life. From all I observed of Mr. +Harringford I thought him to be worthy, in every respect, of the bride +he had won. + +Happy days pass swiftly by, and the morning soon arrived when we must +bid each other adieu. Before we parted, Mrs. Harringford drew a costly +diamond ring from her finger, and, placing it upon mine, said,-- + +"Wear this, my dear Clara, for my sake; and, when you look upon it think +of me, who will often think of you, and will pray for your happiness +both here and here-after." + +The moment of parting had arrived. We parted on the piazza of the +Profile House; they to proceed on their journey, and I to return to my +uncle and aunt. + +I have never since met with Mrs. Harringford. The ring she gave me at +parting still encircles my finger, and when I gaze upon it I often think +of the loved friend who placed it there. + +I received an affectionate welcome from my uncle and aunt upon my +return, and I was truly glad to find myself once more at home. Mrs. +Harringford had promised to take an early opportunity of writing to me, +and I had requested her to give me some account of the Leightons. +Separate from other causes, I felt anxious to hear from Birdie and +Lewis, for I was strongly attached to those two affectionate children. A +letter from her arrived in due time. After giving me information of many +of my former friends, she said,-- + +"And now, Clara, it only remains for me to give you an account of my +visit to Mrs. Leighton, although I fear I shall give you pain instead of +pleasure by so doing. When I called on Mrs. Leighton, I was struck with +surprise at her changed appearance. You doubtless remember, Clara, what +beautiful hair Mrs. Leighton had. You will scarcely credit me when I +inform you that it is now thickly sprinkled with grey. She appeared like +one who struggled with some secret sorrow. An air of sadness seemed to +reign in the home, where formerly all was joy and happiness. Mrs. +Leighton so strongly urged us to spend the night with them that we could +not refuse. Laura was absent, visiting some friends in the country. +Georgania and Bertha were both absent, attending school. Lewis has not +yet been sent from home, but attends school in the city. He has grown a +fine, manly-looking boy. He made many enquiries of me, if I had seen or +heard from you? I was sorry that I was not at liberty to tell him how +lately I had seen you, for I am sure that it would have afforded him +much pleasure. My enquiry for Willie caused a pained expression to cross +the countenance of both Mr. and Mrs. Leighton. Mr. Leighton replied +briefly by saying, 'Willie is at present in England.' Later in the +evening, when the gentlemen had gone out, Mrs. Leighton said to me,--'As +you are an old friend, Mrs. Harringford, I will explain to you the cause +of Willie's absence. You doubtless remember Clara Roscom who was a +former pupil of yours. After you left Philadelphia, she completed her +education at a distant boarding school, and soon after her return home I +engaged her as governess in my family. We soon learned to love and +respect Miss Roscom, on account of her many excellent qualities, and we +treated her very kindly. She left us to attend to her mother during the +illness which terminated in her death, and after that event she again +returned to us. But, to tell you all in a few words, Willie fell in love +with her, and asked her to become his wife. When I first learned the +fact I suppose I made use of some rather strong language to Miss Roscom, +so much so that she left my house that very night. She remained for a +short time with a Mrs. Burnside, who resides in the city and then left +Philadelphia, and we have never since been able to gain any knowledge of +her residence. If Mrs. Burnside knows anything of her she gives no +information upon the subject. I have no doubt that she is governed by +Miss Roscom's direction, for she possessed a proud spirit. I regret some +things I said to her, but the thought of Willie, our pride, uniting +himself by marriage to our governess put me almost beside myself with +indignation. But Willie was so blinded by his love for her that all +considerations of family or wealth were as nothing to him. When he +learned that Miss Roscom had left the city, and he found himself unable +to learn anything of her, he became embittered towards us all. He soon +after declared his intention of returning to England; but what grieves +me most of all is, that he will hold no correspondence with us since +leaving home. He has now been ten months absent. We have written to him +again and again, but have received no reply.' As she concluded, Mrs. +Leighton burst into a flood of tears, which, for some time, she was +unable to check. You may believe me, Clara, when I tell you that you are +happier today, while attending to the duties of your school, than is +Mrs. Leighton, in her luxurious home." + +Such was, in substance, the information which Mrs. Harringford's letter +afforded me. I almost regretted having sought the information, for it +made me very unhappy. It grieved me much to learn that Willie was +self-exiled from his home and friends. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +MISS SIMMONDS' STORY. + + +The fifteenth of September found me again installed in my position as +teacher in my school at Mill Town. I still continued to board in the +family of Parson Northwood. I retained all my former pupils, with the +addition of several new ones. + +Miss Simmonds had often invited me to pay her a visit in her home at +Littleton, but I had as yet found no convenient opportunity for so +doing. One Friday evening I decided to pay the long promised visit, and +remain over the Sabbath with Miss Simmonds. She seemed very glad to see +me, and gave me a friendly welcome to her humble home. But, humble as it +was, it presented a picture of neatness and cozy comfort. After tea, and +when her light household duties had all been carefully performed, we +seated ourselves by a cheerful fire in her little sitting-room, and +prepared to spend the long evening in social conversation. I had always +been very fond of the company of Miss Simmonds. Her conversational +powers were very good, and she was sufficiently well informed to render +her a very agreeable companion. As the night closed in, one of those +violent storms of wind and rain came on, which are so frequent in the +Eastern States during the month of November. The beating of the storm +without caused our warm and well-lighted room to seem all the more +cheerful. As the evening advanced I observed that Miss Simmonds grew +thoughtful; and, although she endeavored to be social, it was evident +that her mind was occupied by something else than the subject of +conversation. After a short silence, she addressed me suddenly, +saying,-- + +"I feel inclined, Clara, to relate a story to you, which at least has +the merit of truth; for it is a chapter from my own life." + +I gladly assented to listen to her story, for since I first met Miss +Simmonds I had entertained an idea that there was something of romance +attached to her life. + +"Thirty years ago," began Miss Simmonds, "I was not the faded, +care-worn woman which you now see before you. I was born in this +village. My parents were poor but industrious people. They were blessed +with two children, myself, and a brother, who was two years younger than +I; but, ere he reached the age of ten, we were called to lay him in the +grave, leaving me the sole comfort and joy of my bereaved parents. They +had very much loved my little brother; and, when death claimed him, all +the love which he would have shared with me, had he lived, was lavished +upon me. There is little in my childhood and youth worthy of notice, as +we occupied an humble sphere in life. I suppose you will hardly credit +me, Clara, when I tell you that, at the age of sixteen I was called +beautiful. It was something to which I had given but little thought; but +the ear of youth is ever open to flattery, and I must confess that my +vanity was flattered by being called beautiful by the residents of the +then small village of Littleton. + +"When I was about eighteen years of age," continued Miss Simmonds, "a +young lawyer, by the name of Almont, opened an office in this village, +for the practice of his profession. He came among us suddenly, and he +informed those with whom he first made acquaintance, that he had +formerly resided in Massachusetts. Many wondered at his locating himself +here, as the village was then but small, and offered few inducements to +professional men. + +"He was very affable and pleasing in his address, and soon made the +acquaintance of many of the young people of the village, and we soon +found him to be a very agreeable addition to our pic-nic excursions and +other parties for pleasure and amusement. He paid marked attention to me +from the time when we first became acquainted; and, to shorten my story, +after an acquaintance of six months, he asked me to become his wife. I +am now an old woman, Clara, and need not blush to tell you that I had +learned to love him with a deep affection, and I yielded a willing +assent, provided that my parents approved. True, I had no knowledge of +his connections or former life; but since his residence in our village, +his conduct had been irreproachable, and he was fast gaining the respect +and confidence of all who knew him. There was something very attractive +in his personal appearance; he seemed to have seen much of the world, +for so young a man, for he spoke in a familiar manner of many distant +scenes and places. When he sought my hand in marriage, my parents did +not object. He was gaining quite a lucrative practice both in Littleton +and adjacent places, and he declared his intention of making Littleton +his permanent home. Doubtless, this influenced my parents to favor his +suit, as the thought of my settling in my native village was very +pleasing to them. He was very much flattered by society, and I was all +the more pleased to find myself the object of his choice. When our +engagement became known, I had good reason for believing myself to be +envied by many of my female acquaintances. Neither they nor I were aware +how soon their envy was to be turned to pity. An early day was appointed +for our marriage, and my poor parents exerted themselves to give me a +suitable wedding outfit. About this time, Mr. Almont had business which +obliged him to leave Littleton for a short time. When he bade me adieu I +felt a foreboding of evil; and, after he had gone, I experienced a +depression of spirits, for which I could not account. But, when he had +been a week absent, and I received from him a cheerful letter, informing +me of his return in a few days, I strove to banish my sad thoughts and +busied myself in preparing my wedding outfit. Going one day to the Post +Office, with the expectation of finding there a letter from Mr. Almont, +I received this instead." + +As she spoke, Miss Simmonds unfolded a letter, which I had observed her +take from a drawer before commencing her story. It read thus:-- + +"Boston, June 4th, 18--. + +"To Miss Priscilla Simmonds: + +Although you are, personally, a stranger to me, I nevertheless take the +liberty of addressing you. By the merest chance I learned your name and +residence, also, that you are shortly to be united in marriage to Mr. +George Almont, a lawyer from the city of Boston. + +"I felt it an imperative duty, before that event shall take place, to +inform you that I am the wedded wife of the same George Almont, whom you +are about to marry. He came to Boston about five years since, having, as +he said, just completed his studies in the city of New York. He opened +an office in this city for the practice of his profession; and, as his +external appearance was pleasing, he soon gained an entrance into good +society. I need not inform you that he was likely to make a favorable +impression upon the mind of a young lady just entering society. He rose +rapidly in his profession; and although my parents were wealthy, when +they saw how deeply I was attached to him, they did not object to my +receiving his addresses, as he bid fair to rise to a position of wealth +and influence. It is needless, as well as painful, for me to dwell upon +the subject. Two years after he first came to Boston we were married. We +soon removed to our own dwelling, which was a wedding gift to me, from +my father. For a time he treated me with the utmost kindness and +affection. But you may believe me, Miss Simmonds, when I inform you that +he has been a dissipated, unprincipled man from his youth. His seemingly +correct habits had merely been put on, for the purpose of gaining him an +entrance into respectable society. When he began to treat me with +indifference and neglect, for a long time I bore it in silence; but I +was at length forced to acquaint my parents of the matter. My father +soon took measures to ascertain what manner of life he had led while +pursuing his studies in New York; and the information he gained was very +discreditable to Mr. Almont. But my parents advised me, as we were +married, to try if, by kindness, I could not reclaim him from his evil +ways. I willingly followed their advice, for I still loved him; but, I +suppose the restraint which for a time he had imposed upon himself made +him all the more reckless when he returned to his evil courses. He soon +seemed to lose all respect for me as well as for himself; and his +conduct became so vicious that my father recalled me to his home, and +forbade Mr. Almont from ever again entering his dwelling. I could, I +presume, have obtained a divorce from him with little difficulty, but I +shrank from the publicity attached to such a course. I still reside with +my father and mother. Mr. Almont left Boston soon after I returned to my +parents. We heard nothing of him for some time; but we lately heard from +a reliable source that he was residing in Littleton, in New Hampshire, +and also of his approaching marriage. Nothing but a sense of duty would +have induced me to make this communication to you. I would save another +young life from being shadowed by the same cloud which has darkened +mine. Should you doubt the truth of what I have written, you can easily +satisfy yourself, by either visiting this city in person, or causing any +of your relatives so to do. Enclosed you will find the street and number +of my residence. I sincerely hope you will receive this communication in +the spirit in which it is written, and that is, one of kindness, and a +desire to save you from the sorrows which I have experienced. + +"Yours truly, + +"Malvina Almont." + +Miss Simmonds continued,-- + +"You may be able to imagine, but I cannot describe the effect produced +upon my mind by the perusal of this letter. I felt stupefied and +bewildered. How I reached my home I could never tell. I entered the +house just as my father and mother were sitting down to their noon-day +meal. As soon as my mother caught sight of me she enquired of me what +was the matter? I suppose the agony of my mind was depicted upon my +countenance. Without a word, I placed the letter in her hand, which, +after perusing, she handed to my father. The natural temper of my father +was rash and impulsive, and the contents of that letter exasperated him +beyond control. He used many bitter words, and threatened dire vengeance +upon young Almont, should he ever again enter our dwelling. My mother +begged of him to desist, saying that if he were indeed guilty, as the +letter proved him to be, his sin would certainly bring its own +punishment. When we had succeeded in quieting the anger of my father, we +were able to converse upon the matter in a calm and rational manner. We +finally decided that my father should read the letter to Mr. Almont upon +his return, and see what effect it would produce upon him. Three days +later he came. He entered our dwelling and accosted us with his usual +bland and smiling manner. In a short time, my father turned and +said,--'During your absence, Mr. Almont, my daughter has received a most +unaccountable letter which I wish to read to you, hoping you may be able +to explain it.' The paleness which overspread his countenance on hearing +my father's words put to flight the hope I had cherished that he would +be able to prove the letter a falsehood. Without any further remark, my +father read the letter to him, word for word. As he concluded he +said,--'And now, Mr. Almont, unless you are prepared to prove the +information contained in this letter to be untrue, I wish you +immediately to leave my dwelling, and, if you take my advice, you will +also leave this village, for I cannot abide the sight of a wretch such +as this letter proves you to be, and your silence be as testimony to its +truth. Begone! I say, from the humble, but, heretofore, happy home, +which your baseness has darkened by sorrow.' As my father uttered these +words, he stamped with his foot, and pointed to the door. Without a +word, Mr. Almont left the house, and on the day following, we learned +that he had left Littleton, and gone no one knew whither. Many surmises +arose concerning his sudden departure, for it was well known that we +were engaged to be married, but no one had any knowledge of the facts of +the matter. When the wonder had subsided, which any unusual event +occasions in a small village, the subject was suffered to rest. I felt +stricken as by a sudden blow. I felt no interest in life, but I +endeavored, when in the presence of my parents, to assume a cheerfulness +which was far from being the real state of my mind. + +"To a few and tried friends only did we make known the real truth of +the circumstances attending the departure of Mr. Almont from Littleton. +Time passed on. Those who knew my sorrows respected them, and the name +of George Almont ceased to be mentioned among our acquaintances. But it +was something which I could never cease to remember. I had loved George +Almont as one of my nature can love but once in her life, and, when I +learned that I had been deceived in regard to his true character, the +knowledge was very bitter to me. I loved him still--not as he really +was, but I still loved the memory of what I had supposed him to be, when +I gave him my affection. There are few lessons in life more bitter to +either man or woman than to find themselves deceived by one to whom they +have given their best affections. For a time I yielded to a bitter and +desponding spirit. I excluded myself from all society, and brooded in +solitude over my sorrow. I so far yielded to this unhealthy tone of mind +that I gave up attending church, and I caused my parents much grief and +anxiety by the sullen and apathetic state of mind in which I indulged. + +"During the winter which succeeded the events of which I have spoken, +there was a series of special meetings held in the Congregational Church +in this village. A general interest was manifested in the subjects of +religion by both old and young. Many of those who had been my former +companions were hopefully converted. I had formerly been of a gay and +lively disposition, fond of dress and amusement. The subject of religion +was one to which I had scarcely ever given a thought. The world and its +pleasures occupied my whole heart, and, when the world disappointed me, +I knew not where to turn for comfort. True, I had, from a child, +attended to the outward forms of religion, but my heart was untouched +and I now see that it required a great earthly sorrow to turn my +thoughts heavenward. I at first refused to attend the meetings of which +I have spoken, though often strongly urged to do so, but, one evening, +my parents so strongly urged me to accompany them to hear an aged +minister from another State that I at length consented to go. It is a +matter of thankfulness to me this day that I attended that meeting. As I +have said, the minister was an old man, his hair was white as snow. +There was something remarkably pleasant and venerable in his appearance. +No one who heard his voice and gazed upon his mild countenance, could +doubt that they listened to a good man. During the first prayer, on that +evening, my heart became softened and subdued, and when he gave out his +text, from Matthew xi. chap., 28, and two following verses, I listened +to him with rapt attention. It seemed almost that he understood my +individual case. In the course of his sermon, he said:--'I presume there +are few in this congregation who have not some burden of sorrow which +they would gladly have removed. Shall I tell you how you may be released +from this burden? Kneel humbly at the foot of the Cross; and while you +pray for the forgiveness of your past sins, make a firm resolve, in the +strength of the Lord, that your future life shall be given to His +service; if you do this with sincerity, you shall surely find rest unto +your souls. You need have no fears that you will be rejected, for hath +not the Saviour said:--Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast +out. You may, this very night, exchange your burden of sin and sorrow +for the yoke which is easy and the burden which is light.' + +"I have," said Miss Simmonds, "a distinct recollection of the look and +manner of that aged man as he uttered these words, and it is a matter of +heartfelt thankfulness to me the day that ever I heard his voice; for he +it was who first guided my wandering feet into the paths of peace. When +I returned to my home the words of that good man followed me. I thought +much on the words of his text. Surely, thought I, if all are invited to +come to the Saviour, I must be included in the number. Why may I not go +now? With these thoughts in my mind, I kneeled in prayer. I prayed +earnestly for the pardon of my sins and resolved, from that moment, to +begin a new life. Before rising from my knees I experienced a sense of +pardoning love, and I was happy. + +"It was now that I became sensible of the wrong I had been guilty of, +in allowing my sorrow to cause me to neglect my duties, for there is no +one in any station of life but has claims of duty. I again engaged +actively in the duties of life, with a feeling of thankfulness that I +was privileged to cheer the declining years of my parents. Year after +year passed away. I still remained with my father and mother; and I felt +no wish to leave them, although I had more than one opportunity for so +doing. My mother died at the age of sixty-five. I nursed her tenderly +through a long and painful illness, and closed her eyes in death. My +father and I were now left alone in our home. He was several years older +than my mother. The infirmities of age were coming fast upon him." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +PENITENT, AND FORGIVEN. + + +On a stormy evening, like this, we were sitting together in this room +when our attention was arrested by a timid knock at the door. My father +opened the door, and I heard some one, in a feeble voice, ask permission +to enter the house. My father conducted the stranger in, and gave him a +seat by our cheerful fire. When the stranger entered the room, and I +gained a view of his face, I at once knew that I stood face to face with +George Almont. When I suddenly pronounced his name, my father made a +hasty movement as if to speak with anger, but I gave him an imploring +look and he remained silent. Although greatly changed, it was, +nevertheless, George Almont who was now in our presence. After a few +moments of silence, for after my exclamatory utterance of his name, +neither of us had spoken, he turned his eyes, in which the light of +disease painfully burned, and said,--'You do well not to reproach me; +the time for that is past, for I am, as you may see, on the verge of the +grave. I have striven with disease, that I might reach this place, and +if possible, obtain your forgiveness 'ere my eyes shall close in death. +I know I have darkened a life, which, but for me, might have been bright +and joyous. It is too much for me to expect your forgiveness, yet I +would hear you pronounce that blessed word before I die. You may _now_ +believe me when I say, that it was my love for you which led me to +deceive you. Knowing my wife's dread of any publicity being attached to +her name, I thought the knowledge that I had a living wife would never +reach you. Of the sinfulness of my conduct I did not at that time pause +to think. I now sincerely thank my wife for preventing a marriage which +in the sight of God, must have been but mockery. I now speak truly when +I say to you, I never loved my wife; I married her for money. As I had +no affection for her, my former habits of dissipation soon regained +their hold on me. It will afford me some comfort to know that I have +made strictly true confession to you. I have not, to my knowledge, a +living relation in the wide world; and, till I met with you, I knew not +the meaning of the word love; and I still believe that, had I met you +earlier in life, your influence would have caused me to become a useful +man and an ornament to my profession. But it is useless to talk now of +what cannot be recalled. When I left this village, years ago, I was +equally indifferent as to whither I went or what I did. I felt no wish +to return to my wife; and, had I been then inclined, I well knew the +just contempt and scorn I should meet with, although I believe she had +once loved me. But I knew them to be a proud family, and I felt certain +they would never overlook the disgrace and sorrow I had brought upon +them. I have never since seen my wife, but I lately learned that she, +with the rest of her family, removed to a western city some years ago. +Since leaving this place I have wandered far and wide, never remaining +long in one place. My mind has never been at rest, and, for that reason, +I have been a lonely wanderer all these years. But my dissipated habits +have done their work, and I feel that my earthly course is well nigh +ended. I have dragged my feeble body to your dwelling, with the hope of +obtaining your forgiveness 'ere I am summoned into eternity.' + +"While listening to him, I had seated myself at my father's side. As +he concluded, I said to my father, in a low voice,--'If we forgive not +our fellow-mortal, how can we expect the forgiveness of our Heavenly +Father for our many sins?' I rose from my seat and extending to him +hand, said,--'You have, Mr. Almont, my entire forgiveness for all the +sorrow you have caused me, and I hope you will also obtain the +forgiveness of God.' My father also came forward, and, taking his hand, +granted him his forgiveness. When he finished speaking he seemed +entirely exhausted. My father led him into the adjoining room, and +assisted him to lie down upon his own bed. He also gave him a little +wine, which seemed somewhat to revive him. Observing that he rapidly +grew worse, my father summoned our physician, who was an old friend, and +knew all the circumstances connected with our former acquaintance with +Mr. Almont. When the physician arrived, he expressed the opinion that +death was fast approaching; said he,--'I do not think he will see +another sun rise,'--and he did not. He said but little, and suffered but +little pain; but he sank rapidly. His mind was clear to the last. A +short time before his death, he turned his eyes, over which the film of +death was gathering, to my father, and, with much difficulty, +said,--'Pray--for--me.' My father knelt and implored the mercy of heaven +on the soul that was departing. I could not bear that he should leave +the world without one word in regard to what were his feelings in the +near prospect of death. Going near, I said,--'Do you feel willing to +trust yourself to the Saviour's mercy to penitent sinners?' He gave a +sign of assent, and a more peaceful expression settled on his +countenance. 'I know,' said he in a whisper, 'that I have been a +grievous sinner for many long years, yet the forgiveness guaranteed by +you, whom I have so deeply injured, gives me a hope that God will also +forgive the sins, for which I now trust I feel deeply penitent.' After +this, he lay for a short time in a kind of stupor. Suddenly, he opened +his eyes, and they rested upon my father, who stood by his bed-side. His +lips moved slightly, and my father distinguished the words,--'Pray for +me.' He again knelt and prayed earnestly, in a subdued voice, for the +spirit that was then entering the unknown future. A few moments after, +and the soul of George Almont was summoned to leave its earthly +tenement. When the small procession that had followed his remains to +their last resting-place turned from the new-made grave, the two +following lines from Gray's Elegy came unbidden to my mind:-- + + No further seek his merits to disclose, + Or draw his frailties from their dread abode.' + +"Perhaps, Clara," continued Miss Simmonds, "you may, in your walks +through what is now called 'The Old Burial-ground,' a short distance +from the village, have observed a lonely grave, marked by a plain marble +headstone, and shaded by the branches of an aged tree; you may have +noticed this grave, and never given a thought to the poor mortal who +sleeps there. That is the grave of George Almont. Three years later, my +father died, and I was left alone. Since that period I have lived +sometimes alone, and occasionally spending a short time with any family +who happen to require my services, as I find it necessary to do +something for my own support. I have been able to support myself in +comfort and respectability, and even occasionally to bestow charity in a +small way to those less favored than myself. I know not why I felt so +much inclined to relate these circumstances to you this evening, for you +are the first stranger to whom I ever related the story connected with +my early life. I am no longer young, but the memory of my early sorrows +time can never efface; although, aided by religion, I have learned +resignation and cheerfulness. One thing more," continued Miss Simmonds, +"and I have done." + +Rising, she opened a drawer and, taking a locket therefrom, she placed +it in my hand, saying,-- + +"You may, if you wish, Clara, look upon a picture of George Almont, +taken when he was twenty-five years of age." + +Opening the locket, I looked upon the picture of what must have been a +very fine looking young man. I never beheld a more prepossessing +countenance. No one who looked upon that picture would have dreamed of +the sad story attached to the life of the original. Closing the locket, +I gave it back to Miss Simmonds, who replaced it in the drawer without +once looking upon the picture it contained. In conclusion, Miss Simmonds +said,-- + +"I hope you are not wearied with an old woman's story." + +I assured her that it had deeply interested me, although I feared the +recital had been painful to her. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +A NEW JOY. + + +I returned to my school, after having enjoyed a very pleasant visit with +Miss Simmonds. I thought much of the story she had related to me. I +endeavoured to learn a useful lesson from the cheerful resignation which +Miss Simmonds evinced by her daily life. + +Obadiah still pursued his studies with much zeal; and, upon my return +home, each succeeding week, I gave him all the assistance in my power. +The amount of knowledge he had derived, by devoting his leisure hours to +study, was indeed wonderful. Awkward as he at first appeared to me, I +found, as he progressed in his studies, that he possessed a powerful +intellect, which only required proper culture to enable him to become a +talented and useful man. + +I now pass, with a few words, over a period of two years. During all +this time I had continued the labors of my school at Mill Town, still +considering my uncle's house as my home. Obadiah had, by the advice of +my uncle, gone to pursue his studies in Massachusetts, having decided to +obtain a thorough education. He intended fitting himself for college, +and had saved money sufficient to defray his expenses while so doing, +Miss Simmonds still resided in her home at Littleton, and the longer I +enjoyed her friendship the more did I love and respect her. I had +received several letters from Aunt Patience during the past two years. +She had repeatedly urged me to visit her, but, for various reasons, I +had been unable to do so; but at this time, I determined to pay her a +visit. Accordingly, I prepared for my journey to Woodville a small +village in Massachusetts, where she resided. She was very much pleased +to see me. She was much changed since I had last seen her. Her once +vigorous and active form was beginning to bow beneath the weight of +years. She seemed to be very comfortably situated with her relatives; +for, having but a small family, they were able to give her a quiet home. +I enquired of her if she felt happy in her home? + +"I feel quite happy and contented," she replied, "and have no wish to +leave my present home, till you marry and possess a home of your own, +when I should be very glad to make my home with you." + +I replied that I had no intention of marrying at present but that if +that event should take place during her lifetime, I should be most happy +to receive her into my home. + +The village of Woodville was not large; but its location was romantic +and pleasant, being bounded on one side by a range of high hills, and on +the other by a beautiful river. I was highly pleased with the place, and +with the kind family with whom Aunt Patience resided. When I had spent +about ten days at Woodville, I received a letter from my uncle, +requesting my return home without delay. In a postscript he informed me +that I need not be alarmed, as both he and my aunt were in good health; +but that he did not wish to assign a reason for requesting my return. I +could not imagine what had caused my uncle to summon me home, as he was +aware that I had intended spending several weeks with my aunt; and I +made all possible haste to set out on my homeward journey, and left +Woodville the next morning after receiving my uncle's letter. When my +uncle and aunt met me on my return, I knew by their manner that +something unusual had taken place in my absence; but I judged from the +countenance of both that, whatever the event might be, it was one of joy +rather than sorrow. My uncle soon said,-- + +"Can you bear good news, Clara?" + +I replied that I thought I could. + +"Then," continued my uncle, "I have the happiness of informing you that +the hopes you had so long cherished of seeing your uncle Charles will be +realized, for he has arrived." + +'Ere I could frame a reply, the door of the adjoining room opened, and +my new-found uncle came hastily forward. He evinced much emotion as he +tenderly embraced me, saying,-- + +"Your face strongly reminds me of the twin brother from whom I parted +so many years ago. You know not how happy I am in finding the daughter +of my dear brother." + +I could trace in the features of my uncle Charles a resemblance to my +dear father; but, as my father had died while quite a young man, the +resemblance, at my uncle's time of life, was less striking than +otherwise it might have been. + +My uncle Charles was now sixty-five years old; but travel and exposure +caused him to look much older than he really was. He informed me that he +had first visited Philadelphia with the hope of finding my father; and, +when he learned that my father and mother were both dead, he next +enquired if they left any children? He learned that they left one +daughter, who had resided for some time in the family of the Leightons, +as governess; but had left Philadelphia three years since. He next +sought out the Leightons, hoping to learn my residence; but they of +course could give him no information upon the subject. They directed him +to Mrs. Burnside, who at first was reluctant to give the information he +sought; but, when he informed her of the relationship I bore to him, she +directed him to my uncle Wayland, in New Hampshire, at whose residence +he arrived one week previous to my return from Massachusetts. He soon +after gave us the following brief account of his life, since he left +Philadelphia, when a boy, which I reserve for the succeeding chapter of +my story. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +UNCLE CHARLES. + + +My uncle began his story as follows:-- + +"When I left Philadelphia, I had no definite object in view. I left +without seeing my brother, to avoid the pain of parting, for we tenderly +loved each other. His disposition and mine were widely different; he was +quiet, industrious, and very persevering in whatever he undertook; while +I, on the other hand, was rash, impulsive, and very impatient of +restraint. My adopted father apprenticed me to learn the art of +printing, without in the least consulting my wishes in the matter. It +seemed to me that he might have granted me the privilege of choosing my +employment; and, his failing to do so roused my indignation and doubled +the dislike I already felt to the occupation of a printer. It was very +hard for me to leave without seeing my brother; but I decided that, as +he was very well contented in his situation, I had best go away quietly, +so that, whatever might befall me, I should not be the means of bringing +trouble to him. I had decided to leave my master the first opportunity +that should offer for so doing. He one day gave me a sharp and, as I +thought, unmerited rebuke, and ended by striking me a blow. That blow +caused me to form the decision of leaving him at once, and that very +night I left Philadelphia. I made my way to the city of New York, where +I managed to live for a time by selling newspapers; but my profits were +so small that I soon became disgusted with the employment, and I +obtained the situation of waiter in a large hotel, where I remained for +some time. I often thought of writing to my brother; but I was aware +that the knowledge of my employment would be painful to him, for he was +of a proud and sensitive nature. Time passed on, and I at length sailed +as cabin-boy in a vessel bound for Liverpool, in England. I followed the +sea for many years; and, in the bustle and turmoil of a sailor's life, I +almost forgot my brother, from whom I had been so long separated. Yet +sometimes, in the lonely hours of my night-watch on deck, when out in +mid-ocean, would my thoughts turn to that once-loved brother, and tears +would dim my eyes as memory recalled the days of our early childhood. + +"I rose in my profession till I arrived at the position of second mate. +It was at this time that, during a stay of some weeks duration in an +English port, I met with one who won my affections; and, one year after, +we were married. My wife resided with her friends in England, while I +continued to follow the sea. My wife was to me an object of almost +idolatrous attachment. Each time I visited England, I found it the +harder to bid farewell to my wife, and again embark on the ocean. We had +one child, a beautiful boy. I named him Henry, after my brother. When we +had been two years married, I made a voyage to the Indies, and was +absent nearly two years. When I returned, I learned that my wife and +child had both been for some time dead. When I learned the sad truth I +was like one bereft of reason. I could not reconcile myself to the +thought that, in this world, I could never again behold my beloved wife +and child. The very darkness of despair settled on my mind. I had not +then, as I have since done, looked heavenward for consolation amid the +sorrows of life. + +"I can dwell no longer upon this dark period of my life, but hasten +onward to the close of my story. I continued to follow the life of a +sailor for some years after my bereavement. The hurry and bustle +attendant upon my calling served in some measure to drive away thoughts +of the past; but, after a time I even grew weary of the sea; and when I +heard of the famous gold regions discovered in Australia, I felt a +strong desire to visit the place. The desire of making money had less to +do with my decision of going there than had the wish for change and +excitement of some kind. Accordingly, I abandoned my sailor life, and +made my way among the hundreds who were crowding to the gold regions of +Australia. + +"At that time I was poor, for I had never possessed the faculty for +saving money. I was unaccustomed to the labors of mining, and in many +instances, the knowing ones took me in, and for a long time I realized +but little from my labors. But, as I persevered, against many +discouragements, year after year, I at length began to be successful. I +finally bought a claim, which, quite unexpectedly to me, yielded a +golden harvest, and I soon found myself rich beyond my most sanguine +expectations. + +"Year after year I determined to re-visit Philadelphia; but, by this +time my mind had become much engrossed by money-making, and each +succeeding year brought fresh claims upon my time and attention. + +"Time passed on, till I found myself fast growing old. I felt an intense +longing to return to the land of my birth, and spend the few years which +might remain to me of life in my native city. During my residence in +Australia I met with a man who informed me that he was in Philadelphia +at the time of my brother's marriage; and it was a severe trial when I +found, upon my return, that my brother, and his wife had both been many +years dead. During my homeward journey, I had formed the decision of +spending my remaining days in the home of my brother, as I wished for +quiet and repose. When I learned that they were both dead, all the +affection of my worn and world-weary heart turned toward their orphan +daughter." + +Turning to me my uncle said,-- + +"Will you go, my dear child, and make bright the home of your aged +uncle?" + +I was about to give a joyful assent, when the thought of the kind uncle +and aunt I must leave, caused me to hesitate. It seemed to me that they +possessed a claim upon my affections superior to any other, and I was at +a loss to decide as to what was my duty. I therefore remained silent, +not knowing what reply to make. Observing my hesitation, my uncle +Wayland said,-- + +"Lonely as we shall be without you, my dear Clara, I yet think it your +duty to go with your uncle Charles, who is still more lonely than we. We +must not be selfish; and I think we should feel willing to give you up." + +I was much relieved to know that my uncle and aunt Wayland were willing +that I should go, although I well knew their willingness was caused by +what they considered my duty to my aged relative. + +Till I prepared to leave my uncle and aunt, I knew not how tenderly I +had learned to love them. I resigned my school at Mill Town, with much +sorrow, for I had become strongly attached to my pupils. As my uncle and +aunt tenderly embraced me at parting, my uncle said, while the tears +coursed down his furrowed cheeks,-- + +"Remember, dear Clara, there will ever be for you a daughter's welcome, +both in our hearts and home." + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +LIGHTS AND SHADOWS. + + +I was agitated by many contending emotions as I alighted from the train +which had borne me to Philadelphia; but, along with many sad thoughts, +came the consoling one, that I had not returned to my native city the +friendless being I had left it. + +We stayed for a short time with my old friends, the Burnsides, while my +uncle attended to the business of buying and furnishing a suitable +residence. Before removing to our home, my uncle engaged Mrs. Burnside +to find a person suitable to occupy the position of housekeeper in his +dwelling. It immediately occurred to Mrs. Burnside that my old friend, +Mrs. O'Flaherty, would be well qualified for that position. She had +remained in the service of Mrs. Wallingford since the time when I first +introduced her to the reader; but, fortunately for us, Mr. Wallingford +was about removing his family to a distant State, and they would no +longer require her services. Mrs. O'Flaherty was overjoyed when she +learned that she was to reside with me. When I, in company with Mrs. +Burnside, called to make the necessary arrangements for her removal to +her new home, I could hardly believe that the tidy, well dressed matron +I saw could be the same poor woman to whom I had given food when hungry +and destitute. + +"Indade," exclaimed Mrs. O'Flaherty, "an' I niver expected to see the +happy day whin I would live wid you in a home av yer own." + +The matter was soon arranged, and an early day appointed for her to +commence her duties as housekeeper in the dwelling of my uncle. + +It was quite a change for me to find myself so suddenly removed from my +position as teacher in a small school and installed as mistress in my +uncle's elegant home in Walnut Street, Philadelphia. We found Mrs. +O'Flaherty very trustworthy, and well qualified in every way for her +position. + +Soon after our return to Philadelphia, my uncle accompanied me to the +graves of my parents. I cannot describe my feelings when I found myself, +after so long an absence, again standing by the spot where reposed the +dust of my loved father and mother. I seemed almost to feel their +presence, and the tears I shed were gentle and refreshing. Seated by +those graves, I, for the first time, spoke to my uncle of the +circumstances which had caused me to leave Mrs. Leighton, and remove +from Philadelphia. He expressed much sympathy for me and said,-- + +"You should endeavor to banish these circumstances from your mind. You +are young, and, I trust, have yet many years of happy life before you." + +I learned from Mrs. Burnside that Mr. Leighton had lately met with +several heavy losses in business. William was still in England. He had +written two or three letters to Birdie, but had corresponded with no +other member of the family. Laura and Georgania had both married, and +removed to a distant city. Birdie had finished her studies, and returned +home. Lewis was attending school some two hundred miles from the city. + +Mrs. Burnside further informed me that the health of Mrs. Leighton was +very much impaired. According to the information I gained from Mrs. +Burnside, there seemed to have been a great change in the family of Mr. +Leighton since I left Philadelphia. + +Time passed happily away in my new home. We often saw company, for all +my old friends soon sought me out, when they learned of my return to the +city; and my uncle, being of a social disposition, extended a kindly +welcome to them all. Birdie Leighton called. I was truly glad to see +her, and she seemed equally happy to meet me; but our meeting could not +be otherwise than constrained and formal; and, owing to circumstances, +anything like intimacy was, of course, out of the question. I had almost +forgotten to mention that, among the first to call upon me in my new +home, were Mrs. and Miss Kingsley, for she was _Miss_ Kingsley still; +the same who were so much shocked by meeting with a governess at a +fashionable party. Surely, thought I, my uncle's money is working +wonders, when I am already patronized by the exclusive Mrs. Kingsley. +Their call I have never yet returned. + +While walking one day, with a friend, I caught a glimpse of Mrs. +Leighton, as she rode past in her carriage. She was so much changed +that, at the first, I hardly recognized her; but, upon looking more +closely, I saw that it was indeed Mrs. Leighton. + +A year and a half had now glided by since my return to Philadelphia. +Nothing worthy of note had taken place during this time. + +The last letter from my friends in New Hampshire informed me that +Obadiah was still pursuing his studies, with a view to the ministry. +This afforded me but little surprise, as I had often heard him make +remarks which led me to think he had an inclination to that calling. + +One sultry evening in August, I retired early to my own room, as I was +suffering from a severe head-ache. The usual remedies afforded me relief +from pain; but I found myself unable to sleep. As the hour grew late, my +nervous restlessness so much increased that, abandoning the idea of +rest, I rose and lighted my lamp. I felt almost alarmed at my own +agitation, which seemed so unaccountable, I seemed to feel the +foreshadowing of some unusual event. After a time, I closed my window, +and was about to extinguish my lamp and again seek repose, when I was +startled by the sudden ringing of fire-bells. Hastily unclosing my +window, I heard the sound of "Fire! fire!" echoed by many voices, and +accompanied by the hasty tread of many feet upon the pavement. I +observed the appearance of fire a few streets distant, but was unable to +make out its exact location. I listened eagerly, hoping to gain from the +many voices which reached my ears some account of the burning building. +Presently the words--"Mr. Leighton's house is burning!" reached my +excited ears. I saw that the fire was raging fearfully, as the adjacent +streets were becoming lighter by the flames. I was about to call my +uncle, when I heard his step approaching. A moment after he rapped at my +door. Just then Mrs. O'Flaherty rushed up the stairs, breathless with +terror. + +"May the Saints defend us!" she exclaimed, as she burst into my +apartment; "but is the city on fire? For wasn't it the light o' the +flames shinin' on me windy that waked me out o' me sound slape." + +My uncle endeavoured to allay her terrors, telling her that the city was +certainly not on fire, although there was a burning building in our near +vicinity. He soon declared his intention of visiting the scene of the +fire. + +I begged him to be careful and not expose himself to danger. + +After my uncle left us, we stationed ourselves on the upper piazza, to +watch the progress of the flames. From the confusion of voices in the +street below I caught the words,-- + +"Poor Birdie Leighton is nowhere to be found, and it is feared she has +perished in the flames." + +I shuddered as I listened to these words. It was a terrible thought to +me, that my once loved pupil had met with a death so dreadful. But I was +unwilling to give up the hope that she would yet be, if not already, +saved. We waited long in anxious suspense for the return of my uncle; +but the day had begun to dawn before he came. I feared to ask what I +longed to know. He must have read my anxiety in my countenance, for he +soon said to me,-- + +"The Leightons are now all safe in the house of a neighbor; but Birdie +came near meeting her death in the flames." + +To my eager enquiries, he replied,-- + +"That before Mr. Leighton awoke, their sleeping apartment was filled +with smoke, with which the flames were already beginning to mingle. He +bore his wife from the apartment; and, with her in his arms, hastened to +awake Birdie, whose room adjoined their own. She hastily threw on a +portion of her clothing, and prepared to accompany her father and mother +in their descent from the chambers. She had fainted from terror, while +crossing the upper hall; and it was not till Mr. Leighton reached the +open air with his wife in his arms, that he missed Birdie from his side. +On leaving her apartment, he had besought her to keep close by him, as +her mother required all his attention. The agony of Mr. and Mrs. +Leighton, when, upon reaching the open air, they found Birdie to be not +with them, may be better imagined than described. Mrs. Leighton became +well-nigh frantic, and was almost forcibly conveyed to the house of a +neighbor. As soon as Mr. Leighton was relieved from the care of his +wife, he rushed toward the burning building, saying that he would either +rescue Birdie or perish with her. But, ere he reached the entrance, a +man issued from the house, bearing Birdie in his arms. The brave man had +rushed up the burning staircase, and reached the spot where Birdie still +lay, in a state of insensibility. Hastily enveloping her person in a +thick, heavy shawl, which he had taken with him for the purpose, he +rushed with her down the perilous staircase, and reached the open air in +safety, his clothing only being singed by the flames. Never," said my +uncle, "did I hear such a shout of joy as went up from the assembled +multitude when the man who rescued Birdie came from the house, bearing +her in safety to her father. Mr. Leighton fell on his knees and +fervently thanked God for sparing the life of his child. 'Now,' said he, +'I am content that my dwelling should burn.' He grasped the hand of her +rescuer, and said, with much emotion,--'Words are too poor to express my +gratitude; but, if my life is spared, you shall be rewarded.' 'I want no +reward,' said the noble man, 'for having done my duty.' He was a +laboring man, and had a large family dependent upon his daily earnings. +Quite a large sum of money was soon raised among the assembled crowd, +which he would not accept, till compelled to do so by the thankful +multitude." + +In conclusion, my uncle said,-- + +"Consciousness returned to Birdie soon after she was conveyed into the +open air, and she was speedily conveyed to her anxious mother. The +rescue of Birdie from so dreadful a death was to me a matter of deep and +heartfelt thankfulness." + +Previous to the burning of Mr. Leighton's dwelling his pecuniary +affairs, according to common report, had become very much embarrassed; +and this event seemed the finishing stroke to his ill-fortune. They were +unable to save anything from their dwelling, being thankful to escape +with their lives. He still continued his business; but, it was said, his +liabilities were heavier than he was able to meet. He rented a +moderate-sized house, and removed thither with his family. Those who +visited them said it was but plainly furnished. Their servants, with one +or two exceptions, had all been dismissed. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +RECONCILED. + + +Lewis was recalled from school in the early autumn; and soon after, the +news of Mr. Leighton's failure was eagerly discussed in the business +world. + +Lewis called to see me soon after his return. He was now a manly youth +of fifteen. I was much pleased to see him; and, when he rose to go, +after a lengthy call, I invited him to call often upon us. My uncle took +a great fancy to the boy, and many evenings found Lewis our guest. I +learned from Lewis, and others, that the health of Mrs. Leighton had so +much failed that she was now entirely confined to the house. + +Mr. Leighton had lately written to Willie, giving him an account of +their misfortunes, and of the failing health of his mother; and +concluded by earnestly requesting his return home, as he feared that it, +was Willie's absence which was preying so heavily upon the mind of Mrs. +Leighton as to cause, in a great measure, her failing health. + +Lewis called one evening, and, upon entering the parlor, handed me a +note. As I glanced at my name on the envelope, I at once recognized the +hand-writing of Mrs. Leighton. Hastily breaking the seal, I read the +following lines:-- + +"Elm Street, Nov. 25th, 18--. + +"To Miss Clara Roscom: + +"I am extremely anxious for an interview with you; but my state of +health will not allow of my leaving my own residence. I therefore +earnestly request you to accompany Lewis upon his return home, for I +_must_ see you. I am sensible that I have no right to ask of you this +favor; but I trust that the kindness of your heart will induce you to +comply with my request. + +"Yours truly, + +"Cynthia Leighton." + +When I had finished reading the note I could not forbear from +questioning Lewis as to its meaning; but he refused to give me any +information upon the subject, saying he was not at liberty to do so. All +he would say of the matter was that his mother had requested him to give +me the note, and await my reading of it. For a few moments I felt +undecided as to going to the house of Mrs. Leighton; but, the thought +that she was ill, and had sent for me, caused me to come to the decision +that I would grant her request. I feared not to meet Mrs. Leighton, for +I had done her no wrong. I therefore told Lewis that in a few moments I +would be ready to accompany him. My uncle wished to send the carriage +with me; but I told him it was quite unnecessary, as the distance was +short and the evening was very fine, and Lewis had said he would +accompany me when I wished to return home. + +A few minutes' walk brought me to the dwelling of Mr. Leighton. Lewis +conducted me at once to his mother's apartment. I saw as yet no other +member of the family. After ushering me into the room, he withdrew, and +left me alone with Mrs. Leighton. I quietly advanced into the room and +paused before her. She was reclining in a large easy chair, and I was +much surprised by her changed appearance. She was very thin and pale, +and appeared to be weak and languid; and Mrs. Harringford's letter was +recalled to my mind when I observed how gray was her once beautiful +hair. She extended her hand to me; but, for some moments, was unable to +utter a word. When she relinquished the hand I had given her, she +motioned me to a seat. She seemed agitated by some painful emotion. I +was the first to break the silence, which I did by saying,-- + +"Whatever may have been your object, Mrs. Leighton, in seeking this +interview, you will see, by the readiness with which I have responded to +your request, that I cherish no resentment toward you." + +Becoming more composed, she replied to me in a low voice saying-- + +"As I was unable to go to you, I sent for you, that I may humbly ask +your forgiveness for the injustice you have suffered from me. I now +acknowledge, what you are probably already aware of, that it was a +foolish and false pride which influenced my conduct toward you, when you +left my house long ago. It requires reverses of fortune to convince us +of the vanity of all earthly things; and reverses have overtaken me, and +more than this; my failing health admonishes me that, unless a change +for the better soon takes place, my days on earth will soon be numbered. +During all the time that has passed since we have met, my mind has never +been at rest; for though too proud to acknowledge it, I have ever been +sensible that I treated you with cruelty and injustice. But my pride is +now humbled and I beg of you to forgive me; for, believe me, I have +suffered even more than you." + +I extended my hand to her, saying,-- + +"I freely and fully forgive all the past, Mrs. Leighton, and I trust we +may be friends for the future." + +After sitting silent for a few moments, Mrs. Leighton again addressed +me, saying,-- + +"Were it in your power, Clara, would you make me entirely happy?" + +I replied that certainly I would. She regarded me earnestly as she +said,-- + +"Will you become Willie's wife?" + +I knew not what reply to make to a question so unexpected. At length I +said,-- + +"Willie has been a long time absent. He may have changed his mind; or, +he may be already married." + +"I will answer for all that," replied Mrs. Leighton. + +"Willie is here. He arrived two days since, and would have called to see +you ere this, but I begged him to defer calling till I had seen you, and +acknowledged my former injustice to you; for I am now sensible that I +wronged a worthy and noble girl." + +Remember, kind reader, that, although I had expected never again to meet +with Willie Leighton, I still loved him with all the strength of a first +love. + +Before I could frame a reply to the last remark of Mrs. Leighton, the +door opened, and Willie, accompanied by his father, entered the room. + +I pass over our meeting. But Mr. Leighton, soon after, placing my hand +in that of Willie, said,--"God bless you, my children; may you be +happy." + +When I returned home that evening, it was Willie not Lewis, who +accompanied me. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +CLARA'S MARRIAGE. + + +Willie was anxious that an early day should be appointed for our +marriage; but I was unwilling that our marriage should take place until +the ensuing spring. I wished not so suddenly to leave my uncle for the +long wedding tour which Willie had in contemplation. + +Laura and Georgania, accompanied by their husbands, came at Christmas to +visit their parents. It was indeed a joyful family reunion. We accepted +our present happiness, and made no unpleasant allusions to the past. If +Georgania retained any of her old ways that were not agreeable, I was +too much occupied by my own new-found happiness to be annoyed by them. + +Willie generously urged his father to use a portion of the wealth he had +inherited from his deceased relative in settling his deranged business +affairs, and Mr. Leighton finally accepted the noble offer. Accordingly, +he paid off the debts, and again started a business, which, if on a +smaller scale than formerly, rested on a firmer basis. + +During the winter, my uncle made a will bestowing the chief part of his +wealth upon me. The house in which we resided, he intended as a +wedding-gift, saying that we must accept of the gift encumbered by the +giver, as he wished to reside with me during the remainder of his life. + +"I have reserved enough," said my uncle, "for my own private use; and +who has so rightful a claim to the wealth which a kind Providence has +bestowed upon me, as the daughter of my twin brother?" + +From the time of Willie's return the health of Mrs. Leighton slowly, but +surely, improved; and, when winter softened into the balmy days of +spring, her health became fully restored. + +We were married on the twentieth of May; and, as Willie had decided upon +England for our wedding tour, we sailed immediately after our marriage. +We returned to our home, in Philadelphia, in October. + +We soon found ourselves permanently settled in our own home, to the +great joy of Mrs. O'Flaherty, who still retained her position as +house-keeper. + +"Indade, me daar misthress," said she, "an' it's good to see yees at +home agin; for wasn't this the lonesom place whiles ye was absint." + +Soon after our return, I mentioned the promise which I made long ago to +Aunt Patience, that if I ever should possess a home of my own, I would +receive her as an inmate of that home. + +"I well remember," replied Willie, "the kind aunt who attended your +mother during her last illness, and I will gladly do my utmost to render +happy her declining years." + +I had secretly felt some fears that my uncle might object to our +receiving Aunt Patience to our home. A short time after, I mentioned the +matter to my uncle, telling him of my mother's dying injunction to me, +that I should not neglect Aunt Patience in her old age. His reply put +all my fears to flight. + +"I am glad, Clara," said my uncle, "to see that you respect the wishes +of your deceased mother. Our dwelling is large, and we can surely find +room for Aunt Patience. I will go for her myself, as I am at leisure, +and would enjoy the journey." + +With a light heart, I wrote to Aunt Patience, informing her of our +intentions; and a few days later, my uncle set out on his journey to +Massachusetts. When he returned, accompanied by my aged relative, tears +mingled with my welcome, so vividly was my mother recalled to my mind by +the meeting. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +A PLEASING INCIDENT. + + +Again it is the twentieth of May; and, this day five years ago, was my +wedding-day. Two years since, and the fountain of a new love was stirred +in my heart, namely, the love of a mother for her first-born son. One +year since, I was called to stand by the dying-bed of Aunt Patience. Her +end was peace; and her earthly remains rest beside those of my mother. + +My uncle still lives with us, a hale and vigorous old man, over seventy +years of age. The parents of Willie still reside in the city. Birdie and +Lewis are both at home. Lewis assists his father in their business, +which has again become very prosperous. + +I bring my story to a close by relating an incident which took place +the summer succeeding the date of this chapter. I had long wished to +visit my friends in New Hampshire: but my own cares had hitherto +prevented me; but this season I decided to pay the long-deferred visit. +Willie was very glad to accompany me, having long wished to visit the +Eastern States. Birdie and Lewis also bore us company. As our way lay +through a portion of Massachusetts, I determined once more to visit the +small village which formerly had been the home of Aunt Patience. We +arrived at Woodville late on a Saturday evening, and on Sabbath morning +were invited to hear a talented young preacher, who, we were informed, +had lately been called as pastor to the Congregational Church in that +village. As the young minister ascended the pulpit, his countenance +struck me as being strangely familiar. As I was endeavoring to decide in +my own mind where I could have before met him, it suddenly occurred to +me that the young preacher was no other than my old friend, Obadiah +Hawkins; and when, upon again raising my eyes I encountered one of those +old-time furtive glances, I felt certain that I was right in my +conjecture. The rough-looking youth, whom I had once thought so +uncomely, had changed to a really fine looking man. When the services +were closed, I at once made my way to him; and, as he had already +recognized me, we soon renewed our former acquaintance. I introduced him +to Willie, also to Birdie and Lewis. During the few days we remained at +Woodville the young preacher called frequently. He soon evinced a marked +partiality for the society of Birdie and, strange as it may seem, I +observed that she was deeply interested in him. I know not how the +matter may end, but I do know that, since our return home, Birdie +receives frequent letters, addressed in a gentleman's hand, and +post-marked "Woodville." Who knows but Obadiah Hawkins may yet be my +brother-in-law? + +In taking a retrospective view of the past, and contrasting it with the +happy present, I feel that the consoling words which, in a dream, my +mother uttered to me, years ago, have been more than verified,--"Fear +not, my beloved daughter; only continue in the path of duty, and all +will yet be well." + + +THE END. + + + + +TERRY DOLAN. + + +Some years since circumstances caused me to spend the summer months in +a farming district, a few miles from the village of E., and it was there +I met with Terry Dolan. He had a short time previous come over from +Ireland, and was engaged as a sort of chore boy by Mr. L., in whose +family I resided during my stay in the neighborhood. This Terry was the +oddest being with whom I ever chanced to meet. Would that I could +describe him!--but most of us, I believe, occasionally meet with people, +whom we find to be indescribable, and Terry was one of those. He called +himself sixteen years of age; but, excepting that he was low of stature, +you would about as soon have taken him for sixty as sixteen. His +countenance looked anything but youthful, and there was altogether a +sort of queer, ancient look about him which caused him to appear very +remarkable. When he first came to reside with Mr. L. the boys in the +neighborhood nicknamed him "The Little Old Man," but they soon learned +by experience that their wisest plan was to place a safe distance +between Terry and themselves before applying that name to him, for the +implied taunt regarding his peculiar appearance enraged him beyond +measure. Whenever he entered the room, specially if he ventured a +remark--and no matter how serious you might have been a moment +before--the laugh would come, do your best to repress it. When I first +became an inmate with the family, I was too often inclined to laugh at +the oddities of Terry--and I believe a much graver person than I was at +that time would have done the same--but after a time, when I learned +something of his past life, I regarded him with a feeling of pity, +although to avoid laughing at him, at times, were next to impossible. + +One evening in midsummer I found him seated alone upon the piazza, +with a most dejected countenance. Taking a seat by his side I enquired +why he looked so sad;--his eyes filled with tears as he replied--"its of +ould Ireland I'm thinkin' to-night, sure." I had never before seen Terry +look sober, and I felt a deep sympathy for the homesick boy. I asked him +how it happened that he left all his friends in Ireland and came to this +country alone. From his reply I learned that his mother died when he was +only ten years old, and, also, that his father soon after married a +second wife, who, to use Terry's own words, "bate him unmarcifully." +"It's a wonder," said he, "that iver I lived to grow up, at all, at all, +wid all the batins I got from that cruel woman, and all the times she +sint me to bed widout iver a bite uv supper, bad luck to her and the +like uv her!" He did live, however, but he certainly did not grow up to +be very tall. "Times grew worse an' worse for me at home," continued he, +"and a quare time I had of it till I was fourteen years of age, when one +day says I to mesilf, 'flesh and blood can bear it no longer,' and I ran +away to the city uv Dublin where an aunt by me mother's side lived. Me +aunt was a poor woman, but she gave a warm welcim to her sister's +motherless boy; she trated me kindly, and allowed me to share her home, +although she could ill afford it, till I got a place as sarvant in a +gintleman's family. As for my father, he niver throubled his head about +me any more; indade I think he was glad to be rid uv me, an' all by +manes of that wicked woman. It was near two years afther I lift home +that I took the notion of going to Ameriky; me aunt advised me against +going, but, whin she saw that me mind was set on it, she consinted, and +did her best, poor woman, to sind me away lookin' dacent and +respectable. I niver saw me father or me stepmother agin. I had no wish +to see her; but, although I knew me father no longer loved me, I had +still some natral-like feelin's for him; but, as I had run away from +home, I durst not go back, an' so I lift Ireland widout a sight uv him. +But I _could_ not lave it foriver, as it might be, widout one more sight +uv me mother's grave. I rached the small village where me father lived +about nightfall, and lodged in the house uv a kind neighbor who +befrinded me, an' he promised, at my earnest wish, to say nothing to any +one uv my wish. Early in the morning, before any one was astir in the +village, I stole away to the churchyard where they buried me mother. I +knelt down, I did, an' kissed the sods which covered her grave, an' +prayed that the blessin' which she pronounced before she died, wid her +hand restin' on me head, might follow me wheriver I might go." The boy +took from his pocket a small parcel, carefully inclosed in a paper, +which he handed to me, saying "I gathered these shamrocks from off me +mother's grave, before I lift it forever." My own eyes grew moist as I +gazed upon the now withered shamrock leaves which the poor boy prized so +highly. Would that they had proved as a talisman to guard him from evil! +I listened with much interest to Terry's story till our conversation was +suddenly interrupted by Mr. ---- calling him, in no very gentle tones, to +go and drive home the cows from the pasture. To reach this pasture he +must needs pass through about a quarter of a mile of thick woods. He had +a great dread of walking alone in the woods, which his imagination +filled with wild animals. When he returned that evening he seemed very +much terrified, and when questioned as to the cause, he replied that he +"had met with a wild baste in the woods, and was kilt entirely wid the +fright uv it." + +We endeavoured to gain from him a description of the animal he had +seen, but for some time were unable. "What color was the animal?" +enquired Mrs. ----. "Indade Ma'am, an' its jist the color uv a dog he +was," answered Terry. This reply was greeted with a burst of laughter +from all present, at which he was highly offended. In order to pacify +him I said, "we would not laugh at you, Terry, only that dogs are of so +many different colors that we are as much in the dark as ever regarding +the color of the animal you saw." "Well thin," replied he, "if you must +know, he was a dirthy brown, the varmint, that he was." From what we +could learn from him we were led to suppose that he had met with one of +those harmless little creatures, called the "Woodchuck," which his +nervous terror, aided by the deepening twilight, had magnified into a +formidable wild beast. + +A few evenings after, two or three friends of the family chanced to +call; and in course of conversation some one mentioned an encampment of +Indians, who had recently located themselves in our vicinity, for the +purpose of gathering material for the manufacture of baskets, and other +works of Indian handicraft. Terry had never seen an Indian, and +curiosity, not unmixed with fear, was excited in his mind, when he +learned that a number of those dark people were within three miles of +us. He asked many questions regarding their personal appearance, habits, +&c. It was evident that he entertained some very comical ideas upon the +subject. After sitting for a time silent, he suddenly enquired, "Do they +ate pratees like other people?" A lady, present, in order to impose upon +his credulity, replied, "Indeed Terry they not only eat potatoes, but +they sometimes eat people." His countenance expressed much alarm, as he +replied, "Faix thin, but I'll kape out o' their way." After a short time +he began to suspect they were making game of him, and applied to me for +information, saying, "Tell me, sir, if what Mrs. ---- says is true?" "Do +not be alarmed, Terry," I replied, "for if you live till the Indians eat +you, you will look even older than you now do." + +This allusion to his ancient appearance was very mischievous on my +part, and I regretted it a moment after; but he was so much pleased to +learn that he had nothing to fear from the Indians that he readily +forgave me for alluding to a subject upon which he was usually very +sensitive. I remember taking a walk one afternoon during the haymaking +season to the field where Terry was at work. Mr. ---- had driven to the +village with the farm horses, leaving Terry to draw in hay with a +rheumatic old animal that was well nigh unfit for use. But as the hay +was in good condition for getting in, and the sky betokened rain, he +told Terry, upon leaving home, to accomplish as much as possible during +his absence, and he would, if the rain kept off, draw in the remainder +upon his return. As I drew nigh I spied Terry perched upon the top of a +load of hay holding the reins, and urging forward the horse, in the +ascent of a very steep hill. First he tried coaxing, and as that proved +of little avail, he next tried the effect of a few vigorous strokes with +a long switch which he carried in his hand. When the poor old horse had +dragged the heavy load about half way up the hill, he seemed incapable +of further exertion, and horse, cart, Terry and all began a rapid +backward descent down the hill. + +Here the boy's patience gave way entirely. "Musha thin, bad luck to ye +for one harse," said he as he applied the switch with renewed energy. +Just then I arrived within speaking distance and said, "Do you think, +Terry you would be any better off if you had two of them." "Not if they +were both like this one," answered he. I advised Terry to come down from +his elevated position, and not add his weight to the load drawn by the +overburdened animal. He followed my advice, and when with some +difficulty we had checked the descending motion of the cart-wheels, we +took a fair start, and the summit of the hill was finally gained. + +"Its often," said Terry, "that I've seen a horse draw a cart, but I +niver before saw a cart drawing a horse." There was one trait in the +character of the boy which pleased me much; he was very grateful for any +little act of kindness. He often got into difficulties with the family, +owing to his rashness and want of consideration, and I often succeeded +in smoothing down for him many rough places in his daily path; and when +he observed that I interested myself in his behalf, his gratitude knew +no bounds. I believe he would have made almost any sacrifice to please +me. He surprised me one day by saying suddenly, "Don't I wish you'd only +be tuck sick." "Why Terry," replied I, "I am surprised indeed that you +should wish evil to me." "Indade thin," answered he, "its not for evil +that I wish it, but for your good jist to let ye see how tinderly I +would take care uv ye." I thanked him for his kind intentions, saying +that I was very willing to take the will for the deed in this case, and +had no wish to test his kindness by a fit of sickness. + +He came in one evening fatigued with a hard day's work, and retired +early to bed. His sleeping apartment adjoined the sitting-room. I had +several letters to write which occupied me till a late hour; the family +had all retired. I finished writing just as the clock struck twelve. At +that moment, I was almost startled by Terry's voice singing in a very +high key. My first thought was that he had gone suddenly crazy. With a +light in my hand I stepped softly into the room, to find Terry sitting +up in bed and singing at the top of his voice, a song in the "Native +Irish Tongue." By this time he had roused every one in the house; and +others of the family entered the room. By the pauses which he made, we +knew when he reached the end of each verse. He sang several verses; at +the time I knew how many, but am unable now to recall the exact number. +He must surely have been a sound sleeper or the loud laughter which +filled the room would have waked him, for the scene was ludicrous in the +extreme: Terry sitting up in bed, sound asleep, at the hour of midnight, +and singing with a loud voice and very earnest manner, to an audience +who were unable to understand one word of the song. At the close of the +last verse he lay quietly down, all unconscious of the Musical +Entertainment he had given. The next morning some of the family began +teasing him about the song he had sung in his sleep. He was loth to +believe them, and as usual enquired of me if they were telling him the +truth. "I'll believe whatever you say," said he, "for its you that niver +toult me a lie yet." "You may believe them this time," said I, "for you +certainly did sing a song. The air was very fine, and I have no doubt +the words were equally so, if we could only have understood them." + +"Well thin," replied he, "but I niver heard more than that; and if I +raaly did sing, I may as well tell yee's how it happint. I dramed, ye +see, that I was at a ball in Ireland, an' I thought that about twelve +o'clock we got tired wid dancin and sated ourselves on the binches which +were ranged round the walls uv the room, and ache one was to sing a song +in their turn, an' its I that thought my turn had come for sure." "Well +Terry," said I, "you hit upon the time exact at any rate, for it was +just twelve o'clock when you favoured us with the song." Soon after this +time I left the neighbourhood, and removed to some distance. Terry +remained for a considerable time with the same family; after a time I +learned that he had obtained employment in a distant village. The next +tidings I heard of him was that he had been implicated in a petty +robbery, and had run away. His impulsive disposition rendered him very +easy of persuasion, for either good or evil; and he seldom paused to +consider the consequences of any act. From what I could learn of the +matter, it seemed he had been enticed into the affair by some designing +fellows, who judged that, owing to his simplicity, he would be well +adapted to carry out their wicked plans; and, when suspicion was +excited, they managed in some way to throw all the blame upon Terry, who +fearing an arrest, fled no one knew whither. Many years have passed +since I saw or heard of Terry Dolan; but often, as memory recalls past +scenes and those who participated in them, I think of him, and wonder if +he is yet among the living, and, if so, in what quarter of the world he +has fixed his abode. + + + + +THE FAITHFUL WIFE. + + +It is a mild and beautiful evening in the early autumn. Mrs. Harland is +alone in her home; she is seated by a table upon which burns a shaded +lamp, and is busily occupied with her needle. She has been five years a +wife; her countenance is still youthful, and might be termed beautiful, +but for the look of care and anxiety so plainly depicted thereon. She +had once been happy, but with her now, happiness is but a memory of the +past. When quite young she had been united in marriage to Wm. Harland, +and with him removed to the City of R., where they have since resided. +He was employed as bookkeeper in a large mercantile house, and his +salary was sufficient to afford them a comfortable support,--whence then +the change that has thus blighted their bright prospects, and clouded +the brow of that fair young wife with care? It is an unpleasant truth, +but it must be told. Her husband has become addicted to the use of +strong drink, not an occasional tippler, but a confirmed and habitual +drunkard. His natural disposition was gay and social, and he began by +taking an occasional glass with his friends--more for sociability than +for any love of the beverage. His wife often admonished him of the +danger of tampering with the deadly vice of intemperance; but he only +laughed at what he termed her idle fears. Well had it been for them both +had the fears of his wife proved groundless! It is needless for me to +follow him in his downward path, till, we find him reduced to the level +of the common drunkard. Some three months previous to the time when our +story opens his employers were forced to dismiss him, as they could no +longer employ him with any degree of safety to their business. It was +fortunate for Mrs. Harland that the dwelling they occupied belonged to +her in her own right--it had been given her by her father at the period +of her marriage--so that notwithstanding the dissipated habits of the +husband and father they still possessed a home, although many of the +comforts of former days had disappeared before the blighting influence +of the demon of intemperance. After being dismissed by his employers Mr. +Harland seemed to lose all respect for himself, as well as for his wife +and children, and, but for the unceasing toil of the patient mother, his +children might have often asked for bread in vain. + +So low had he now fallen that almost every evening found him in some low +haunt of drunkenness and dissipation; and often upon returning to his +home he would assail his gentle wife with harsh and unfeeling language. + +Many there were who advised Mrs. Harland to return with her children +to her parents, who were in affluent circumstances, but she still +cherished the hope that he would yet reform. "I pray daily for my erring +husband," she would often say, "and I feel an assurance that, sooner or +later, my prayers will be answered; and I cannot feel it my duty to +forsake him." But on this evening, as she sits thus alone, her mind is +filled with thoughts of the past, which she cannot help contrasting with +the miserable present, till her reverie is interrupted by the sound of +approaching footsteps, which she soon recognizes as those of her +husband: she is much surprised--for it is long, very long, since he has +returned to his home at so early an hour--and, as he enters the room, +her surprise increases when she perceives that he is perfectly sober. As +he met her wondering gaze a kind expression rested upon his countenance, +and he addressed her saying: "I do not wonder at your astonishment, dear +Mary, when I call to mind my past misconduct. I have been a fiend in +human shape thus to ill-treat and neglect the best of wives; but I have +made a resolve, 'God helping' me, that it shall be so no longer." +Seating himself by her side, he continued: "If you will listen to me, +Mary, I will tell you what caused me to form this resolution. When I +went out this evening I at once made my way to the public house, where I +have spent so much of my time and money. Money, I had none, and, worse +than this, was owing the landlord a heavy bill. Of late he had assailed +me with duns every time I entered the house; but so craving was the +appetite for drink that each returning evening still found me among the +loungers in the bar-room trusting to my chance of meeting with some +companion who would call for a treat. It so happened that to-night none +of my cronies were present. When the landlord found that I was still +unable to settle the 'old score,' as he termed it, he abused me in no +measured terms; but I still lingered in sight of the coveted beverage; +and knowing my inability to obtain it my appetite increased in +proportion. At length I approached the bar, and begged him to trust me +for one more glass of brandy. I will not wound your ears by repeating +his reply; and he concluded by ordering me from the house, telling me +also never to enter it again till I was able to settle the long score +already against me. The fact that I had been turned from the door, +together with his taunting language stung me almost to madness. I +strolled along, scarce knowing or caring whither, till I found myself +beyond the limits of the city; and seating myself by the roadside I +gazed in silent abstraction over the moonlit landscape; and as I sat +thus I fell into a deep reverie. Memory carried me back to my youthful +days when everything was bright with joyous hope and youthful ambition. +I recalled the time when I wooed you from your pleasant country home, +and led you to the altar a fair young bride, and there pledged myself +before God and man to love, honour and cherish you, till death should us +part. Suddenly, as if uttered by an audible voice, I seemed to hear the +words 'William Harland, how have you kept your vows?' At that moment I +seemed to suddenly awake to a full sense of my fallen and degraded +position. What madness, thought I, has possessed me all this time, thus +to ruin myself and those dear to me? And for what? for the mere +indulgence of a debasing appetite. I rose to my feet and my step grew +light with my new-formed resolution, that I _would_ break the slavish +fetters that had so long held me captive; and now, my dear wife, if you +can forgive the past and aid me in my resolutions for amendment there is +hope for me yet." Mrs. Harland was only too happy to forgive her erring +but now truly penitent husband; but she trembled for the future, knowing +how often he had formerly made like resolutions, but to break them. She +endeavoured, however, to be hopeful, and to encourage him by every means +which affection could devise. + +Through the influence of friends, his former employers were induced to +give him another trial. He had many severe struggles with himself ere he +could refrain from again joining his dissipated companions; but his +watchful wife would almost every evening form some little plan of her +own for his amusement, that he might learn to love his home. In a short +time their prospects for the future grew brighter, his wife began to +smile again; and his children, instead of fleeing from his approach as +they had formerly done, now met him upon his return with loving caresses +and lively prattle. Some six months after this happy change, Mrs. +Harland one evening noticed that her husband seemed very much downcast +and dejected. After tea, she tried vainly to interest him in +conversation. + +He had a certain nervous restlessness in his manner, which always +troubled her, knowing, as she did, that it was caused by the cravings of +that appetite for strong drink, which at times still returned with +almost overwhelming force. About eight o'clock he took down his hat +preparatory to going out. She questioned him as to where he was going, +but could obtain no satisfactory reply; her heart sank within her; but +she was aware that remonstrance would be useless. She remained for a few +moments, after he left the house, in deep thought, then suddenly rising +she exclaimed aloud, "I will at least make one effort to save him." She +well knew that should he take but one glass, all his former resolves +would be as nothing. As she gained the street she observed her husband a +short distance in advance of her, and walking hastily she soon overtook +him, being careful to keep on the opposite side of the street, that she +might be unobserved by him. She had formed no definite purpose in her +mind; she only felt that she must endeavor to save him by some means. As +they drew nigh the turn of the street she saw two or three of his former +associates join him, and one of them addressed him, saying, "Come on, +Harland; I thought you would get enough of the cold water system. Come +on, and I'll stand treat to welcome you back among your old friends." +For a moment he paused as if irresolute; then his wife grew sick at +heart, as she saw him follow his companions into a drinking saloon near +at hand. Mrs. Harland was by nature a delicate and retiring woman; for a +moment she paused: dare she go further! Her irresolution was but +momentary, for the momentous consequences at stake gave her a fictitious +courage. She quickly approached the door, which at that moment some one +in the act of leaving the house threw wide open, and she gained a view +of her husband in the act of raising a glass to his lips; but ere he had +tasted its fiery contents it was dashed from his hand, and the shattered +fragments scattered upon the floor. Mr. Harland, supposing it the act of +one of his half-drunken companions, turned with an angry exclamation +upon his lips; but the expression of anger upon his countenance suddenly +gave place to one of shame and humiliation when he saw his wife standing +before him, pale but resolute. In a subdued voice he addressed her, +saying, "Mary, how came you here?" "Do not blame me, William," she +replied; "for I could not see you again go astray without, at least, +making an effort to save you. And now will you not return with me to +your home?" The other occupants of the room had thus far remained silent +since the entrance of Mrs. Harland; but when they saw that Mr. Harland +was about to leave the house by her request, they began taunting him +with his want of spirit in being thus ruled by a woman. One of them, who +was already half drunk, staggered toward him, saying, "I'd just like to +see my old woman follerin' me round in this way. I'll be bound I'd teach +her a lesson she would'nt forget in a hurry." Many similar remarks were +made by one and another present. The peculiar circumstances in which +Mrs. Harland found herself placed gave her a degree of fortitude, of +which upon ordinary occasions she would have found herself incapable. +Raising her hand with an imperative gesture she said in a firm voice: +"Back tempters, hinder not my husband from following the dictates of his +better nature." For a few moments there was silence in the room, till +one of the company, more drunken and insolent than the others, exclaimed +in a loud, derisive voice: "Zounds, madam, but you would make a capital +actress, specially on the tragedy parts; you should seek an engagement +upon the stage." Mr. Harland's eyes flashed angrily as his listened to +the insulting words addressed to his wife, and, turning to the man who +had spoken, he addressed him, saying, in a decided tone of voice: "I +wish to have no harsh language in this room while my wife is present, +but I warn each one of you to address no more insulting language to +her." The manner in which Mr. Harland addressed them, together with the +gentle and lady-like appearance of his wife, had the effect to shame +them into silence. His voice was very tender as he again addressed his +wife, saying, "Come Mary I wills accompany you home--this is no place +for you." When they gained the street the unnatural courage which had +sustained Mrs. Harland gave way, and she would have fallen to the earth, +but for the supporting arm of her husband. For a few moments they walked +on in silence, when Mr. Harland said, in a voice choked with emotion, + +"You have been my good angel, Mary, for your hand it was which saved +me from violating a solemn oath; but I now feel an assurance that I have +broken the tempter's chains forever." I am happy to add that from this +hour he gained a complete victory over the evil habit which well-nigh +had proved his ruin; and in after years, when peace and prosperity again +smiled upon them, he often called to mind the evening when his +affectionate and devoted wife, by her watchful love, saved him from +ruin, and perchance from the drunkard's grave. + + + + +EMMA ASHTON. + + +It was a sad day for Emma Ashton, when, with her widowed mother, she +turned from her father's new-made grave, and again entered their +desolate home. None but those who have experienced a like sorrow can +fully understand their grief as they entered their now lonely home, +where a short time since they had been so happy. But the ways of +Providence are, to our feeble vision, often dark and incomprehensible, +and the only way by which we can reconcile ourselves to many trials +which we are called to endure is by remembering that there is a "need +be" for every sorrow which falls to our lot, in the journey of life. +Emma was an only child and had been the idol of her father's heart, and +no marvel if the world, to her, looked dark and dreary when he was +removed by death. Added to the grief occasioned by their bereavement, +the mother and daughter had yet another cause for anxiety and +disquietude, for the home where they had dwelt for so many years in the +enjoyment of uninterrupted happiness was now no longer theirs. Since +quite a young man, Mr. Ashton had held the position of overseer, in a +large manufactory in the village of W. Owing to his sober and +industrious habits he had saved money sufficient to enable him, at the +period of his marriage, to purchase a neat and tasteful home, to which +he removed with his young wife. He still continued his industry, and +began in a small way to accumulate money, when, unfortunately, he was +persuaded by one whom he thought a friend to sign bank-notes with him to +a large amount; but, ere the notes became due, the man he had obliged +left the country, and he was unable to gain any trace of him, and was +soon called upon to meet the claim. Bank-notes must be paid, and to +raise money to meet the claim he was forced to mortgage his house for +nearly its full value. His health failed; and for two years previous to +his death he was unable to attend to his business. The term of the +mortgage was five years, which time expired soon after his death. During +the few last weeks of his life his mind was very much disturbed +regarding the destitute condition in which he must leave his beloved +wife and daughter; for he was too well acquainted with the man who held +the claim to expect any lenity to his family when it should become due, +and he was sensible that the hour of his own death was fast approaching. +His wife tried to cheer him by hopeful words, saying: "Should it please +our Heavenly Father to remove you, fear not that He will fail to care +for the fatherless and widow." A short time before his death a sweet +peace and hopeful trust settled over his spirit, and the religion he had +sought in health afforded him a firm support in the hour of death. When +all was over, and the mother and daughter found themselves left alone, +their fortitude well-nigh forsook them, and they felt almost like +yielding to a hopeless sorrow. Emma was at this time but fifteen years +of age, possessed of much personal beauty, and also a very amiable and +affectionate disposition. Since the age of six years she had attended +school, and made rapid progress in her various studies till the sad +period of her father's death. As Mr. Ashton had foreseen, Mr. Tompkins, +the man who held the mortgage, soon called upon the widow, informing her +that the time had already expired, and unless she found herself able to +meet the claim, her dwelling was legally his property; but, as a great +favor, he granted her permission to occupy the house till she could make +some arrangement concerning the future, giving her, however, distinctly +to understand, that he wished to take possession as soon as she could +find another home. Mrs. Ashton thanked him for the consideration he had +shown her, little as it was, telling him she would as soon as possible +seek another home, however humble it might be; and Mr. Tompkins departed +with a polite bow and a bland smile upon his countenance, well pleased +that he had got the matter settled with so little difficulty. I presume +he never once paused to think of the grief-stricken widow and her +fatherless daughter, whom he was about to render homeless. Money had so +long been his idol that tender and benevolent emotions were well-nigh +extinguished in his world-hardened heart. For a long time after Mr. +Tompkins left the house Mrs. Ashton remained in deep thought. There are, +dear reader, dark periods in the lives of most of us, when, turn which +way we will, we find ourselves surrounded, as by a thick hedge, with +difficulties and troubles from which we see no escape. + +At such periods it is good for us to call to mind the fact, that the +darkest cloud often has a silver lining, and that if we discharged, to +the best of our ability, our duties for the time being, the cloud, +sooner or later, will be reversed, and display its bright side to our +troubled view. The time had now arrived, when Mrs. Ashton must come to +some decision regarding the future. She had no friends to whom she could +turn for aid or counsel in this season of trial. When quite young she +had emigrated from England with her parents and one sister, and settled +in Eastern Canada. About the time of her marriage and removal to W. her +parents, with her sister, removed to one of the Western States: and it +may be the knowledge that she must rely solely upon herself enabled her +to meet her trials with more fortitude than might have been expected. +Some fifty miles from W. was the large and thriving village of Rockford, +and thither Mrs. Ashton at length decided to remove. One reason for this +decision was the excellent institution for the education of young +ladies, which was there located. She was very anxious that her daughter +should obtain a good education, but was sorely puzzled as to raising the +money needful for defraying her expenses. There were a few debts due her +husband at the time of his death; these she collected with little +difficulty. Their dwelling had been handsomely furnished, and she +decided to sell the furniture, as she could easily, upon their arrival +at Rockford, purchase what articles were necessary for furnishing their +new home, which must, of necessity, be humble. One article she felt they +must retain if possible, and that was the piano given her by her father +at the period of her marriage. She did at first entertain the idea of +parting with it, thinking how far the money it would bring would go in +defraying the expenses attendant upon Emma's education, but upon second +consideration, she resolved that they would not part with her father's +parting-gift to her, unless compelled to do so by actual want; and so +when their old home was broken up the piano was carefully packed and +forwarded to Rockford. The home where they had resided so long was very +dear to them, and it would have grieved them to leave it at any time; +but to leave at the glad season of spring, when the trees which shaded +their dwelling were beginning to put forth their leaves, and the flowers +which adorned their garden were bursting into bloom, seemed to them +doubly sad. But their preparations for removal were finally completed; +and they left their home followed by the good wishes of many who had +long known and loved them. Upon their arrival at Rockford, Mrs. Ashton +hired a cheap tenement in a respectable locality, which she furnished in +a plain but decent manner. When they became settled in their new home +they had still in hand money sufficient to secure them from immediate +want, but as Mrs. Ashton wished Emma to enter at once upon her studies, +she was very anxious to devise some means of earning money to meet +necessary expenses. There was one family residing in Rockford with whom +Mrs. Ashton had several years before been intimately acquainted: their +name was Lebaron, and they at one time resided in the same village with +the Ashtons. Mr. Lebaron had opened a store upon removing to Rockford; +the world had smiled upon him, and he was now considered one of the most +wealthy and influential men in the village. + +It has been often said that "prosperity hardens the heart of man," +but if such is the case in general, Mr. Lebaron proved an exception to +the general rule. He had heard with much sorrow of the death of Mr. +Ashton, and also of the other misfortunes which had overtaken the +family; and no sooner did he learn of the arrival of the widow and +daughter in Rockford, than, accompanied by his wife, he hastened to call +upon them to renew their former acquaintance, and in a delicate and +considerate manner to enquire if he could assist them in any way. Mrs. +Ashton thanked them for their kindness, saying that although in no +immediate need of assistance, yet she would be very thankful if they +would assist her in obtaining employment. "If such is the case," replied +Mrs. Lebaron, "I can easily secure you employment, as I am acquainted +with many ladies who give, out work, and will gladly use my influence in +your favor." "You will confer a favor upon me by so doing," replied Mrs. +Ashton, "for I must rely upon my labor for a support for the future." +Through the influence of these kind friends Mrs. Ashton soon obtained an +abundant supply of work; and, when she became somewhat acquainted with +the people of Rockford, her gentle and unobtrusive manner gained her +many warm friends. Agreeable to her mother's wishes, Emma soon became a +pupil in the seminary for young ladies, which was at that time under the +direction of Miss Hinton, a lady who possessed uncommon abilities as a +teacher, and was also aided by several competent assistants. Mrs. +Lebaron had two daughters attending the institution at the time, and +this circumstance, in a great measure, relieved Emma from the feeling of +diffidence she might have experienced in entering a large school a +stranger to both teachers and pupils; but her modest and unassuming +manners, added to her diligence in study soon caused her to become a +general favorite with her teachers. In schools, as well as other places, +we often meet with those who are inclined to be jealous of merit +superior to their own, and the seminary, at Rockford was no exception in +this matter. Her teachers were guilty of no unjust partiality; true, +they oftener commended her than some other members of her class, but not +oftener than her punctual attendance, perfect recitations and correct +deportment generally, justified them in doing. But it soon became +evident that, if Emma was a favourite with her teachers, she was far +from being such with many members of her class. At the time she entered +school Miss Hinton found, after examining her in her various studies, +that her attainments were already superior to those of several young +ladies who had been for some time members of the school. Among the +pupils who at the time attended the institution was a Miss Carlton, from +the distant city of H. She was the petted and only child of wealthy +parents; and, as is often the case, her disposition, which, under proper +training, might have been amiable, had been spoiled by unwise indulgence +on the part of her parents. Her capacity for learning was not good; she +was also sadly wanting in application, and, at the time Emma entered the +school, although Miss Carlton had attended for more than a year, her +progress in study was far from being satisfactory to her teachers. She +was at much pains to inform her classmates of her wealth and position, +seeming to entertain the idea that this would cover every defect. Owing +to Emma's superior attainments, compared with her own, she soon learned +to regard her with a feeling of absolute dislike, which she took little +pains to conceal; and many were the petty annoyances she endured from +the vain and haughty Julia Carlton. She soon learned that Emma was poor; +and that her mother toiled early and late to defray the expenses of her +education; and more than once she threw out hints regarding this fact, +among the other pupils, even in hearing of Emma; and, as often as +opportunity offered, she slighted the unoffending girl, and treated her +with all the rudeness of which she was capable. "Let those who wish +associate with Miss Ashton," she would often say to her companions; "but +I am thankful that I have been better taught at home than to make a +companion of a girl whose mother is obliged to take in sewing to pay her +school bills." These and other remarks equally malicious were daily made +by Miss Carlton; and I am sorry that she soon found others in the school +who were weak enough to be influenced by her also to treat Emma with +coldness and contempt. Emma could not long fail to notice the many +slights, both direct and indirect, which she endured from many members +of the school, and she taxed her memory to recall any act by which she +might have given offence; but, finding herself unable to recollect any +thing on her part which could have offended any member of the school, +she was not a little puzzled to account for the rudeness with which she +was treated. It happened one day that during recess she remained at her +desk in the school-room to complete an unfinished French exercise. +Several of her companions soon after entered the adjoining recitation +room, and, as they were not aware of her proximity, she became an +unwilling listener to a conversation which pained her deeply. As Sarah +Lebaron entered the room one of the girls addressed her, saying:--"When +you first introduced Miss Ashton among us, I supposed her to be at least +a companionable girl, but I have lately been informed that she resides +in a cheap tenement, and, further, that her mother takes in sewing, and, +if such is the case, I wish to cultivate no further acquaintance with +her." "But then," added another girl, "Miss Hinton thinks her almost a +saint, and sets her up as a model for us all; if there's any thing I do +detest, it's these model girls, and I don't believe she's half as fond +of study as she pretends; and, in my opinion, its only to hear the +commendations of the teachers that she applies herself with such +diligence; but Miss Hinton is so taken with her meek face and lady-like +manners that she places her above us all, and, I suppose, we must +submit, for as the old song says: + +'What can't be cured must be endured.'" + +"Well, I for one shall try some method of cure, before I put up with +much more of her impudence and assumption," chimed in the amiable Miss +Carlton; "pay attentions now, girls," continued she, "while I take my +place in the class like Emma Ashton;" and separating herself from her +companions, she crossed the room to one of the class-seats, with such a +ludicrous air of meekness and decorum, that the girls were almost +convulsed with laughter. Starting up and tossing her book from her hand +she exclaimed, "It is so disgusting to see a girl in _her_ position put +on such airs." Miss Lebaron had not before spoken, but, when at length +there was silence, she addressed her companions, saying, "if no other +young lady present has any further remarks to make, I will myself say a +few words if you will listen to me. I must say, I am surprised at the +unkindness, even rudeness, which many of you have exhibited towards Miss +Ashton. If she is poor it is death, and other misfortunes which have +caused her to become so; and this circumstance should excite your +sympathy, but surely not your contempt and ridicule. Poor as she is, she +is my friend, and I am proud to claim her as such. As to her being +companionable that is a matter of taste; I shall continue to follow +mine, and each young lady present is at liberty to do the same; but be +assured that unless you can furnish some more satisfactory reason for +your disparaging remarks than you have yet done, they will bear no +weight with me." With much irony in her voice Miss Carlton replied, +"Really, Miss Lebaron, I am unable to reply to your very able defence of +your charming friend, and will only say that I shall avail myself of the +liberty you have kindly granted us, for each to follow her own taste in +the choice of associates, and avoid Miss Ashton as much as possible." +"As you please," replied Miss Lebaron, "it is a matter of perfect +indifference to me;" and just then the school bell put an end to further +conversation. As may be easily supposed, the delicate and sensitive +spirit of Emma was deeply wounded by the above conversation; and it was +with much difficulty that she maintained her composure for the remaining +portion of the day. For once her lessons were imperfect; and with a +heavy heart she returned to her home. That evening she, for the first +time, mentioned to her mother the daily annoyances she suffered from her +companions at school; and concluded by relating the conversation she had +that day chanced to overhear. Mrs. Ashton could not feel otherwise than +grieved; but as much as possible she concealed the feeling from her +daughter. "My dear Emma," she replied, "their unkind words can do you no +real harm, although they may render you unhappy for the time being. But +keep the even tenor of your way; and they will, probably, after a time +become ashamed of their folly. Should they make any further remarks +regarding my laboring to give you an education, you may tell them that I +esteem it as one of my chief blessings that I have health granted me so +to do." + +Time passed on; and the invariable kindness with which Emma treated her +classmates finally gained her several warm friends; and some of them +even apologized for their past unkindness. Miss Carlton still regarded +her with a feeling of enmity and dislike; but as Emma seemed not to +notice the many annoyances she experienced she was at length forced to +desist, although the same resentful feeling remained in her heart. + +When Emma left the seminary, after attending it for four years, her +departure was deeply regretted by both teachers and pupils. As she had +pursued her studies in a very systematic manner, she had acquired, +before leaving school, a thoroughly good education, which she intended +turning to account by teaching. Miss Carlton also left school at the +same time to return to her elegant home in the city of H. It was +fortunate for her that she was not obliged, as was Emma, to teach as a +means of support; for, notwithstanding the unwearied pains of her +teachers, her education, when she left school, was very superficial. +Emma soon obtained a situation as teacher in a small village some twenty +miles from Rockford, where she remained for two years. During her +absence, her mother, to avoid being left alone, received as boarders two +or three young ladies who attended school in the village. Emma's success +as a teacher become so well known that she was at length offered a high +salary to accept of the position of assistant teacher in an academy in +the city of H., the same city where Miss Carlton resided. As the salary +offered was very liberal, she decided to accept of the position, and as +the situation was likely to prove a permanent one she was very anxious +that her mother should accompany her; and after some deliberation upon +the subject, Mrs. Ashton consented, thinking they would both be much +happier together than otherwise. Emma proved quite as successful in thus +her second situation as in the first; and owing to her position as +teacher she soon formed acquaintance with several families of cultivated +tastes and high respectability. She often received invitations to +parties; but her tastes were quiet, and she usually preferred spending +her evenings with her mother in the quiet of their own home, to mingling +in scenes of mirth and gaiety; and it was only upon a few occasions that +she attended parties, that her friends might not think her unsocial. At +one of these parties she chanced to meet her former school mate, Miss +Carlton, whose only sign of recognition was a very formal bow. This gave +her no uneasiness; she cherished no malice towards Miss Carlton; but her +ideas and tastes so widely differed from her own that she did not covet +her friendship even had she been inclined to grant it her. + +Meanwhile, with the widow and her daughter, time passed happily away. +Emma's salary was more than sufficient for their support and they were +happy in the society of each other. There was one family, by the name of +Milford, who had treated them with much kindness since their residence +in the city. Mrs. Milford at first placed two little girls under Emma's +instruction, and thus began an acquaintance which soon ripened into +intimate friendship; for, although occupying a high position of wealth +and influence, Mrs. Milford was one of the few who place "mind above +matter" and respected true worth wherever she met with it. Her eldest +daughter, having finished her education at a distant boarding school, +returned home about the same time her two sisters were placed in charge +of Emma; and the little girls were so eloquent in their praise of their +teacher, that their eldest sister became interested, and decided to call +upon her at her home; and the lady-like appearance of both mother and +daughter, together with the appearance of good taste which their home +exhibited, strongly interested her in their favor. + +Some six months previous to the period of which I am writing a young +physician from the Upper Province located himself in the city of H. for +the practice of his profession. According to common report, he was +wealthy, and the study of a profession had with him been a matter not of +necessity but of choice. Owing to his pleasing manners, as well as his +reputed wealth, he soon became an object of much interest to many of the +match-making mammas and marriageable young ladies of the city of H. He +was soon favored with numerous invitations to attend parties, where he +formed acquaintance with most of the young people in the fashionable +circle of the city; and he soon became a general favorite in society. +Among others, he attended a large party given by the Carltons, and by +this means became acquainted with the family. He had called +occasionally; and during one of those calls Mrs. Carlton very feelingly +lamented that her daughter was often obliged to forego the pleasure of +attending concerts, lectures and other places of public amusement for +want of a suitable escort; and courtesy to the family would of course +allow him to do no less than offer to become her attendant upon such +occasions. Mrs. Carlton, however, put a very different construction upon +these slight attentions, and already looked upon him as her future +son-in-law. + +When Dr. Winthrop had resided for about a year in the city, the +Milfords also gave a large party, and Miss Ashton was included among +their guests. The party was a brilliant affair, for the Milfords were a +family of wealth and high social position. The young physician was among +their guests; and Miss Carlton managed some way or other to claim his +attention most of the evening. There was the usual amount of small talk, +common to such occasions; about the usual number of young ladies were +invited to sing and play, and, as usual, they were either out of +practice or were afflicted with "bad colds." But it so happened that +several young ladies who at the first begged to be excused, after much +persuasion allowed themselves to be conducted to the piano, and played +till it was evident from the manner of many that the music had become an +infliction instead of a pleasure. When after a time Miss Ashton was +invited to play, she took the vacant seat at the piano without any of +the usual apologies; and began playing the prelude to a much admired +song of the day; and before she reached the close of the first verse +there was a hush through the room, and the countenance of each evinced +the pleasure with which they listened to her performance. As she rose +from the instrument Dr. Winthrop addressed Miss Carlton, saying: "Can +you inform me who is that young lady? I never met her before; but she +has favored us with the first real music I have listened to this +evening." The young physician was not wanting in politeness, and he +certainly must have forgotten that Miss Carlton occupied the seat at the +piano a short time before. That young lady colored with anger as she +replied: "Her name is Miss Ashton, and I understand she is engaged as an +assistant teacher in one of the Academies in the city." "It is +singular," replied Dr. Winthrop, "that I have never before met her at +any of the numerous parties I have attended during the past year." +"There is nothing very singular in that," replied Miss Carlton, "for I +presume she is not often invited to fashionable parties, and I suppose +it is owing to Mrs. Milford's two little girls being her pupils that we +find her among their guests; but as you seem so much interested, I will +tell you all I know of the _person_ in question. When I attended school +at Rockford, Miss Ashton was a pupil in the same institution; but, when +I learned that her mother, who is a widow, took in sewing, to pay her +school bills, I did not care to cultivate her acquaintance. She left +school about the same time with myself, and I heard no more of her till +she obtained a situation in this city." "Pardon me," replied the young +physician; "but I see nothing in what you have stated that is in the +least disparaging to the young lady; and I should be much pleased to +make her acquaintance." "Our ideas slightly vary in these matters," +replied Miss Carlton, with a haughty toss of her head; "but I will not +detain you from seeking the introduction for which you seem so anxious. +I am sorry I cannot oblige you by introducing you myself; but as I did +not associate with her when at school, I am still less inclined to do so +at the present time; I hope, however, you may find her an agreeable +acquaintance;" and with a haughty manner she swept from his side in +quest of companions whose tastes were more congenial. Dr. Winthrop +obtained the desired introduction; and if Miss Carlton indulged the hope +that he would find Miss Ashton an agreeable acquaintance, there was soon +a fair prospect that her wishes would be realized; for the marked +attention which Dr. Winthrop paid the lovely and engaging Miss Ashton +soon formed the chief topic of conversation among the circle of their +acquaintances. For once, public rumor was correct. Dr. Winthrop was very +wealthy; but when a mere youth he had a decided taste for the study of +medicine; and his parents allowed him to follow the bent of his own +inclinations, in fitting himself for a profession for which he +entertained so strong a liking. He had an uncle residing in a distant +city, who was also a physician of high reputation, and, after passing +through the necessary course of study, he had practiced his profession +for two years under the direction of his uncle, before removing to the +city of H. Up to the time when we introduced him to the reader matrimony +was a subject to which he had never given a serious thought, and until +he met with Miss Ashton he had never felt any personal interest in the +matter. From what I have already said the reader will not be surprised +to learn that the acquaintance begun at Mrs. Milford's party terminated +in a matrimonial engagement; with the free consent of all who had a +right to a voice in the matter. When the matter became known it caused +quite a sensation in the circles in which Dr. Winthrop had moved since +his residence in the city; but, happily for him, he was possessed of too +independent a spirit to suffer any annoyance from any malicious remarks +which chanced to reach his ears. When Miss Carlton first learned of the +engagement, she indulged in a long fit of spiteful tears, to the +imminent risk of appearing with red eyes at the forthcoming evening +party. In due time the marriage took place; and the young physician and +his lovely bride set out on their wedding tour amid the congratulations +and good wishes of many true friends. After their departure Mrs. Carlton +remarked to several of her "dear friends" "that she had long since +discovered that Dr. Winthrop was not possessed of refined tastes; and +for her part she thought Miss Ashton much better suited to be his wife +than many others which she could name." Had the doctor been present to +express his sentiments regarding this matter, they would in all +probability have exactly agreed with those already expressed by Mrs. +Carlton. During their wedding tour, which occupied several weeks, they +visited many places of note, both in Canada and the United States. Upon +their return to the city Dr. Winthrop purchased an elegant house in a +central location, which he furnished in a style justified by his +abundant means; and with his wife and her mother removed thither. + +In conclusion, we will again bestow a passing glance upon this +happy family after the lapse of some twenty years. We find Dr. Winthrop +now past the meridian of life surrounded by an interesting family of +sons and daughters, whom he is endeavoring to train for spheres of +usefulness in this life, as well as for happiness in the "life to come." +His graceful and dignified wife still gladdens his heart and home. Time +has dealt very gently with her; she is quite as good and almost as +beautiful as when we last saw her twenty years ago. The two eldest of +their family are boys, and this is their last year in College. Mrs. +Winthrop has thus far attended herself to the education of her two +daughters. Along with many other useful lessons, she often seeks to +impress upon their minds the sin and folly of treating with contempt and +scorn those who may be less favored than themselves in a worldly point +of view; and to impress the lesson more strongly upon their young minds, +she has more than once spoken to them of her own early history, and of +the trials to which she was subject in her youthful days. But what of +Mrs. Ashton? She still lives; although her once active form is beginning +to bow beneath the weight of years, and her hair has grown silvery +white. This year Dr. Winthrop has completed his preparations for leaving +the city after more than twenty years close application to his +profession. He resolved to remove with his family to some quiet country +village, which would afford sufficient practice to prevent time from +hanging heavily upon his hands; but he now felt quite willing to resign +his fatiguing and extensive practice in the city. When he first formed +the idea of seeking a country home, he enquired of his wife, if she had +any choice regarding a location. "If it meets your wishes," replied she, +"no other place would please me so well as the village of W, the home of +my childhood and youth, and where my dear father is buried." He soon +after made a journey to W, and was so much pleased with the thriving +appearance of the village, and the industry and sobriety of the +inhabitants, that he decided to seek there a home. Before he left his +home, his wife requested him, should he decide upon removing to W, if +possible to re-purchase their old home, knowing how much this would +please her now aged mother. The purchase was soon completed, and ere he +left the village the old house was in the hands of workmen, with his +instructions as to improvements and repairs. Mrs. Ashton was very happy +when she learned that they were to return to W. "I have been happy +here," said she, "but I shall be still happier there." In a short time +they removed from the city to take possession of the "dear old home" in +W, now enlarged and adorned in various ways; but the same clear brook +still flowed at the foot of the garden, and the same trees, only that +they were older, and their branches had grown more wide-spreading, +shaded the dwelling. As they passed beneath the shade of those +well-remembered trees, Mrs. Winthrop addressed her mother, saying, "Do +you remember, mamma, how sad we felt the morning we left our home so +many years ago, and we little thought it would ever again be ours." Mrs. +Ashton gazed fondly upon her daughter and the blooming children at her +side, as she replied in the language of the Psalmist, "I have been young +and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed +begging bread." + + + + +THOUGHTS ON AUTUMN. + + +Again has the season of Autumn arrived. The stated changes of the +seasons serve as monitors to remind us of the flight of time; and upon +such occasions the most unthinking can hardly avoid pausing to reflect +upon the past, the present, and the probable future. Autumn has been +properly styled the "Sabbath of the year." Its scenes are adapted to +awaken sober and profitable reflection; and the voice with which it +appeals to our reflective powers is deserving of regard. This season is +suggestive of thoughts and feelings which are not called forth by any +other; standing, as it were, a pause between life and death; holding in +its lap the consummate fruits of the earth, which are culled by the hand +of prudence and judgment, some to be garnered in the treasury of useful +things, while others are allowed to return to their primitive elements. +When spring comes smiling o'er the earth, she breathes on the icebound +waters, and they flow anew. Frost and snow retreat before her advancing +footsteps. The earth is clothed with verdure; and the trees put forth +their leaves. Again, a few short months, and where has all this beauty +fled? The trees stand firm as before; but, with every passing breeze, a +portion of their once green leaves now fall to the ground. We behold the +bright flowers, which beautify the earth, open their rich petals, shed +their fragrance on the breeze, and then droop and perish. Sad emblem of +the perishing nature of all things earthly. May we not behold in the +fading vegetation, and the falling leaves of autumn, a true type of +human life? Truly "we all do fade as a leaf." Life at the best is but a +shadow that passes quickly away. Why then this love of gain, this thirst +for fame and distinction? Let us approach yonder church-yard and there +seek for distinction. There we may behold marble tablets cold as the +clay which rests beneath them: their varied inscriptions of youth, +beauty, age, ambition, pride and vanity, are all here brought to one +common level, like the leaves which in autumn fall to the earth, not one +pre-eminent over another. The inspired writers exhibit the frailty of +man by comparing him to the grass and the flowers withering and dying +under the progress and vicissitudes of the year; and with the return of +autumn we may behold in the external appearance of nature the changes to +which the sacred penman refers, when he says, "So is man. His days are +as grass; as a flower of the field so he flourisheth. For the wind +passeth over it and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no +more." Autumn too, is the season of storms. Let this remind us of the +storms of life. Scattered around us, are the wrecks of the tempests +which have beaten upon others, and we cannot expect always ourselves to +be exempt. Autumn is also the season of preparation for winter. Let us +remember that the winter of death is at hand, and let us be impressed +with the importance of making preparation for its approach. Let us then, +as we look upon the changed face of nature, take home the lesson which +it teaches; and, while we consider the perishable nature of all things +pertaining to this life, may we learn to prepare for another and a +happier state of being. + + + + +WANDERING DAVY. + + +It was while I was spending a few days in the dwelling of Mr. C., a +Scottish immigrant, that he received a long letter from his friends in +Scotland. After perusing the letter he addressed his wife, saying: "So +auld Davy's gone at last." "Puir man," replied Mrs. C. "If he's dead let +us hope that he has found that rest and peace which has been so long +denied him in this life." "And who was old Davy; may I enquire," said I, +addressing Mr. C. "Ay, man," he replied, "'tis a sad story; but when my +work is by for the night, I'll tell ye a' that I ken o' the life o' Davy +Stuart." I was then young and very imaginative; and a story of any kind +possessed much interest for me; and the thought that the story of Old +Davy was to be a true one, rendered it doubly interesting; so I almost +counted the hours of the remaining portion of the day; and when evening +came I was not slow to remind Mr. C. of his promise. Accordingly he +related to me the following particulars of the life of Davy Stuart; +which I give, as nearly as possible, in his own words; for it seems to +me that the story would lose half its interest were I to render it +otherwise. + +"Davy Stuart was an aul' man when I was a wee boy at the school. I had +aye been used wi' him; for he often bided wi' us for days thegither; and +while a boy I gave little heed to his odd ways an' wanderin' mode o' +life; for he was very kind to mysel' an' a younger brither an' we +thought muckle o' him; but when we had grown up to manhood my father +tell'd us what had changed Davy Stuart from a usefu' an' active man to +the puir demented body he then was. He was born in a small parish in the +south of Scotland, o' respectable honest parents, who spared nae pains +as he grew up to instruct him in his duty to baith God an' man. At quite +an early age he was sent to the parish school: where he remained maist +o' the time till he reached the age o' fourteen years. At that time he +was apprenticed to learn the trade o' shoemaker, in a distant town. It +wad seem that he served his time faithfully, an' gained a thorough +knowledge o' his trade. Upon leaving his master, after paying a short +visit to his native parish, he gie'd awa' to the city o' Glasgow, to +begin the warld for himself. He continued steady and industrious, and +was prospered accordingly; and at the age o' twenty-five he had saved +considerable money. It was about this time, that he was married to a +worthy young woman, to whom he had been long deeply attached. They had +but one bairn, a fine boy, who was the delight o' his father's heart, +and I hae heard it said by they who kenn'd them at the time, that a +bonnier or mair winsome boy could 'na hae been found in the city, than +wee Geordie Stuart. Time gied on till Geordie was near twelve years +aul', when it began to be talked o' among Mr. Stuart's friends that he +was becoming owre fond o' drink. How the habit was first formed naebody +could tell; but certain it was, that during the past year he had been +often seen the war o' drink. His wife, puir body, admonished an' +entreated him to break awa' fra the sinfu' habit, and he often, when +moved by her tears, made resolutions o' amendment, which were broken +maist as soon as made; an' it was during a longer season o' sobriety +than was usual wi' him, that his wife, thinkin' if he was once awa' fra +the great city he would be less in the way o' temptation, persuaded him +to leave Glasgow an' remove to the sma' village o' Mill-Burn, a little +way frae the farm which my father rented. + +I well mind, said my father, o' the time when they first cam' +among us, an' how kin' was a' the neebors to his pale sad-lookin' wife +and the bonny light-hearted Geordie, who was owre young at the time, to +realize to its fu' extent the sad habit into which his father had fa'n. +When Mr. Stuart first came to our village he again took up his aul' +habits o' industry, an' for a long time would'na taste drink ava; but +when the excitement o' the sudden change had worn off, his aul' likin' +for strong drink cam' back wi' fu' force, an' he, puir weak man--had'na +the strength o' mind to withstand it. He soon became even war than +before; his money was a' gane, he did'na work, so what was there but +poverty for his wife an' child. But it is useless for me to linger o'er +the sad story. When they had lived at Mill-Burn a little better than a +twelve month, his wife died, the neebors said o' a broken heart. A wee +while afore her death she ca'd Davie to her bedside, an' once mair +talked lang an earnestly to him o' the evil habit which had gotten sic a +hold o' him, an' begged him for the sake o' their dear' Geordie, who, +she reminded him, would soon be left without a mither to care for him, +to make still anither effort to free himself fra the deadly habit. I +believe Davie was sincere when he promised the dyin' woman that he wad +gie up drink. Wi' a' his faults, he had tenderly loved his wife, an' I +hae nae doubt fully intended keepin' the promise he made her. For a lang +time after her death, he was n'er seen to enter a public house ava', an' +again he applied himsel' to his wark wi' much industry. After the death +o' Mrs. Stuart, Geordie an' his father bided a' their lane. Their house +was on the ither side o' the burn which crossed the high-road, a wee bit +out o' the village. Time gie'd on for some time wi' them in this way. +Davy continued sober and industrious, an' the neebors began to hae hopes +that he had gotten the better o' his evil habit; he had n'er been kenned +to taste strong drink o' ony kin' sin' the death o' his wife. One +evening after he an' Geordie had ta'en their suppers, he made himsel' +ready to gang out, saying to Geordie that he was gaun' doon to the +village for a wee while, and that he was to bide i' the house an' he +would'na be lang awa'. The hours wore awa' till ten o'clock, an' he +had'na cam' hame. It was aye supposed that the boy, becoming uneasy at +his father's lang stay, had set out to look for him, when by some +mishap, it will n'er be kenned what way, he lost his footin', an' fell +frae the end o' the narrow brig which crossed the burn. The burn was'na +large, but a heavy rain had lately fa'n, an' there was aye a deep bit at +one end o' the brig. He had fa'n head first into the water in sic a way +that he could'na possibly won 'oot. It was a clear moonlicht night, an' +when Davy reached the brig, the first thing he saw was his ain son lyin' +i' the water. I hae often been told that a sudden shock o' ony kind will +sober a drunken man. It was sae wi' Davy; for the first neebor who, +hearin' his cries for assistance, ran to the spot, found him standin i' +the middle o' the brig, perfectly sober, wi' the drooned boy in his +arms; although it was weel kenned that he was quite drunk when he left +the village. Every means was used for the recovery o' the boy, but it +was a' useless, he was quite deed an' caul'. "Ah" said Davy, when tell'd +by the doctor that the boy was indeed dead, "my punishment is greater +than I can bear." Geordie had aye been as "the apple o' his een"; never +had he been kenned to ill use the boy, even when under the influence o' +drink; and the shock was too much for his reason. Many wondered at his +calmness a' the while the body lay i' the house afore the burial; but it +was the calmness o' despair; he just seemed to me like ane turned to +stane. The first thing that roused him was the sound o' the first earth +that fell on puir Geordie's coffin. He gie'd ae bitter groan, an' wad +hae fa'n to the earth had'na a kind neebor supported him. His mind +wandered fra that hour; he was aye harmless, but the light o' reason +never cam' back to his tortured mind. Sometimes he wad sit for hours by +Geordie's grave, an' fancy that he talked wi' him. On these occasions +nothing wad induce him to leave the grave till some ither fancy +attracted his mind. As I hae before said he was never outrageous, but +seemed most o' the time, when silent, to be in deep thought; but his +reason was quite gone, and the doctors allowed that his case was beyond +cure. Many questioned them as to whether it were safe to allow him his +liberty, lest he might do some deed o' violence; but they gave it as +their opinion that his disease was'na a' ta' likely to tak' that turn +wi' him, an' so was left to wander on. He never bided verra lang in a +place, but wandered frae house to house through a' the country-side: and +every one treated him wi' kindness. The sight o' a bonny fair-haired boy +aye gave him muckle pleasure, an' he wad whiles hae the idea that +Geordie had cam' back to him. From the day o' Geordie's death to that o' +his ain', which took place a month sine, he was n'er kenned to taste +strong drink; he could'na bear even the sight o' it. He lived to a verra +great age, an' for many years they who did'na ken the story o' his early +life ha'e ca'd him Wanderin' Davy. "I hae noo tell'd you his story," +said Mr. C. addressing me; "an I hope it may prove a warnin' to you an' +ithers o' the awfu' evils o' intemperance; an' I think it's high time my +story was finished, for I see by the clock that it's growin' unco late." +When the evening psalm had been sung, Mr. C. read a portion of the +Scriptures and offered the usual nightly prayer, and soon after we all +sought repose; but it was long ere I slept. The story I had listened to +still floated through my mind, and when sleep at length closed my eyes +it was to dream of "Wandering Davy," and the poor drowned boy. + + + + +LOOKING ON THE DARK SIDE. + + +It is an old but true saying, that "troubles come soon enough without +meeting them half way." But I think my friend Mrs. Talbot had never +chanced to hear this saying, old as it is; for she was extremely prone +at all times to look only upon the dark side, and this habit was a +source of much trouble to herself as well as her family. Mr. Talbot +might properly have been called a well-to-do farmer. They were +surrounded by an intelligent and interesting family; and a stranger, in +taking a passing view of their home and its surroundings, would have +been strongly inclined to think that happiness and contentment might be +found beneath their roof; but a short sojourn in the dwelling alluded +to, would certainly have dispelled the illusion. This Mrs. Talbot was +possessed of a most unhappy disposition. She seemed to entertain the +idea that the whole world was in league to render her miserable. It has +often struck me with surprise, that a person surrounded with so much to +render life happy should indulge in so discontented and repining a +temper as did Mrs. Talbot. She was famous for dwelling at length upon +her trials, as often as she could obtain a listener; and when I first +became acquainted with her I really regarded her with a feeling of pity; +but after a time I mentally decided that the greater part of her +grievances existed only in her own imagination. She spent a large +portion of her time in deploring the sins of the whole world in general, +and of her own family and immediate neighbors in particular; while she +looked upon herself as having almost, if not quite, attained to +perfection. + +I recollect calling one day upon Mr. Talbot; he was of a very +social disposition, and we engaged for a short time in a lively +conversation. Mrs. Talbot was present, and, strange to tell, once +actually laughed at some amusing remark made by her husband. He soon +after left the room, and her countenance resumed its usual doleful +expression as she addressed me, saying, "I wish I could have any hopes +of Mr. Talbot; but I am afraid the last state of that man will be worse +than the first." I questioned her as to her meaning; and she went on to +tell me that her husband had once made a profession of religion; but she +feared he was then in a "backslidden state," as she termed it. I know +not how this matter might have been; but during my acquaintance with Mr. +Talbot I never observed any thing in his conduct which to me seemed +inconsistent with a profession of religion. He certainly excelled his +wife in one thing, and that was christian charity; for he was seldom if +ever heard to speak of the short-comings of others. It is quite possible +that he thought his wife said enough upon the subject to suffice for +both. Mrs. Talbot made a point of visiting her neighbors, if she chanced +to hear of their meeting with any trouble or misfortune. The reason she +gave for so doing was that she might sympathize with them; and if +sickness invaded a household Mrs. Talbot was sure to be there; but I +used often to think that her friends must look upon her as one of "Job's +comforters," for no sickness was so severe, no misfortune so great, that +she did not prophesy something worse still. According to her own ideas +she was often favored with warnings of sickness and misfortune both to +her own family and others. She was also a famous believer in dreams; and +often entertained her friends at the breakfast table by relating her +dreams of the previous night. I remember meeting with her upon one +occasion, when it struck me that her countenance wore a look of unusual +solemnity, even for her, so much so, that I enquired the cause. "Ah!" +said she, "we are to have sickness, perhaps death, in our family very +soon; for only last night I dreamed I saw a white horse coming toward +the house upon the full galop; and to dream of a white horse is a sure +sign of sickness, and the faster the horse seems in our dream to be +approaching us the sooner the sickness will come." Her husband often +remonstrated with her upon the folly of indulging in these idle fancies. +I remember a reply he once made to some of her gloomy forebodings: "I +think the best way is for each one to discharge their duty in the +different relations of life; and leave the future in the hands of an +All-wise Providence." "That is always the way with you," was her reply, +"You have grown heedless and careless with your love of the world; but +you will perhaps think of my warnings when too late." Before meeting +with Mrs. Talbot I had often heard the remark that none were so cheerful +as the true christian; but I soon saw that her views must be widely +different. A hearty laugh she seemed to regard as almost a crime. A +cheerful laugh upon any occasion would cause her to shake her head in a +rueful manner, and denounce it as untimely mirth. Upon one occasion she +went to hear a preacher that had lately arrived in the neighboring +village. This same preacher was remarkable for drawing dismal pictures, +and was very severe in his denunciations, while he quite forgot to offer +a word of encouragement to the humble seeker after good. Upon the +Sabbath in question Mrs. Talbot returned from church, and seated herself +at the dinner table with a countenance of most woeful solemnity. Her +husband at length enquired, how she had enjoyed the sermon. "Oh!" +replied she, "he is a preacher after my own heart, and his sermon +explained all my views clearly." "Indeed," replied Mr. Talbot, "he must +have a wonderful flow of language to have handled so extensive a +subject, in the usual time allotted to a sermon." His answer displeased +her very much. Among her other gloomy forebodings she always seemed sure +of the fact that Mr. Talbot would survive her; and she replied: "That is +always the way. You make light of every thing I say; and I only hope you +wont have all these things to repent of when I shall be no more." Mr. +Talbot seemed sorry he had wounded her feelings, and replied: "We shall +both live our appointed time, and it is not for us to decide which of us +will be first removed." The last time I saw Mrs. Talbot she was +indulging in her anticipation of some coming calamity. I have learned +from various sources, that since I last saw her she has met with _real_ +afflictions of a very trying nature, even to the most hopeful; and it +may be that the presence of real troubles, has put to flight many which +were only imaginary; and she may by this time have learned to be +thankful for whatever of blessings may yet be left her in her path +through life. + + + + +EDWARD BARTON. + + +My schoolmate Edward Barton, or 'Ned' as he was usually called +by the boys, was such an odd character in his way, that I trust my +readers will pardon me for introducing him to their notice. His father +was a physician in a distant village, and was justly esteemed among the +residents of the place. He had an extensive practice both in the village +and surrounding country, and his time was very much occupied; and as Ned +grew up he proved a source of constant anxiety to his father, who, being +unable to keep him under his own eye, at length decided to send him to +reside with some relatives in a farming district some twenty miles +distant from his home. Ned's disposition was a singular compound of good +and evil, and his conduct depended in a great measure, upon the +companions he associated with. He was easily persuaded, and often during +his father's frequent and lengthened absences from home he played truant +from school, and associated with the worst boys in the village. I well +remember the first morning he entered our school. He was then about +twelve years of age; but, owing to his carelessness and inattention, he +had made but slight progress in study. I learned afterwards that he had +so long borne the names of "dunce" and "blockhead" in the school he +attended in his own village, that he supposed himself to be really such, +and made up his mind that it was useless for him to try to be anything +else: and I think when our teacher first called him up for examination +he was inclined to be of the same opinion. The teacher first addressed +him by saying, "How far have you advanced in reading, my boy?" "Don't +know sir, never thought anything about how far I've been." "Well, at +least," replied the master, "you can tell me the names of the books you +have studied, in reading and spelling." "Oh, yes," replied the boy, +"I've been clean through 'Webster's Elementary and the Progressive +Reader.'" "Can you tell me the subject of any of your lessons?" "I can +just remember one story about a dog that was crossing a river on a plank +with a piece of meat in his mouth, and when he saw his shadder in the +water, made a spring at it and dropped the meat which he held in his +mouth, and it was at once carried away by the current." "Well," said the +teacher, "as you remember the story so well, you can perhaps tell me +what lesson we can learn from this fable." "I thought," replied the boy, +"when I read the story, that the best way is to hold on to what we are +sure of, and not grab after a shadder and lose the whole." "Your idea is +certainly a correct one," said the master, "and now we will turn to some +other branch of study; can you cipher?" "Don't know, I never tried," +replied the boy, with the greatest coolness imaginable. "Well," replied +the teacher, "we will after a time see how you succeed, when you _do_ +try. Can you tell me what the study of Geography teaches us!" "O," said +the boy, "geography tells all about the world, the folks who live in it, +and 'most every thing else." The master then asked him some questions +regarding the divisions of land and water, and for a short time he +answered with some degree of correctness. At length, while referring to +the divisions of water, the master said "can you tell me what is a +strait?" This question seemed a "puzzler" to him, and for some moments +he looked down as if studying the matter; when the question was repeated +in rather a sharp tone, it seemed he thought it wiser to give an answer +of some kind than none at all, and he replied: "When a river runs in a +straight course, we call it straight, and when it twists and winds +about, we call it crooked." "A river is not a strait," replied the +teacher with the manner of one who prayed for patience. "Well! at any +rate," said the boy, "straight is straight, and crooked is crooked, and +that is all I know about it." It was evident from the teacher's manner +that he was half inclined to think the boy was endeavoring to impose +upon him by feigning ignorance; and he dismissed him to his seat for the +time being, thinking, no doubt, that he had met with a case out of the +common order of school experience. It seems that the boy had never +before attended school with punctuality, and it required a long time to +teach him to observe anything like system either in his conduct or +studies. Our teacher though very firm, was mild and judicious in his +government; and, thinking that possibly Ned's disposition had been +injured by former harshness at school, resolved to avoid inflicting +corporal punishment as long as possible; and try upon him the effect of +kindness and mild persuasion. He had one very annoying habit, and that +was he would very seldom give a satisfactory answer if suddenly asked a +direct question, and often his reply would be very absurd, sometimes +bordering on downright impudence. The master noticed one afternoon, +after calling the boys from their play at recess, that Ned had not +entered the school-room with the others. Stepping to the door, he found +him seated very composedly in the yard, working busily upon a toy he was +fashioning with a knife from a piece of wood. "Why do you remain +outside, Edward, after the other boys are called in?" said the master. +"Cos I did'nt come in, sir," replied Ned, without looking up, or even +pausing in his employment. This was too much for the patience of any +one; and seizing him by the arm the master drew him into a small room +which adjoined the school-room; and bestowed upon him, what Ned +afterwards confidentially informed us, was "a regular old-fashioned +thrashing." I was not aware till then that the style of using the rod +was liable to change, but it would seem that Ned thought otherwise; and +if his screams upon this occasion were taken as proof in the matter, I +should be inclined to think the old-fashioned method very effective. The +whipping which Ned received created quite a sensation among us boys, for +it was not often that Mr. S. used the rod. We began to have our fears +that as he had got his "hand in," more of us might share the fate of +poor Ned. In a very serious conversation which we held upon the matter, +on our way home that evening, some of us asked Ned, why he screamed so +loud. "I thought," said he, "if I hollered pretty well, he would think +he'd licked me enough and stop; but I don't see what great harm I did +any way. He asked why I stayed out; and I said, cos I did'nt go in, and +I am sure I could'nt give a better reason than that." Time passed on, +and by degrees Ned dropped many of his odd ways; and began to make +tolerable progress in study; but still, much patience and forbearance +was necessary on the part of the teacher. He had the same habit of +frequently giving absurd answers in his class, as well as upon other +occasions; but after a time his stupid answers were much less frequent, +and Mr. S. began to indulge the hope that he would soon overcome the +habit entirely. When he had attended school for about six months, as was +the custom two or three times a year, we passed under what to the school +boys was an "awful review" in presence of those awe-inspiring +personages, termed in those days the school-trustees, and any other +friends of the school who might chance to be present. We all, even to +the teacher, had our fears lest Ned (who had not yet entirely +discontinued the practice) should give some of his comical answers when +questioned by our visitors; but the day came, and with it the +school-trustees and a number of other friends. The classes were first +examined in reading and spelling; and Ned acquitted himself much better +than we had dared to hope; and we began to think he might pass the +afternoon without making any serious blunder. After the reading and +spelling lessons, the class was summoned for examination in Geography. +Elated by his success in reading and spelling, Ned took his place with a +pompous consequential manner, as if expecting to win countless laurels +for his proficiency. He got along very well till some one put the +question, "What may the Island of Australia properly be called on +account of its vast size?" "One of the Pyramids," answered Ned in a loud +confident voice. The gentleman who was questioning us looked astounded, +and there fell an awkward silence, which was only broken by the +half-smothered laughter of the others in the class. The teacher wishing +to get over the matter in some way, at length said, "I am surprised, +Edward, that you should give so senseless an answer to so simple a +question." Now, one very striking peculiarity in Ned's character was his +unwillingness to acknowledge himself in the wrong, however ridiculous +his answer might be; and he was disposed to argue his point up on this +occasion. "Any way," said he, "the Pyramids are large, and so is +Australia; and I thought it might sometimes be called a pyramid for +convenience of description." The idea of Ned entering into an argument +with the trustees of the school, struck the rest of the boys as so +extremely ludicrous, that our long pent-up mirth found vent in a burst +of laughter through the whole class, and no one present had the heart to +chide us; for it was with intense difficulty that the elderly gentlemen +maintained their own gravity. The teacher was obliged to exercise his +authority before Ned could be silenced; and the remaining part of the +examination proved rather a failure. I know not how it happened, but +from that day there was a marked improvement in Edward Barton, in every +respect. He attended the school for two years; and when he left us it +was to accompany his parents to one of the far Western States. His +father had relatives residing in the West, and had received from them +such glowing accounts of the country, that he decided upon removing +thither. Any one who saw Ned when he left us would almost have failed to +recognize him as the same boy who entered the school two years previous. +Mr. S. was his friend as well as his teacher; and during the second year +of his stay took a deep interest in him; he had thoroughly studied his +disposition, and learned to bear with his faults, and under his +judicious management Ned began really to make good progress in study. We +had all become attached to him, and were all sorry when he left us. He +was much elated with the prospect of his journey to the West; and talked +much of the wonders he expected to behold on his way thither. He came +one day at the noon-hour to collect his books and bid us good-bye, his +father having come to take him home for a short time before setting out +on their journey. The boys were all on the play ground when he entered +the school-room to bid his teacher good-bye. When he came out he looked +very sober, and there was a suspicious moisture in his eyes which very +much resembled tears. Instead of the usual noisy mirth on the play +ground there was almost complete silence, while Ned shook hands with us +one by one, saying, "he would tell us all the wonders of the Western +world when he came back." Years have rolled by with their various +changes since that day; he has never yet returned; and I have only heard +from him two or three times during the time. My last tidings were, that +he was married and settled down to a life of industry upon a fine farm, +in his western home; but I sometimes, when I think of him, even yet +wonder, if he has learned the difference between the "Pyramids of Egypt" +and the "Island Continent of Australia." + + + + +THE WEARY AT REST. + + +The weary at rest. The idea was very strongly impressed upon my mind by +a funeral which I once attended in the distant village of C. It was that +of a very aged woman, whom I had often heard mentioned as one who had +been subjected for many years to bodily suffering in no ordinary degree. +I had never seen her, but was acquainted with many who visited her +frequently; and I became interested from hearing her so often spoken of +as a bright example of patience and resignation under affliction; and I +was accustomed to enquire for her as often as I had opportunity. Owing +to a rheumatic affection of her limbs, she had, as I was informed, been +unable for several years to rise from her bed without assistance, and +much of the time experienced severe pain. I was informed by her friends +that through her protracted period of suffering she was never heard to +utter a complaining or repining word, but was found daily in a calm even +cheerful frame of mind. After a time I left the village and returned to +my home. Returning thither to visit some relatives after the lapse of a +few months, I met with a friend, soon after my arrival, who informed me +of the death of old Mrs. H., which had taken place the day previous. Two +days later I joined the large numbers who assembled to pay their last +tribute of respect to one of the oldest residents of their village. As +is usual upon funeral occasions, the coffin was placed in front of the +pulpit, and a large number occupied the front pews which were +appropriated to the friends of the deceased. In those pews were seated +men in whose hair the silver threads were beginning to mingle, and women +who were themselves mothers of families who all met around the coffin of +their aged mother. Childhood, youth and middle age were all represented +in that company of mourners. Their pastor, Mr. M., delivered a very +appropriate discourse from the words, "Blessed are the dead who die in +the Lord." In the course of his sermon he took occasion to remark, that +a funeral discourse should apply to the living--not the dead. I had +before listened to different sermons from this same text; but I never +listened to a more searching application of the words than upon this +occasion. + +Near the close of his sermon, he said: "I presume many of you are aware +that I deem it unnecessary as well as unwise, on occasions of this kind, +for a minister to dwell at length upon the life and character of the +deceased, for, as I have before said, our duty is with the living; but +upon the present occasion, I think I may with propriety say, that we see +before us the lifeless remains of one who has 'died in the Lord.' I have +been for many years acquainted with our aged sister now departed, and +have ever regarded her as an humble and earnest christian. I have +frequently visited her during her lengthened period of suffering; and +have felt deeply humbled for my own want of resignation to the ills of +life, when I observed the exemplary manner with which this aged woman +bore her sufferings, which at times were very severe; and more than +this, I stood by her dying bed, which I can truly say presented a +fore-taste of heavenly triumph." + +At the close of the service permission was given for any one who was +desirous of so doing to look upon the "corpse," and with many others I +drew nigh the coffin. I had been told that the habitual expression of +her countenance was one of pain, and I was surprised by the calm and +peaceful expression which rested upon the face of the dead. There was no +sign of past suffering visible; and the idea of perfect rest was +conveyed to my mind, as I gazed upon her now lifeless features. When the +strangers had all retired, the relatives and near friends drew nigh to +take their last sad look of the aged one who in life had been so dear to +them. It seemed that her age and utter helplessness had all the more +endeared her to her children and other friends; and many of them wept +audibly as they retired from the coffin. As the coffin was borne from +the church, the choir sung in subdued tones, accompanied by the solemn +notes of the organ, the beautiful hymn commencing with the lines, + + "Thou art gone to the grave but we will not deplore thee, + Though sorrows and darkness encompass the tomb; + The Saviour hath passed through its portals before thee, + And the lamp of his love is thy guide through the gloom." + +When the long procession reached the church yard, the coffin was +lowered to its final resting place, and the Burial Service was read by +their pastor, and most of the company departed to their homes. I know +not how it was, but, although a stranger to the deceased, I was among +the few who lingered till the grave was filled up. That funeral +impressed me deeply; and has often since recurred to my mind, amid the +cares and turmoil of after life. + + + + +THE RAINY AFTERNOON. + + +"It's too bad," exclaimed Harry Knights, as he turned from the window, +where for the last ten minutes he had been silently watching the heavy +drops of rain as they pattered against the glass. "It's too bad," +repeated he, "we can have no out-of-door play this afternoon;" and as he +spoke his face wore a most rueful expression. I was one among a number +of Harry's schoolmates who had gone to spend the day at the farm of Mr. +Knights, Harry's father. The eldest of our number was not more than +fourteen; and for a long time we had looked forward to this day with +many bright anticipations of fun and enjoyment. The important day at +length arrived, and so early did we set out upon our excursion that we +reached Harry's home before eight o'clock in the morning. We spent the +forenoon in rambling over the farm, searching out every nook and corner +which possessed any interest to our boyish minds. Accompanied by Harry +we visited all his favorite haunts--which included a fine stream of +water, where there was an abundance of fish; also a ledge of rocks which +contained a curious sort of cave, formed by a wide aperture in the +rocks; and, last though "not least," a pond of water which, owing to its +extreme beauty of appearance, Harry had named the "Enchanted Pond." He +had said so much to us regarding the uncommon beauty of the spot that +some of the boys, myself among the number, had often been inclined to +ridicule him; but when we came within view of it, I for one ceased to +wonder at his admiration; for before nor since, I never looked upon so +lovely a scene. The pond was situated upon the back portion of the farm, +in a clearing which had been made by a settler who had occupied the land +for some years before it was purchased by Mr. Knights. The form of the +pond was entirely circular, and it was surrounded by a green field, in +which had been left standing, here and there, some fine old trees to add +to the effect. I remember when I first gained a view of the spot, it +reminded me of a surface of polished silver, bordered with emeralds. As +we drew nigh we could see that its smooth waters were thickly dotted +with the pure blossoms of the pond-lily. I have never since visited the +spot, but the view I obtained of it that day, now so long ago, is still +vividly present to my mind. By the time we again reached the farm-house, +the dinner-hour had arrived; and our long continued exercise in the open +air had so much improved our appetites that we did ample justice to the +good things set before us. Dinner being over, we observed, what had +before escaped our notice, that the sky was becoming overcast with dark +clouds, and soon a heavy rain began to fall, which put an end to all our +plans of out-of-door enjoyment for the afternoon. As I mentioned at the +beginning, Harry was very much disappointed, for outside sports were his +especial delight; and for a time his face looked almost as dark and +forbidding as the sky itself. We tried to cheer him up, saying we would +have some quiet games in the large dining-room, and we did succeed in +getting him to join us; but somehow or other our games afforded us no +enjoyment, and the question, "what shall we do with ourselves?" began to +pass from one to the other among the group of eager, restless boys. +"Would you like me to tell you a story, boys?" enquired Harry's mother, +after observing for a time our vain attempts at enjoyment. Mrs. Knights +was a lady of high culture, and possessed the happy faculty of rendering +herself an agreeable companion to either the young or old; and more than +one pair of eyes grew bright with pleased anticipation when she proposed +telling us a story; and, of course, we all eagerly assented to her +proposal. Seating herself in our midst, she took up a piece of +needlework, saying, "I can always talk best when my hands are employed," +and began as follows: + +"I suppose none of you, perhaps not even my own Harry, is +aware that my home has not always been in Canada; but I will now inform +you that the days of my childhood and youth were passed in a pretty town +near the base of the Alleghany Mountains in the State of Virginia. I +will not pause at present to give you any further particulars regarding +my own early years, as the story I am about to relate is concerning one +of my schoolmates who was a few years older than myself. The pastor of +the Church in the small village where my parents resided had but one +son; and, when quite a little girl, I remember him as one of the elder +pupils in the school I attended. I was too young at that time to pay +much attention to passing events, but I afterward learned that, even +then his conduct was a source of much anxiety and sorrow to his parents; +his ready talent, great vivacity, and love of amusement continually led +him into mischief and caused him to be disliked by many of their +neighbors. It was in vain that the villagers complained, in vain that +his father admonished and his mother wept; still the orchards were +robbed, the turkeys chased into the woods, and the logs of wood in the +fireplaces often burst into fragments by concealed powder. Time passed +on, till he reached the age of sixteen years, when spurning the +restraints of home, the erring boy left his father's house and became a +wanderer, no one knew whither; but it was rumored that reaching a +seaport town he had entered a merchant vessel bound upon a whaling +voyage for three years. During the last year of his stay at home his +conduct had been very rebellious, and his father almost looked upon him +as given over to a reprobate mind. After his departure, his father was +seldom heard to mention his name, but his friends observed that his hair +fast grew white, and upon his brow rested an expression of constant +grief and anxiety. He was a man that seldom spoke of his own troubles to +any one; but it was plain to be seen that his erring boy was never +absent from his thoughts, and there was a feeling and pathos in his +voice when he addressed his congregation, especially the younger portion +of it, which had never been noticed before. It was his custom upon the +first Sabbath evening in each month to deliver an address to the youth +of his flock, and it was noticed that his appeals had never been so +earnest before, as after the departure of his son; but he seldom, if +ever, mentioned his name, not even to his grief-stricken wife. Our +pastor was not what could properly be styled an old man, but it was +thought that his grief, like a canker-worm, sapped at the fountains of +life; his bodily health became impaired, his vigor of mind departed, +and, ere he had seen sixty years, death removed him from earth, to a +home of happiness in Heaven. The widow was now bereft of both husband +and child. She was comforted concerning her departed husband, knowing +that it was well with him; but she sorrowed continually for her absent +boy; and often, during the lonely hours of night, as the moaning of the +winds fell upon her ear, she would start from her sleepless pillow and +utter a prayer for her poor boy who might even then be tossing on the +restless ocean, or perhaps wrecked upon a dangerous coast. She was a +woman of good education, and much power of thought, and she at length +found a partial relief from her sorrow by writing small works for +publication. But how is it all this time with the wandering 'Prodigal?' +Nine years have passed away since he left his home, when an agent for +the sale of books for a large publishing house was spending a few days +in one of the large cities of the West. During his stay in the place, +his business as agent often led him into public places; and on several +occasions he noticed a young man that attracted his attention. There was +nothing prepossessing in his appearance; on the contrary, he bore the +marks of dissipation in his countenance; his clothing was old and +soiled, and once or twice he saw him when partially intoxicated. The +agent was a middle-aged man, and was a close observer of those with whom +he came in contact, and somehow or other he felt a strange interest in +this young man for which he could not account; and meeting him so +frequently, he determined to speak to him. As a pretext for accosting +him he offered to sell him some books, although he had no hopes of +success. The young man regarded him with visible surprise, when he +enquired if he would not like to purchase a book. 'I have no money to +spend for books,' replied the man, yet as if unable to resist the +impulse, he leaned over the table, on which the agent had placed several +books, and began looking them over; and finally selected one, inquired +the price, and paid for it. They soon after parted, and the agent +thought they should probably meet no more, as he expected soon to leave +the city. He returned to the hotel where he boarded, and after tea +seated himself on the piazza, to enjoy the cool evening air; when the +same young man suddenly approached him, and grasping his hand said, in a +voice choked with emotion: 'Tell me, sir, where, O! where did you get +that book?' This young man was the erring but still loved son of the +Virginian widow, who for these long dreary years had roamed over the +earth, unfriended and unaided, vainly imagining his own arm sufficient +to ward off the ills of life. He had wandered here from the coasts of +the Pacific, where he had been wrecked; his money was nearly gone, and +his health had become impaired by hardship and exposure as well as his +dissipated course of life. As he afterwards said, he had no intention of +reading the book when he purchased it merely out of civility to the +stranger who accosted him so kindly; but after the agent left him he +opened the book, and a cold dew broke out upon his forehead, for on the +title-page he read the name of his _mother_ as the author. Her thoughts +were continually upon her lost son, and in her mind's eye she often +traced his downward career. She imagined him worn and weary, his days +spent in unsatisfying folly, and his moments of reflection embittered by +remorse; unconsciously, in writing this little book she had drawn from +her own feelings and addressed one in this situation. She pointed to him +the falseness of the world, and bade him judge of the fidelity of the +picture by his own experience; and she taught him the way of return to +the paths of peace. And thus it was that the little book which the +wretched young man had selected--some would say so accidentally, others, +so providentially--proved the means of his return from the paths of sin +and folly to those of sobriety and usefulness. He soon told his story to +his attentive listener, and informed him of the relationship he bore to +the author of the book he had purchased. As he concluded, he said, 'Oh, +my mother, why did I leave you to become the hopeless being I am?' 'Not +hopeless,' replied his companion in gentle tones. 'You have youth on +your side, and may yet be a useful and happy man. I now understand the +unaccountable interest which I felt in you when meeting you on several +occasions before I spoke to you, and I feel that Providence directed me +in the matter.' The agent stayed two days longer in the city, and then +departed, the young man with him, for with the promptitude of his +nature, to resolve was to act. He directed his course toward Virginia, +the star of hope leading him on, and finally approached his native +village. No words are adequate to describe the meeting between the +lonely widow and her long lost, but now returning and penitent son. When +informed that his father had been for some years dead, the shock to him +was great, overpowering, but he uttered no repining word. 'I could not,' +said he, 'expect the happiness of meeting both my parents again after +causing them so much sorrow, and let me be humbly thankful that it is +allowed me to cheer the declining years of my aged mother.' I well +remember," said Mrs. Knights, "the return of the young man to his home, +it was but a short time before I left Virginia; but I have been informed +by friends still residing there that he was for several years the staff +and support of his mother, of whom it might be said, 'her last days were +her best days.' After the death of his mother, as he had no living tie +to bind him to the spot, he removed to another section of country, where +he married and is now a useful and respected member of society. And now +boys," said Mrs. Knights, "allow me in conclusion to say to you all as +one, as you value your own well-being in time and eternity, be sure that +you honor and obey your parents; think of what the end of this young man +might have been, and shun his example. But I see that the hour for tea +is near at hand; and for a time I will leave you to amuse yourselves, +while I assist in preparing your tea; and if you have been interested in +my story, I may tell you another when you next pass a rainy afternoon at +our house." We all thanked the kind lady for the interesting story, and +I fear one very much hoped that the next day we chanced to pass at Mrs. +Knights' farm would prove to be rainy in the afternoon. + + + + +THE STUDENT'S DREAM. + + +Arthur Wilton had been for several years a student; but he was one of +the plodding sort, who make but slow progress. The principal barrier to +his improvement arose from one defect in his character; and that was the +habit in which he constantly indulged, of deploring the past, without +making any very strong efforts toward amendment in the future. He was +one evening seated in his room; a ponderous volume lay open on his +study-table, and for a time he vainly tried to fix his attention +thereon, till finally he closed the book, and leaning back in his chair, +his brows contracted, and the lines about his mouth grew tense, as if +his thoughts were anything but pleasing. As usual he was bemoaning his +misspent hours. + +"Ah," said he, speaking in soliloquy, "they are gone, never more to +return, the careless happy days of childhood, the sunny period of youth, +and the aspiring dreams of mature manhood. I once indulged in many +ambitious dreams of fame, and those dreams have never been realized. +Many with whom I set out on equal ground have outstripped me in the race +of life, and here am I alone. Many who were once my inferiors have +nearly overtaken me, and doubtless they too will soon pass me by. What I +very much prize is a true friend, and yet no friend approaches with a +word of sympathy or encouragement; would that some would counsel me, as +to how I may better my condition." Thus far had Arthur Wilton proceeded +in his soliloquy, when his eyelids were weighed down by drowsiness, and +he soon sank into a deep slumber. In his dream an aged man, with a most +mild and venerable countenance stood before him, who, addressing him by +name, said: "Thy heart is full of sorrow; but if you will listen to, and +profit by my words, your sorrow shall be turned into joy. You have been +grieving over the hours which have been run to waste, without pausing to +reflect, that while you have been occupied with these unavailing +regrets, another hour has glided away past your recall forever; and will +be added to your already lengthened list of opportunities misimproved. +You grieve that your name is not placed on the lists of fame. Cease from +thy fruitless longings. Discharge faithfully your present duties, and if +you merit fame it will certainly be awarded you. You also complain that +no friend is near you. Have you ever truly sought a friend, by the +unwearied exercise of those affections, and in the performance of those +numberless offices of kindness by which alone friendship is secured and +perpetuated? + + 'All like the _purchase_, _few_ the _price_ will pay; + And this makes friends such miracles below.' + +Hast thou hoped for the society of the wise and good? Then with +diligence and untiring zeal you should seek to fit yourself for such +companionship. Have your early companions got before you in the race of +life; and yet you remain at ease, dreaming over the past? Awake, young +man, ere yet your day is done, and address yourself to your work with +renewed energy; look forward to the future instead of brooding over the +past, and be assured you will acquire wisdom, friends and every other +needful blessing." With these words the aged man disappeared, and the +student awoke. His fire had gone out and his lamp burned but dimly. He +rose, replenished his fire, trimmed his lamp, and resumed his studies +with ardor. This dream was not lost upon Arthur Wilton. Instead of now +wasting his time in regrets for the past, he looked forward with a +steady purpose of improvement, and from that period no harder student +was to be found in the college; and he finally graduated with high +honors. In after years he often related this dream to those of his +acquaintances whom he thought in danger of falling into the same habit +to which he himself had been so prone in his youthful days. + + + + +UNCLE EPHRAIM. + + +For some years, when a child, I used daily to pass the dwelling of +Uncle Ephraim, on my way to and from school. He was not my uncle; indeed +he bore no relationship whatever to me, but Uncle Ephraim was the +familiar appellation by which he was known by all the school-boys in the +vicinity. He was among the oldest residents in the section, and although +a very eccentric person, was much respected by all his neighbors. How +plainly do I yet remember him, after the lapse of so many years! His +tall figure, shoulders that slightly stooped, his florid complexion, +clear blue eyes, and hair bleached by the frosts of time to snowy +whiteness. The farm on which he resided had improved under the hand of +industry, till since my earliest recollection, it was in a state of high +cultivation. His dwelling was an old-fashioned structure, placed a +little back from the main road, and almost hidden from view by thick +trees. In an open space, a little to one side, was the draw-well with +its long pole and sweep; and I have often thought that I have never +since tasted such water as we used to draw from that well, as we used +often to linger for a few moments in Uncle Ephraim's yard on our return +from school during the hot summer afternoons. He must have been fond of +children; for he was a great favorite among the boys; and he often gave +us permission to gather fruit from the trees in the garden, provided we +broke none of his prescribed rules. But the unlucky urchin who +transgressed against a command, forfeited his good opinion from +henceforth, and durst no more be seen upon his premises. I happened to +be among the fortunate number who retained his approbation and good-will +during all our acquaintance. + +It was from Uncle Ephraim I received the first money I could call my +own. In those days school-boys were not supplied very liberally with +pocket-money, and when on one occasion I rendered him some slight +service, for which he bestowed on me a piece of money, I felt myself +rich indeed, and the possession of as many hundreds now would fail to +afford me the same pleasure as did the few cents which made up the value +of the coin. + +Like all others, he had his failings and weak points; but he had +also many very estimable traits of character. Among his failings very +strong prejudices were most noticeable, and if for any reason he became +prejudiced against one, he could never after see any good whatever in +them. He also possessed rather an unforgiving temper when injured by any +one. But on the other hand he was a friend to the poor; and seldom sent +the beggar empty-handed from his door. He also gave largely to the +support of the gospel, as well as to benevolent institutions. One very +noticeable and oftentimes laughable peculiarity was his proneness to +charge every thing that went wrong to the state of the weather. I think +it was more from a habit of speech than from any wish to be +unreasonable. I remember one day passing a field when he was trying to +catch a horse that to all appearance had no idea of being captured. He +tried various methods of coaxing him into the halter, and several times +nearly succeeded, but just when he thought himself sure of him, the +animal would gallop off in another direction. Out of all patience, he at +length exclaimed, "What does possess that critter to act so to-day?" +then glancing at the sky, which at the time happened to be overcast by +dull murky clouds, he said: "It must be the weather." I chanced one day +to be present when Uncle Ephraim was busily occupied in making some +arithmetical calculations regarding his farm-products. The result not +proving satisfactory he handed his slate to a friend for inspection, and +it was soon discovered that he had made a very considerable error in his +calculation. When the error was pointed out to him, he looked up with a +perplexed countenance, saying; "It is the weather: nothing else would +have caused me to make such a blunder." His son happened to marry +against his wishes; so much so, that he had the ceremony performed +without his father's knowledge; who afterwards, making a virtue of +necessity, wisely made the best of the matter. On learning that his son +was actually married without his knowledge, the only remark he made was +this: "What could have induced Ben to cut up such a caper as to go and +get married without my leave; it must have been the weather, nothing +else," and as if he had settled the question to his own satisfaction he +was never heard to allude to the matter again. Years passed away, till +one day the tidings reached us that Uncle Ephraim was dangerously ill. +He grew rapidly worse, and it was soon evident that his days on earth +would soon be numbered. I have a very distinct recollection of stealing +quietly in, to look upon him as he lay on his dying bed; of the tears I +shed when I gazed upon his fearfully changed features. He was even then +past speaking or recognizing one from another; and before another sun +rose he had passed from among the living. I obtained permission to go in +once more and look upon him as he lay shrouded for the grave. I was then +a child of ten years, but even at that early age I had not that morbid +terror of looking upon death, so common among children. With my own +hands, I folded back the napkin which covered his face, and gazed upon +his aged, but now serene, countenance. There was nothing in his +appearance to inspire terror, and for a moment I placed my hand on his +cold brow. He had ever been very kind to me, and I regarded him with +much affection, and the tears coursed freely down my cheeks when I +looked my last upon his familiar countenance now lifeless and sealed in +death. I have forgotten his exact age, but I know it exceeded seventy +years. It so happened that I did not attend his funeral; but he was +followed to the grave by a large number of friends and neighbours, many +of whom still live to cherish his memory. + + + + +STORY OF A LOG CABIN.[A] + +[A] I lately came across this sketch in an old Magazine, bearing the +date of 1842, and, thinking others might be as much interested by it as +I was myself, I transcribe it in an abridged form to the pages of this +volume. + + +It was a dreary day in autumn. Like the fate which attends us all, the +foliage had assumed the paleness of death; and the winds, cold and damp, +were sighing among the branches of the trees; and causing every other +feeling rather than that of comfort. Four others and myself had been out +hunting during the day, and we returned at nightfall tired and hungry to +our camp. The shades of night were fast gathering around us; but, being +protected by our camp, with a blazing fire in front, we soon succeeded +in cooking some of the game we had shot during the day; and as we ate, +the old hunters, who were my companions grew garrulous, and in turn +related their numerous adventures. "You have lived in Dayton for some +time," said an old hunter, addressing one of his companions. "Have you +ever seen during your rambles the remains of a log cabin about two miles +down the Miami Canal?" "I recollect it well, but there is a mystery +attached to those ruins which no one living can solve. The oldest +settlers found that cabin there; and it _then_ appeared in such a +dilapidated state as to justify the belief that it had been built many +years previous." "Do you know any thing about it?" I eagerly asked. "I +know all about it," replied the old hunter; "for I assisted in building +it, and occupied it for several years, during the trapping season. That +cabin," he continued, as a shade passed over his features, "has been the +scene of carnage and bloodshed. But why wake up old feelings--let them +sleep, let them sleep;" and the veteran drew his brawny hand over his +eyes. All the curiosity of my nature was roused; and the old men seated +by his side gazed upon him enquiringly, and put themselves in a +listening attitude. The speaker, observing this, sat silent for a few +moments, as if collecting his thoughts, and then related the following +tale: + +"There has come a mighty change over the face of this +country since the time when I first emigrated here. The spot where now +stand your prettiest towns and villages was then a howling wilderness. +Instead of the tinkling of the cow-bells and the merry whistle of the +farmer-boy as he calls his herd to the fold, might be heard the wild cry +of the panther, the howl of the wolf, and the equally appalling yell of +the aborigines. These were 'times to try men's souls'; and it was then +the heart of oak and the sinews of iron which commanded respect. Let me +describe to you some scenes in which such men were the actors; scenes +which called forth all the energy of man's nature; and in the depths of +this western wilderness, many hundreds of Alexanders and Caesars, who +have never been heard of. At the time I emigrated to Ohio the deadly +hatred of the red men toward the whites had reached its acme. The rifle, +the tomahawk and the scalping knife were daily at work; and men, women +and children daily fell victims to this sanguinary spirit. In this state +I found things when I reached the small village opposite the mouth of +Licking river, and now the great city of Cincinnati. Here in this great +temple of nature man has taken up his abode, and all that he could wish +responds to his touch; the fields and meadows yield their produce, and, +unmolested by the red man whom he has usurped, he enjoys the bounties of +a beneficent Creator. And where is the red man? Where is he! Like wax +before the flame he has melted away from before the white man, leaving +him no legacy save that courageous daring which will live in song long +after their last remnant shall have passed away. At the time when I +first stepped upon these grounds the red man still grasped the sceptre +which has since been wrenched from his hand. They saw the throne of +their father beginning to totter. Their realm had attracted the cupidity +of a race of strangers, and with maddening despair, they grasped their +falling power, and daily grew more desperate as they became more +endangered. I among the rest had now a view of this exuberant west, this +great valley of the Hesperides; and I determined to assist in +extirpating the red man, and to usurp the land of his fathers. Among the +men who were at the village, I found one who for magnanimity and +undaunted courage merits a wreath which should hang high in the temple +of fame, and yet, like hundreds of others, he has passed away unhonored, +unsung. His name was Ralph Watts, a sturdy Virginian, with a heart +surpassing all which has been said of Virginia's sons, in those +qualities which ennoble the man; and possessing a courage indomitable, +and a frame calculated in every way to fulfil whatever his daring spirit +suggested. Such was Ralph Watts. I had only been in the town a few days, +when Ralph and I contracted an intimacy which ended only with his death. +I was passing the small inn of the town, when a tall man, with a hunting +shirt and leggings on, stepped out and, laying his hand on my shoulder, +said: 'Stranger, they say you have just come among us, and that you are +poor; come along. I have got just five dollars, no man shall ever say +that Ralph Watts passed a moneyless man without sharing with him the +contents of his pocket--come along.' Ralph and I soon became inseparable +friends. His joys as well as his sorrows were mine; in a word, we shared +each other's sympathies; and this leads me to the scene of the log +cabin. We often hunted together, and while on our last expedition, took +an oath of friendship which should end only with death--and how soon was +it to end! We left the infant Cincinnati one summer morning at the +rising of the sun, and with our guns on our shoulders, and our pouches +well supplied with ammunition, we struck into the deep wilderness, +trusting to our own stout hearts and woodscraft for our food and safety. +We journeyed merrily along, whiling away the hours in recounting to each +other those trivial incidents of our lives which might be interesting, +or in singing snatches of song, and listening to its solemn echo as it +reverberated among the tall trees of the forest. Towards evening we +reached our first camping ground--a spot near where the town of Sharon +now stands. Here we pitched our tent, built our fire, cooked our +suppers, and prepared to pass away the evening as comfortably as two +hunters possibly could. All at once the deep stillness which reigned +around us was broken by a low cry similar to that of a panther. We both +ceased speaking and listened attentively, when the cry was repeated +still nearer, as if the arrival was rapidly advancing upon us; and thus +the cry was repeated, again and again, till its shrillness seemed not +more than a hundred yards distant, when the voice changed to that of a +yell, whose tones were so familiar to the ear of my companion as to +exert quite a visible effect upon his actions. We both sprang to our +feet and, seizing our guns, stood ready to fire at a moment's warning. +"Halloo!" cried a deep voice, just outside our camp, but instead of +answering it we nerved ourselves for a desperate encounter, feeling +assured that several Indians were lurking outside our tent. "Halloo, +white brudder, come out," cried the same voice in broken English. We +consulted for a moment and finally decided to trust, for once, to Indian +faith. Ralph first stepped forth and demanded in no very amiable voice, +what was wanting. "Come out white brudder," was the answer. After +assuring ourselves that there was but one person near we walked forward +and found a large Indian sitting by the fire, both hands spread before +the flame to protect his eyes from the light, that his keen gaze might +rest unmolested upon us. As soon as he saw us a writhing grin spread +over his painted features, and rising he offered us each his hand in a +very friendly manner. The Indian drew from his belt a large pipe, +gaudily painted, and from which depended a profusion of wampum, beads, +and eagles' feathers. He lighted the pipe, and after taking a whiff, +passed it to Ralph, who, following his example, passed it to me. After +taking a puff I handed it to the Indian, who replaced it in his belt. +This very important ceremony being finished, the Indian made known his +business. After bestowing a thousand anathemas upon his red brethren, he +informed us that he had left the red man forever, and was willing to +join his white brothers, and to wage an exterminating warfare against +his own kindred. We strove to extort from him the cause of this +ebullition of passion, but he only shook his head in reply to our +questions, and uttered a guttural "ough." We at first suspected him of +some treacherous plot; but there was such an air of candor and +earnestness in the communication he now made, that we threw aside all +suspicion and confided in him. He stated that there was a large party of +Indians in our rear, who had been tracking us for several hours; and +that it was their intention early in the morning to surround us, and +take us prisoners for victims at the stake; "but," said he, "if my white +brudder will follow his red brudder he will lead him safe." We instantly +signified our willingness to trust ourselves to his guidance, and, +shouldering our blankets and guns, we left our camp, and followed our +guide due north at a rapid gait. For several miles we strode through the +thick woods, every moment scratching our faces and tearing our clothing, +with the thick tangled brush through which we had to pass, but +considering this of minor importance we hurried on in silence, save when +we intruded too near the nest of the nocturnal king of the forest, when +a wild hoot made us start and involuntarily grasp our rifles. "Sit on +this log and eat," said our red guide. Finding our appetites sharpened +by vigorous exercise, we sat on the log and commenced our repast, when +our guide suddenly sprang from his seat, and with a hideous yell bolted +into the forest and was soon lost to our sight. This conduct instantly +roused our fear; and with one accord we sprang to our feet. We gazed +around. Turn which way we would, the grim visage of a painted warrior +met our terrified gaze, with his tomahawk in one hand, and his rifle in +the other. "Perfidious villain," exclaimed Ralph, "and this is an +Indian's faith." An Indian of gigantic size, dressed in all the gaudy +trappings of a chief, now strode towards us. Ralph raised his gun, and +closed his eye as the sight of the weapon sought the warrior's breast. +"Don't shoot, and you will be treated friendly," cried the savage in +good English. "So long as I live," said Ralph, "I'll never put faith +again in an Indian's word." The gun went off, and the savage, with an +unearthly cry, bounded high in the air, and fell upon his face a corpse. +A scream, as if ten thousand furies had been suddenly turned loose upon +the earth, rang around us; and ere we could start ten steps on our +flight, we were seized by our savage foes, and, like the light barque +when borne on the surface of the angry waves, were we borne, equally +endangered, upon the shoulders of these maddened men. We were thrown +upon the earth, our hands and feet were bound till the cords were almost +hidden in the flesh; and then, with the fury of madmen, they commenced +beating us with clubs, when another chief, who appeared to be of higher +standing than the one who had just lost his life, rushed into the crowd, +hurling the excited warriors to the right and left in his progress, and +mounting upon a log he harangued them for a few moments with a loud +voice. They at once desisted, perhaps reconciled by the prospect of soon +seeing us burnt at the stake. We were carried to their encampment, where +we were still left bound, with two sentinels stationed to guard us. In +this painful state we remained all day; when towards evening another +company of warriors arrived, and then vigorous preparations were made +for burning us. A stake was planted in the ground, and painted a variety +of fantastic colors; the brush was piled around it at a proper distance; +and every other necessary arrangement made; while we sat looking on, +subject to the continual epithets of an old squaw, whose most consoling +remarks were: "How will white man like to eat fire," and then she would +break into a screeching laugh, which sounded perfectly hideous. A cold +chill pervaded my frame as I gazed upon these ominous signs of death; +but how often is our misery but the prelude of joy. At the moment that +these horrid preparations were finished, a bright flash of lightning +shattered a tall hickory, near by; and then the earth was deluged with +rain. The Indians sought the shelter, but left us beneath the fury of +the storm, where we remained for several hours; but seeing that it +increased rather than diminished, they forced us into a small log hut +and leaving a man to guard us, bolted the door firmly and left us for +the night. What were our reflections when left alone? Your imagination +must supply an answer. But we did not entirely gave way to despondency. +We were young and robust, and our spirits were not easily subdued. +Instead of becoming disheartened our approaching fate emboldened us, and +by looks, whose expression made known our minds to each other, we +resolved to effect our escape or be slain in striving for it. Anything +was preferable to the fiery torture which awaited us. Our guard proved +just the man we wanted, for, having during the evening indulged rather +freely in drinking whiskey, he soon sank into a profound slumber. Long +and anxiously had we watched the man, and now our wishes were +consummated. I contrived with much exertion to draw my knife from my +pocket, and commenced sawing at the tough thong which confined my wrist. +My heart beat high with joy, and already we felt that we were free, when +the guard sneezed, opened his eyes, rolled them round the room, and +discovered that he had been asleep. I slipped the knife into my pocket +without his notice, and he discovered nothing to rouse his suspicions, +although he regarded us closely for a long time. He finally sat down, +lit his pipe and commenced smoking. After puffing away for half an hour, +which seemed to drag by with the tediousness of a week, he laid his +tomahawk (which contains the pipe) by his side, and after nodding for +some time he again stretched himself upon the rough floor, and soon his +deep snoring fell upon our ears. O! what music was that sound to us. I +again drew the knife from my pocket, and with desperation freed my +hands, and in one minute more Ralph stood like myself a free man. With +the stealthy tread of a cat we reached the door, softly slid back the +bolt, and once more we stood in the open air. The rain had ceased, the +clouds had swept by, and the full moon pale and high in the heavens +threw her light upon the tree tops, bathing them in liquid silver. +Silently but rapidly we bounded through the forest, our fears of pursuit +urging us onward; and by daylight were within twelve miles of the log +cabin whose history I am telling. At that time there dwelt in that +cabin, with his family, a trapper by the name of Daniel Roe. When we +reached there we found Roe at home, to whom we recounted our adventure. +He only laughed at our fears that the Indians might track us thus far, +and we finally listened to his laughing remarks and concluded to rest in +his cabin for several days. We heaped folly upon folly; for instead of +putting the house in a state of defence, and preserving as much silence +as possible we commenced trying our skill by shooting at a mark. We +continued this exercise through the afternoon, partook of a hearty +supper, chatted till bed-time, and then retired. Ralph soon fell sound +asleep, but I could not; I felt a presentiment of approaching danger; +still there was no visible signs of it, yet I could not shake off a +peculiar nervousness which agitated me. I lay still for some time +listening to the deep and regular breathing of Ralph, and ever and anon +as an owl screamed I would start, despite the familiarity of the cry. +Just as I turned in my bed, and was trying to compose myself for sleep, +I heard a cry very similar to the hoot of an owl; still there was +something about the sound which did not sound right. My heart commenced +beating rapidly and a sweat started from my brow. I rose softly and +looked through the chinks of the logs, but there was nothing to be seen. +I listened attentively for at least an hour; but heard no sound to +confirm my fears; and finally ashamed of my own nervousness, I could not +call it _cowardice_, I slipped into bed, determined to sleep if +possible. But soon I heard that same sound on the still air. I rose, +dressed myself, but still I could see no form like that of an Indian. +Just as I was on the point of abandoning my fears as idle and childish, +I cast my eyes through an aperture between the logs; and saw the dusky +forms of several Indians moving about the yard. I sprang to the bedside, +and awoke Ralph, and in a few moments more, Roe, Ralph, and myself, +stood with ready guns, waiting for a chance to shoot. A shot passing +through one of the savages, told the rest they were discovered; and now +a regular firing began. The Indians simultaneously uttered a fiendish +shout, such as no person can imagine who has not heard the Indian +war-scream; and then brandishing their tomahawks rushed upon the house +and began hewing at the door. In a moment we were all down stairs, and +our fire became so fatal that they were forced to retire several times; +but with desperate courage they returned to the attack. I never +experienced the feeling of utter despair but once in my life; and that +was then. Roe came running down stairs (whither he had gone for more +ammunition) and with a face white from terror, informed us that the +ammunition was expended. Here we were, surrounded by a host of savages, +fastened in a small house, with nothing to defend ourselves, and the +helpless women and children under the roof. 'Let us open the door, and +decide the contest hand to hand,' said Ralph Watts. 'O! my family, my +wife and children,' groaned Daniel Roe, 'let us defend the house to the +last.' And with nerves strung like iron, and hearts swelled to +desperation, we waited in silence for the savages to hew their way +through the door. The work was soon over, the savages uttered one +deafening yell as the door gave way; and clubbing our guns we wielded +them with giant energy. The dark forms of the savages crowded the +door-way, their eyes glared madly at us, and their painted features +working into a hundred malignant and fiendish expressions, which, +together with their horrid yells, and the more heart-rending cries of +women and children, all formed a scene of the most harrowing +description. The battle was soon over. By some mishap I was hurled head +foremost out the door; but so intent were the savages upon the battle +within, that they did not once notice me, as they rushed forward to the +scene of action. Seeing that all was lost, and that to remain would only +be throwing away my life uselessly, I sprang to my feet and slipping +around the corner of the house I made my way over the old +fortification[B] and soon left the noise far behind me. Much has been +written and said of grief, but how little do we know of its poignant +nature, till we suffer the loss of some dear friend. 'Tis when we behold +an object of deep affection lying passive and dead--but a thing of clay +unconscious of the pain it gives, that we feel _that_ sorrow, which +language is too feeble to express. I found it so, when upon returning to +the cabin a few hours afterward, I found the dead bodies of all my +friends mutilated and weltering in their blood. Around the body of poor +Ralph lay six Indians, with their skulls beat in; his gun furnishing +evidence, by its mutilated state, of the force with which he had used +it. My story is soon finished. As the tears streamed from my eyes, I dug +a grave where I deposited the remains of my friends, and after placing a +large stone above their resting place, I departed, wishing never to +return to the spot again, and I never have." + +[B] Near the spot where the cabin stands are the remains of immense +works, but by whom and when built will forever remain hidden. + + + + +HAZEL-BROOK FARM. + + +Robert Ainslie, with his family, emigrated from Scotland about the +year of 1843, and settled upon a new farm in the backwoods, in the +township of R. in Eastern Canada. I can say but little regarding his +early life, but have been informed that he was the eldest of quite a +large family of sons and daughters; and also that he was a dutiful son +as well as a kind and affectionate brother. It seems that he married +quite early in life, and at that period he tended a small farm adjoining +the one occupied by his father. The utmost harmony existed between the +two families, and they lived in the daily interchange of those little +offices of love and kindness which render friends so dear to each other. +Several years glided by in this happy manner, but reverses at length +came; and Robert formed the plan of emigrating to America. But when he +saw how much his parents were grieved by the thought of his seeking a +home on the other side of the Atlantic, he forbore to talk farther of +the matter, and decided to remain at home for another year at least. +That year, however, proved a very unfortunate one; his crops were +scanty; and toward the spring he met with some severe losses, by a +distemper which broke out among his farm stock. As the season advanced, +he became so disheartened by his gloomy prospects, that he decided to +carry out his former plan of emigrating to Canada; where he hoped by +persevering industry to secure a comfortable home for himself and those +dear to him. He had little difficulty in persuading his wife to +accompany him, as her parents with her two brothers and one sister had +emigrated some two years previous. It was more difficult, however, for +him to persuade his father and mother that his decision was a wise one. +"If ye maun leave us," said his mother, "can ye no seek anither hame +nearer han', an' no gang awa across the water to yon' wild place they +ca' Canada?" "We maun try to be reasonable, woman," said his father, +"but I canna deny that the thought o' our first born son gaun sae far +awa gie's me a sair heart." It was equally hard for the son to bid +farewell to the land of his birth, and of a thousand endearing ties; but +prudence whispered that now was his time to go, while he had youth and +health, to meet the hardships that often fall to the lot of the +emigrant. When his parents saw how much his mind was set upon it they +ceased to oppose his wishes, and with his wife and children, he soon +joined the large numbers who, at that period, were leaving the British, +for the Canadian shores. + +As may be readily supposed, the parting between the two families was a +very sad one; but the last adieus were finally exchanged, and the poor +emigrants were borne away on the billows of the Atlantic. During the +first few days of their voyage they all, with the exception of their +youngest child, suffered much from sea-sickness. This child was a little +girl about three years old; and it seemed singular to them, that she +should escape the sickness from which nearly all the passengers +suffered, more or less. They soon recovered; the weather was fine, and +many of their fellow passengers were very agreeable companions, and they +began really to enjoy the voyage. But this happy state of things was but +of short duration. Their little girl, wee Susie, as they called her, was +seized with illness. They felt but little anxiety at the first, thinking +it but a slight indisposition from which she would soon recover; but +when day after day passed away with no visible change for the better +they became alarmed, and summoned the physician, who pronounced her +disease a slow kind of fever, which he said often attacked those who +escaped the sea-sickness. He told the anxious parents not to be alarmed, +as he hoped soon to succeed in checking the disease. But with all the +physician's skill, aided by the unceasing attention of her fond parents, +the sad truth that wee Susie was to die soon became evident. When the +sorrowing parents became sensible that their child must die, they prayed +earnestly that her life might be prolonged till they should reach the +land. But for some wise reason their prayer was not granted; and when +their voyage was but little more than half accomplished she died, and +they were forced to consign her loved form to a watery grave. The lovely +prattling child had been a general favourite with all on board, and her +sudden death cast a gloom over the minds of all. Words would fail me to +describe the grief of the parents and the two affectionate little +brothers when they realized that "wee Susie" was indeed gone, and that +they could never enjoy even the melancholy satisfaction of beholding her +resting-place. Mr. Ainslie's domestic affections were very strong, and +to him the blow was terrible. He now deeply regretted removing his +family from their Scottish home, entertaining the idea, that had they +not undertaken this journey their child might have been spared; and he +wrote bitter things against himself for the step he had taken. Deep as +was the mother's grief, she was forced to place a restraint upon it that +she might comfort her almost heart-broken husband. Upon one occasion, in +reply to some of his self upbraidings, she said, "I think, Robert, +you're ow're hard on yoursel' now, when ye tak the blame o' puir Susie's +death; ye surely canna think itherwise than the dear bairn's time had +come; an' had we bided at hame it would ha' been a' the same; for we +dinna leeve an' dee by chance, and the bounds o' our lives are set by +Him who kens a' things." These consoling words from his sympathising +wife tended to lighten, in some measure, the burden of sorrow which +oppressed his heart. The weather during the latter part of their voyage +was stormy and uncomfortable, and they were truly glad when they at +length reached the Canadian port. At the city of Montreal they parted +with all those who had been their fellow passengers, as all except +themselves were bound for the Upper Province, while they intended +joining their friends in Lower Canada. + +In the days of which I am speaking the emigrant's journey from the +city of Montreal to the townships was toilsome in the extreme; and the +same journey, which is now accomplished in a few hours by railway, was +then the work of several days; and the only mode of conveyance for +themselves and their luggage, were the horse-carts hired for the +occasion. But their fatiguing journey was at length terminated; and they +arrived safely at the bush settlement in R., where the friends of Mrs. +Ainslie resided. That now thriving and prosperous settlement was then in +its infancy, and possessed but few external attractions to the new +comer; for at the period when Mrs. Ainslie's parents settled there it +was an unbroken wilderness. It is needless for me to add that the +wayworn travellers met with a joyous welcome from the friends who had +been long anxiously looking for their arrival. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were +overjoyed to meet again their daughter from whom they had been so long +separated by the deep roll of the ocean; and almost their first enquiry +was for the "wee lassie," who when they left Scotland was less than a +twelve month old. Mr. Ainslie was unable to reply, and looked toward his +wife as if beseeching her to answer to their enquiry. She understood the +mute appeal, and composing herself by a strong effort said: "My dear +father an' mither, a great grief has o'erta'en us sin' we left hame', +an' our hearts are well-nigh broken; we buried wee Susie in the caul +waters o' the ocean." She endeavoured to relate to them the particulars +of the child's death; but her feelings overcame her, and for some +moments they could only weep together. When Mr. Miller was able to +command his voice he said, "God is good, my children, an' overrules a' +things for our good, let us bow before Him in prayer;" and when they +rose from their knees, they felt calmed and comforted, by the soothing +influence of prayer. With the two boys, Geordie and Willie, fatigue soon +got the better of their joy at meeting with their friends, and they were +soon enjoying the sound sleep of healthful childhood; but with the elder +members of the family, so much was there to hear and to tell that the +hour was very late when they separated to seek repose. Mr. Ainslie +decided upon purchasing a lot of land, lying some two miles north of +the farm occupied by Mr. Miller. Although it was covered with a dense +forest, its location pleased him, and the soil was excellent, and he +looked forward to the time when he might there provide a pleasant home. +They arrived at R. on the first of July. There were beside Mr. Miller +but three other families in the settlement; but they were all very kind +to the newly arrived strangers, and they assisted Mr. Ainslie in various +ways while he effected a small clearing upon his newly purchased farm. +They also lent him a willing hand in the erection of a small log house, +to which he removed his family in the fall, Mrs. Ainslie and the +children having remained with her parents during the summer; and kind as +their friends had been, they were truly glad when they found themselves +again settled in a home of their own, however humble. They were people +of devoted piety, and they did not neglect to erect the family altar the +first night they rested beneath the lowly roof of their forest home. I +could not, were I desirous of so doing, give a detailed account of the +trials and hardships they endured during the first few years of their +residence in the bush; but they doubtless experienced their share of the +privations and discouragements which fell to the lot of the first +settlers of a new section of country. The first winter they passed in +their new home was one of unusual severity for even the rigorous climate +of Eastern Canada, and poor Mrs. Ainslie often during that winter +regretted the willingness with which she bade adieu to her early home, +to take up her abode in the dreary wilderness. They found the winter +season very trying indeed, living as they did two miles from any +neighbour; and the only road to the dwelling of a neighbour was a +foot-track through the blazed trees, and the road, such as it was, was +too seldom trodden during the deep snows of winter, to render the +foot-marks discernible for any length of time. Their stores had all to +be purchased at the nearest village, which was distant some seven miles, +and Mr. Ainslie often found it very difficult to make his way through +the deep snows which blocked up the roads, and to endure the biting +frost and piercing winds on his journeys to and from the village. In +after years when they had learned to feel a deep interest in the growth +of the settlement, they often looked back with a smile to the +"home-sickness" which oppressed their hearts, while struggling with the +first hardships of life in the bush. Mr. Ainslie and his family, +notwithstanding their many privations, enjoyed uninterrupted health +through the winter, and before the arrival of spring they already felt a +growing interest in their new home. Mrs. Ainslie regarded the labours of +the workmen with much attention during the winter, while they felled the +trees which had covered nearly ten acres of their farm. As each tree +fell to the ground it opened a wider space in the forest and afforded a +broader view of the blue sky. A stream of water, which in many places +would have been termed a river, but which there only bore the name of +Hazel-Brook, flowed near their dwelling, and as the spring advanced, the +belt of forest which concealed it from view having been felled, she +gained a view of its sparkling waters when the warm showers and genial +rays of the sun loosened them from their icy fetters; and she often +afterwards remarked that the view of those clear waters was the first +thing which tended to reconcile her to a home in the forest. With the +coming of spring their "life in the woods" began in earnest. When the +earth was relieved of its snowy mantle, the fallen trunks of the trees, +with piles of brush-wood, were scattered in every direction about their +dwelling. But the fallow was burned as soon as it was considered +sufficiently dry, the blackened logs were piled in heaps, and the ground +was prepared for its first crop of grain. The green blades soon sprang +up and covered the ground, where a short time before was only to be seen +the unsightly fallow or the remains of the partially consumed logs. + +It was a long time before Mr. and Mrs. Ainslie became reconciled to +the change in their circumstances, when they exchanged the comforts and +conveniences of their home beyond the sea, for the log cabin in the +wilderness. Cut off as they were from the privileges of society to which +they had been accustomed from childhood, they felt keenly the want of a +place of worship, with each returning Sabbath, and next to this, the +want of a school for their two boys; for taken as a people the Scotch +are intelligent; and we rarely meet with a Scotchman, even among the +poorer classes, who has not obtained a tolerable education. And the +careful parents felt much anxiety when they beheld their children +debarred from the advantages of education; but to remedy the want as +much as lay in their power, they devoted the greater part of what little +leisure time they could command to the instruction of their boys. They +had been regular attendants at their own parish church in the old +country; and very sensibly they felt the want, as Sabbath after Sabbath +passed away, with no service to mark it from other days. "It just +seems," said Mr. Ainslie, "that sin' we cam' to America we ha'e nae +Sabbath ava." In order to meet the want in some measure, he proposed to +the few neighbours which there formed the settlement, that they should +assemble at one house, on each Sabbath afternoon, and listen to the +reading of a sermon by some one present. "I think it our duty," said he, +"to show our respect to the Sabbath-day by assembling ourselves +together, and uniting in worship to the best o' our ability. I ha'e +among my books a collection o' sermons by different divines, an' I am +verra willin' to tak' my turn in the readin' o' ane, an' I'm sure you +should a' be agreeable to do the same." His proposal met with the hearty +approval of all his neighbours, and for some years each Sabbath +afternoon saw most of the neighbours collected together for the best +mode of worship within their reach. The bush settlements at this period +were much infected by bears, and they often proved very destructive to +the crops of the early settler, and also a cause of no little fear. I +believe the instances have been rare when a bear has been known to +attack a person, although it has happened in some cases; but the +immigrant has so often listened to exaggerated accounts regarding the +wild animals of America, that those who settle in a new section of +country find it difficult to get rid of their fears. On one occasion +when the Sabbath meeting met at Mr. Ainslie's house, Mrs. Ainslie urged +her mother to remain and partake of some refreshment before setting out +on her walk homeward. "Na, na," replied the old lady. "I maun e'en gang +while I ha'e company, I dinna expec' to leeve muckle longer at ony rate, +but wouldna' like to be eaten by the bears;" and for several years the +one who ventured alone to the house of a neighbour after dark was looked +upon as possessing more courage than prudence. But although the settlers +often came across these animals, on the bush-road, I never heard of one +being attacked by them. An old man, upon one occasion, returning in the +evening from the house of friends, and carrying in his hand a torchlight +composed of bark from the cedar tree, met a large bear in the thick +woods. Being asked if he was not frightened, he replied, "Deed I think +the bear was 'maist frightened o' the twa', for he just stood up on his +twa hind legs, and glowered at me for a wee while till I waved the torch +light toward him, when he gi' an awfu' snort, and ran into the woods as +fast's ever he was able, an' I cam awa' hame no a bit the war, an' I +think I'll never be sae' muckle feared about bears again." But these +early settlers certainly found these animals very troublesome from their +frequent depredations upon their fields of grain, and they often spent a +large portion of the night watching for them, prepared to give them +battle, but it was not often they saw one on these occasions, for these +animals are very cunning, and seem at once to know when they are +watched. It sometimes also happened that during the early period of this +settlement people lost their way in the bush while going from one house +to another. A woman once set out to go to the house of a neighbour who +lived about a mile distant. Supposing herself on the right path she +walked onward, till thinking the way rather long she stopped and gazed +earnestly around her, and became terrified as she noticed that the trees +and rocks, and every other surrounding object had a strange unfamiliar +look; and she knew at once that she had taken a wrong path. + +Becoming much alarmed, she endeavoured to retrace her steps, but +after walking a long time would often return to the spot from which she +set out. She left home about ten o'clock in the forenoon, and her +friends, alarmed at her long stay, called together some of their +neighbours and set out to look for her, knowing that she must have lost +her way in the forest. They continued their search through the +afternoon, sounding horns, hallooing, and calling her name, as they +hurried through the tangled underbrush, and other obstructions, and at +sunset they returned to procure torches with which to continue their +search through the night; her friends were almost beside themselves with +terror, and all the stories they had heard or read of people being +devoured by wild animals rushed across their minds. But just when they +had collected nearly every settler in the vicinity, and were preparing +their torches to continue the search, the woman arrived safely at home, +with no further injury than being thoroughly frightened and very much +fatigued. She stated that she had walked constantly, from the time when +she became aware she was lost, and that she was so much bewildered that +she at the first did not know their own clearing, till some familiar +object attracted her attention. As the neighbours were going to their +homes, after the woman's return, they were, naturally enough, talking of +the matter, regarding it as a cause of deep thankfulness that no harm +had befallen her. Mr. G., one of the number, although a very +kind-hearted man, had an odd dry manner of speaking which often provoked +a laugh. It so happened that the woman who was lost was very small, her +stature being much below the medium height. Laughter was far enough from +the mind of any one, till old Mr. G., who had not before made a remark, +suddenly said, "sic a wee body as you should never attemp' to gang awa' +her lane through the bush without a bell hanged aboot her neck to let +people ken where to find her in case she should gang off the richt +road." This was too much for the gravity of any one; and the stillness +of the summer night was broken by a burst of hearty laughter from the +whole company; and the old man made the matter little better, when the +laugh had subsided by saying in a very grave manner, "Well, after a' I +think is would be a verra wise-like precaution wi' sic a wee bit body as +her." Time passed on; other settlers located themselves in the vicinity, +and the settlement soon began to wear a prosperous appearance. As soon +as circumstances allowed, a school-house was erected, which, if rude in +structure, answered the purpose very well. For some time the school was +only kept open during the summer and autumn, as the long distance and +deep snows forbade the attendance of young children during the winter +season. They had as yet no public worship, except the Sabbath meetings +before mentioned, which were now held in the schoolhouse for the greater +convenience of the settlers. Mr. Ainslie was a man of much industry; and +although his home was for some years two miles from any neighbour, it +soon wore a pleasing appearance. The most pleasing feature in the scene +was the beautiful stream of water which ran near his dwelling, and after +which he named his farm. In five years from the time when he first +settled in the bush, he exchanged his rude log house for a comfortable +and convenient framed dwelling, with a well-kept garden in front, and +near his house were left standing some fine shade-trees which added much +to the beauty of the place. In process of time, the excellent quality of +the soil in that range of lots attracted others to locate themselves in +the vicinity; and Hazel-Brook farm soon formed the centre of a fast +growing neighbourhood. Two sons and another daughter had been added to +Mr. Ainslie's family during this time; and the birth of the little girl +was an occasion of much joy to all the family. They had never forgotten +"wee Susie," and all the love which they bore to her memory was lavished +upon this second daughter in the family. The elder brothers were anxious +to bestow the name of their lost favourite upon their infant sister, but +the parents objected, having rather a dislike to the practice, so +common, of bestowing upon a child a name that had belonged to the dead; +and so the little girl was named Jennette, after her grandmother, Mrs. +Miller. About this time old Mr. Miller died. He was an old man, "full of +days," having seen nearly eighty years of life. He had ever been a man +of strong constitution and robust health, and his last illness was very +short; and from the first he was confident that he should never recover. +When he first addressed his family upon the subject they were +overwhelmed with grief. "Dinna greet for me," said he in a calm and +hopeful voice, "I ha'e already leeved ayont the period allotted to the +life o' man. I ha'e striven in my ain imperfect way to do my duty in +this life, an' I am thankfu' that I am able to say that I dinna fear +death; and I feel that when I dee I shall gang hame to the house o' a +mercifu' Father." So peaceful was his departure, that, although +surrounded by his mourning friends, they were unable to tell the exact +moment of his death. Like a wearied child that sleeps, he quietly passed +away. They had no burial ground in the settlement, and he was laid to +rest several miles from his home. His family, with the exception of one +son, had all married and removed to homes of their own some time +previous to his death; and to this son was assigned the happy task of +watching over the declining years of his widowed mother. Mr. Miller, as +a dying injunction, charged this son never to neglect his mother in her +old age, and most sacredly did he observe the dying wishes of his +father. Mrs. Miller was also of advanced age. For three years longer she +lingered, and was then laid to rest beside her departed husband. + +Twenty years have passed away since we introduced Robert Ainsley +with his family to the reader. Let us pay a parting visit to Hazel-Brook +farm, and note the changes which these twenty years have effected. The +forest has melted away before the hand of steady industry, and we pass +by cultivated fields on our way to the farm of Mr. Ainslie. The +clearings have extended till very few trees obstruct our view as we gaze +over the farms of the numerous settlers, which are now separated by +fences instead of forest trees. But the loveliest spot of all is +Hazel-Brook farm. The farm-house of Robert Ainslie, enlarged and +remodelled according to his increased means, is painted a pure white, +and very pleasant it looks to the eye, through the branches of the +shade-trees which nearly surround it. The clear waters of Hazel-Brook +are as bright and sparkling as ever. The banks near the dwelling are +still fringed with trees and various kinds of shrubs; but farther up the +stream all obstructions have been cleared away, and the sound of a +saw-mill falls upon the ear. Let us enter the dwelling. Mr. and Mrs. +Ainslie, although now no longer young, evince by their cheerful +countenance that they yet retain both mental and bodily vigour. As yet +their children all remain at home, as the boys find ample employment +upon the farm, and at the mill; While Jennette assists her mother in the +labours of the household. For many years the setting sun has rested upon +the gleaming spire of the neat and substantial church erected by the +settlers; and now upon the Sabbath day, instead of listening to a sermon +read by a neighbour, they listen to the regular preaching of the gospel, +and each one according to his means contributes to the support of their +minister. It was Mr. Ainslie who first incited the settlers to exert +themselves in the erection of a suitable place for worship. Some of his +neighbours at the first were not inclined to favour the idea, thinking +the neighbourhood too poor for the undertaking. But he did not suffer +himself to become discouraged, and after considerable delay the frame of +the building was erected. When the building was once begun, they all +seemed to work with a will, and to the utmost of their ability. Those +who were unable to give money brought contributions of lumber, boards, +shingles, &c., besides giving their own labour freely to the work; and +in a short time the work had so far advanced that they were able to +occupy the building as a place of worship, although in an unfinished +state. But the contributions were continued year after year, till at +length they were privileged to worship in a church which they could call +their own. Mr. Ainslie was a man of talents and education, superior to +most of the early settlers in that section, and it was his counsel, +administered in a spirit of friendship and brotherly kindness, which +worked many improvements and effected many changes for the better as the +years rolled by. As we turn away with a parting glance at the pleasing +scene, we cannot help mentally saying,--surely the residents in this +vicinity owe much to Robert Ainslie for the interest he has ever taken +in the prosperity and improvements of the place, and long may both he +and they live to enjoy the fruit of their united labours. + + + + +OLD RUFUS. + + +The memory of Old Rufus is so closely connected with the days of +my childhood that I cannot refrain from indulging in a few recollections +of him. The name of Old Rufus was not applied to him from any want of +respect; but it was owing to his advanced age, and long residence in our +vicinity, that he received this appellation. His name was Rufus Dudley. +I remember him as an old man when I was a very young child; and his +residence in the neighbourhood dated back to a period many years +previous to the time of which I speak. He was born in the state of New +York, where he resided during the early portion of his life, and where +he married. His wife died before his removal to Canada. When he first +came to the Province he located himself in a town a few miles from the +village of C., where he married a second time. When first he removed to +R. he was for some years employed in a saw-mill and earned a comfortable +support for his family. My knowledge of his early residence in R. is +indefinite, as he had lived there for many years previous to my +recollection, and all I know concerning the matter is what I have heard +spoken of at different times by my parents and other old residents of +the place. It would seem, however, that his second marriage was, for +him, very unfortunate, for to use his own words, "he never afterward had +any peace of his life." I have been informed that his wife was possessed +of a pleasing person and manners, but added to this she also possessed a +most dreadful temper; which when roused sometimes rendered her insane +for the time being; and finally some trouble arose between them which +ended in a separation for life. They had two grown-up daughters at the +time of their separation who accompanied their mother to a town at a +considerable distance from their former home. In a short time the +daughters married and removed to homes of their own. Their mother +removed to one of the Eastern States. She survived her husband for +several years, but she is now also dead. Soon after he became separated +from his family Old Rufus gave up the saw-mill and removed to a small +log house, upon a piece of land to which he possessed some kind of +claim, and from that time till his death, lived entirely alone. He +managed to cultivate a small portion of the land, which supplied him +with provisions, and he at times followed the trade of a cooper, to eke +out his slender means. His family troubles had broken his spirit, and +destroyed his ambition, and for years he lived a lonely dispirited man. +He was possessed of sound common sense and had also received a tolerable +education, to which was added a large stock of what might be properly +termed general information; and I have often since wondered how he could +have reconciled himself to the seemingly aimless and useless life which +he led for so many years. But in our intercourse with men, we often meet +with characters who are a sore puzzle to us; and Old Rufus was one of +those. When quite young I have often laughed at a circumstance I have +heard related regarding the violent temper of his wife; but indeed it +was no laughing matter. It seems that in some instances she gave vent to +her anger by something more weighty than words. Old Rufus one day +entered the house of a neighbor with marks of blows on his face, and was +asked the cause. He never spoke of his wife's faults if he could avoid +it; but on this occasion he sat for a moment as though considering what +reply to make, and finally said: "O! there is not much the matter with +my face any way, only Polly and I had a little brush this morning." I +know not how serious the matter was, but Old Rufus certainly came off +second in the encounter. This aged man is so deeply connected with the +early scenes of my home life that I yet cherish a tender regard for his +memory; although the flowers of many summers have scattered their +blossoms, and the snows of many winters have descended upon his grave. +He was upon familiar terms with almost every family in the +neighbourhood, and every one made him welcome to a place at their table, +or a night's lodging as the case might be; and I well remember the +attention with which I used to listen to his conversation during the +long winter evenings, when, as was often the case, he passed a night in +our dwelling. I recollect one time when the sight of Old Rufus was very +welcome to me. When about nine years of age, I accompanied my brothers +to the Sugar bush one afternoon in Spring; and during a long continued +run of the sap from the maple trees it was often necessary to keep the +sugar kettles boiling through the night to prevent waste. On the +afternoon in question, my brothers intended remaining over night in the +bush, and I obtained permission to stay with them, thinking it would be +something funny to sleep in a shanty in the woods. The sugar-bush was +about two miles from our dwelling, and I was much elated by the prospect +of being allowed to assist in the labors of sugar-making. My brothers +laughingly remarked that I would probably have enough of the woods, and +be willing to return home when night came, but I thought otherwise. +During the afternoon I assisted in tending the huge fires, and the +singing of the birds, and the chippering of the squirrels as they hopped +in the branches of the tall trees, delighted me, and the hours passed +swiftly by, till the sun went down behind the trees and the shades of +evening began to gather about us. As the darkness increased, I began to +think the sugar-bush not the most desirable place in the world, in which +to pass the night, and all the stories I had ever heard of bears, wolves +and other wild animals rushed across my mind, and filled me with terror. +I would have given the world, had it been at my disposal, to have been +safely at home; and it was only the dread of being laughed at, which +prevented me from begging my brothers to take me there. And when +darkness had entirely settled over the earth, and the night-owls set up +their discordant screams, my fears reached a climax. I had never before +listened to their hideous noise, and had not the slightest idea of what +it was. I had often heard old hunters speak of a wild animal, called the +catamount, which they allowed had been seen in the Canadian forests +during the early settlement of the country. I had heard this animal +described as being of large size, and possessing such strength and +agility, as enabled them to spring from the boughs of one tree to those +of another without touching the ground, and at such times their savage +cries were such as to fill the heart of the boldest hunter with terror. +I shall never forget the laugh which my grown-up brothers enjoyed at my +expense when trembling with terror, I enquired if they thought a +catamount was not approaching among the tree-tops. "Do not be alarmed," +said they, "for the noises which frighten you so much proceeds from +nothing more formidable than owls." Their answer, however, did not +satisfy me, and I kept a sharp look-out among the branches of the +surrounding trees lest the dreaded monster should descend upon us +unawares. Old Rufus was boiling sap, half a mile from us, and it was a +joyful moment to me, when he suddenly approached us, out of the +darkness, saying, "Well boys don't you want company? I have got my sap +all boiled in, and as I felt kinder lonesome, I thought I would come +across, and sleep by your shanty fire." The old man enquired why I +seemed so much terrified, and my brothers told him that I would persist +in calling a screech-owl, a catamount. Old Rufus did not often laugh, +but he laughed heartily on this occasion, and truly it was no wonder and +when he corroborated what my brothers had already told me, I decided +that what he said must be true. His presence at once gave me a feeling +of protection and security and creeping close to his side on the cedar +boughs which formed our bed, while the immense fire blazed in front of +our tent, I soon forgot my childish fears, in a sound sleep which +remained unbroken till the morning sun was shining brightly above the +trees. But it was long before I heard the last of the night I spent in +the bush; and as often as my brothers wished to tease me, they would +enquire if I had lately heard the cries of a catamount? Time passed on +till I grew up, and leaving the paternal home went forth to make my own +way in the world. Old Rufus still resided in R. When a child I used to +fancy that he would never seem older than he had appeared since my +earliest recollection of him; but about the time I left home there was a +very observable change in his appearance. I noticed that his walk was +slow and feeble, and his form was bending beneath the weight of years +and his hair was becoming white by the frosts of time. I occasionally +visited my parents, and during these visits I frequently met with my old +friend; and it was evident that he was fast losing his hold of life. He +still resided alone much against the wishes of his neighbours, but his +old habits still clung to him. I removed to a longer distance and +visited my early home less frequently. Returning to R., after a longer +absence than usual, I learned that the health of Old Rufus had so much +failed, that the neighbours, deeming it unsafe for him to remain longer +alone, at length persuaded him to remove to the house of a neighbour, +where each one contributed toward his support. His mind had become weak +as well as his body; indeed he had become almost a child again, and it +was but a short time that he required the kind attentions which all his +old neighbours bestowed upon him. I remained at home for several weeks, +and ere I left, I followed the remains of Old Rufus to the grave. I have +stood by many a grave of both kindred and stranger; never before or +since have I seen one laid in the grave without the presence of some +relative; but no one stood by his grave who bore to him the least +relationship. It was on a mild Sabbath afternoon in midsummer that we +laid him to rest in the burial ground of R.; and if none of his kindred +stood by to shed the tear of natural affection, there was many a cheek +wet with the tear of sensibility when the coffin was lowered to its +silent abode. I am unable to state his exact age, but I am certain that +it considerably exceeded eighty years; and from what I can recollect of +his life, I have a strong hope, that death opened to him a blessed +immortality beyond the grave. + + + + +THE DIAMOND RING. + + +"And has it indeed come to this," said Mrs. Harris, addressing her +daughter Ellen, "must I part with my mother's last gift to obtain +bread?" Mrs. Harris, as she spoke, held in her hand a costly diamond +ring, and the tears gathered in her eyes, as the rays of light falling +upon the brilliants caused them to glow like liquid fire. This costly +ornament would have struck the beholder as strangely out of place in the +possession of this poor widow, in that scantily furnished room; but a +few words regarding the past history of Mrs. Harris and her daughter +will explain their present circumstances. Mrs. Harris was born and +educated in England, and when quite young was employed as governess in a +gentleman's family. Circumstances at length caused the family with whom +she resided to cross the Atlantic and take up their abode in the ancient +city of Quebec. The young governess had no remaining ties to bind her to +England. Her parents had been dead for many years; she had no sisters, +and her only brother, soon after the death of their parents, went to +seek his fortune in the gold regions of California. Some years had +passed since she heard any tidings from him, and she feared he was no +longer among the living, and when the family with whom she had so long +resided left England for America, they persuaded her to accompany them. +In process of time she was married to a wealthy merchant, and removed to +Western Canada. Their union was a very happy one, and for some years, +they lived in the enjoyment of worldly prosperity and happiness. But it +often happens that sad and unlooked-for reverses succeed a season of +long continued prosperity; and it was so in this case. I am not aware +that Mr. Harris's failure in business was brought about through any +imprudence on his part; but was owing to severe and unexpected losses. +He had entered into various speculations, which bid fair to prove +profitable, but which proved a complete failure, and one stroke of ill +fortune followed another in rapid succession, till the day of utter ruin +came. He gave up every thing; even his house and furniture was +sacrificed to meet the clamorous demands of his hard-hearted creditors; +and his family was thus suddenly reduced from a state of ease and +affluence to absolute poverty. Mr. Harris possessed a very proud spirit, +and his nature was sensitive, and he could not endure the humiliation of +remaining where they had formerly been so happy. He knew the world +sufficiently well to be aware that they would now meet with coldness and +neglect even from those who had formerly been proud of their notice, and +shrank from the trial, and with the small amount he had been able to +secure out of the general wreck, he removed to the city of Toronto, some +three hundred miles from their former home. They had but little money +remaining when they reached the city, and Mr. Harris felt the necessity +of at once seeking some employment, for a stranger destitute of money in +a large city is in no enviable position. For some time he was +unsuccessful in every application he made for employment, and he was +glad at length to accept the situation of copyist in a Lawyer's Office, +till something better might offer. His salary barely sufficed for their +support, yet they were thankful even for that. His constitution had +never been robust, and the anxiety of mind under which he labored told +severely upon his health. He exerted himself to the utmost, but his +health failed rapidly; he was soon obliged to give up work, and in a +little more than a year from the time of their removal to Toronto, he +died, leaving his wife and daughter friendless and destitute. Their +situation was extremely sad, when thus left alone; they had made no +acquaintances during the year they had resided in the city, and had no +friend to whom they could apply for aid. After paying her husband's +funeral expenses, Mrs. Harris found herself well-nigh destitute of +money, and she felt the urgent necessity of exerting herself to obtain +employment by which they at least might earn a subsistence. The widow +and her daughter found much difficulty at first in obtaining employment. +Some to whom they applied had no work; others did not give out work to +strangers; and for several days Mrs. Harris returned weary and +desponding to her home, after spending a large portion of the day in the +disagreeable task of seeking employment from strangers; but after a time +she succeeded in obtaining employment, and as their work proved +satisfactory they had soon an ample supply; but just when their +prospects were beginning to brighten Mrs. Harris was visited by a severe +illness. They had been able to lay by a small sum previous to her +illness, and it was well they had done so, for during her sickness she +required almost the constant attention of her daughter, which deprived +them of any means of support; but after several weeks of severe illness +she began slowly to recover, and this brings us to the time where our +story opens. The ring which Mrs. Harris held in her hand had been for +many, many years an heir-loom in the English family to which she +belonged. To her it was the dying gift of her mother, and the thoughts +of parting with it cost her a bitter pang. But she had no friends to +whom she might apply for aid; and to a refined and sensitive nature, +almost anything else is preferable to seeking charity from strangers. +The ring was the only article of value which she retained, and sore as +was the trial, she saw no other way of meeting their present wants, than +by disposing of this her only relic of former affluence and happiness; +and she trusted, that by the time the money which the sale of the ring +would bring should be expended, they would be again able to resume their +employment. With a heavy heart Ellen Harris set out to dispose of this +cherished memento. She remembered an extensive jewelry shop, which she +had often passed, as she carried home parcels of work, and thither she +made her way. The shop-keeper was an elderly man with daughters of his +own, and he had so often noticed this pale sad-looking young girl as she +passed his window, that he recognized her countenance the moment she +entered the shop; and when in a low timid voice she enquired if he would +purchase the ring, he was satisfied that he was correct in his former +conjecture, that she belonged to a family of former wealth and +respectability. But young as she was there was a certain reserve and +dignity in her manner, which forbade any questions on his part. The man +had for many years carried on a lucrative business in his line and he +was now wealthy; and knowing that he could afford to wait till the ring +should find a purchaser he had no fears of losing money on so valuable +an article; and, as is not often the case in such transactions, he paid +her a fair price for the ring, although less than its real value. Ellen +returned, much elated by her success; the money she had received for the +ring seemed to them in their present circumstances a small fortune. +"Little did once I think," said the widow, as she carefully counted the +bank-notes, "that a few paltry pounds would ever seem of so much value +to me; but perhaps it is well that we should sometimes experience the +want of money, that we may learn how to make a proper use of it; and be +more helpful to those less favored than ourselves." The money they +obtained more than sufficed for their support, till Mrs. Harris so far +recovered, as to allow them again to resume their employment. They now +had no difficulty in obtaining work, and although obliged to toil early +and late, they became cheerful and contented; although they could not +but feel the change in their circumstances, and often contrast the happy +past, with their present lot of labor and toil. + +The shopkeeper burnished up the setting of the diamonds and +placed the ring among many others in the show-case upon his counter. But +so expensive an ornament as this does not always find a ready purchaser, +and for some months it remained unsold. One afternoon a gentleman +entered the shop to make some trifling purchase, and, as the shopkeeper +happened to be engaged with a customer, he remained standing at the +counter, till he should be at leisure, and his eye wandered carelessly +over the articles in the show-case. Suddenly he started, changed +countenance, and when the shopkeeper came forward to attend to him he +said in voice of suppressed eagerness, "will you allow me to examine +that ring," pointing as he spoke to the diamond ring sold by Ellen +Harris. "Certainly, Sir, certainly," said the obliging shop-keeper, who, +hoping that the ring had at last found a purchaser, immediately placed +it in his hand for inspection. The gentleman turned the ring in his +hand, and carefully examined the sparkling diamonds as well as the +antique setting; and when he observed the initials, engraved upon the +inside, he grew pale as marble, and hurriedly addressed the astonished +shopkeeper saying, "In the name of pity, tell me where you obtained this +ring?" "I am very willing to inform you," said the man "how this ring +came into my possession. Several months ago a young girl, of very +delicate and lady-like appearance, brought this ring here and desired me +to purchase it. She seemed very anxious to dispose of the ornament, and, +thinking I could easily sell it again, I paid her a fair price and took +the ring, and that is all I can tell you about the matter." "You do not +know the lady's name?" said the gentleman anxiously. "I do not," replied +the man, "but I have frequently seen her pass in the street. The +circumstance of her selling me this valuable ring caused me to notice +her particularly, and I recognized her countenance ever after." "Name +your price for the ring," said the gentleman,--"I must purchase it at +any price; and the next thing, I must, if possible, find the young lady +who brought it here, I have seen this ring before, and that is all I +wish to say of the matter at present; but is there no way in which you +can assist me in obtaining an interview with this young lady?" "I have +no knowledge of her name or residence; but if you were in my shop when +she chanced to pass here I could easily point her out to you in the +street." "You may think my conduct somewhat strange," said the +gentleman, "but believe me my reasons for seeking an interview with this +young lady are most important and if you can point her out to me in the +street I will endeavour to learn her residence, as that will be +something gained." Before the gentleman left the shop he paid for the +ring, and placed it in his pocket. For several days, he frequented the +shop of the jeweller with the hope of gaining a view of the lady. At +length one morning the shop-keeper suddenly directed his attention to a +lady passing in the street, saying, "there, Sir, is the young lady from +whom I purchased the ring." He waited to hear no more, but, stepping +hastily into the street, followed the lady at a respectful distance; but +never losing sight of her for a moment till she entered her home two +streets distant from the shop of the jeweller. He approached the door +and rang the bell. The door was opened by the same young lady, whose +manner exhibited not a little embarrassment, when she beheld a total +stranger; and he began to feel himself in an awkward position. He was at +a loss how to address her till, recollecting that he must explain his +visit in some way, he said: "Pardon the intrusion of a stranger; but, by +your permission, I would like to enter the house, and have a word of +conversation with you." The young girl regarded the man earnestly for a +moment; but his manner was so gentlemanly and deferential that she could +do no less than invite him to enter the little sitting-room where her +mother was at work, and ask him to be seated. He bowed to Mrs. Harris on +entering the room, then seating himself he addressed the young lady, +saying: "The peculiar circumstances in which I am placed must serve as +my apology for asking you a question which you may consider +impertinent. Are you the young lady who, some months since, sold a +diamond ring to a jeweller on Grafton street?" Mrs. Harris raised her +eyes to the stranger's face, and the proud English blood which flowed in +her veins mantled her cheek as she replied, "before I permit my daughter +to answer the questions of a stranger, you will be so kind as to explain +your right to question." The stranger sprang from his seat at the sound +of her voice, and exclaimed, in a voice tremulous from emotion, "don't +you know me Eliza, I am your long lost brother George." The reader will, +doubtless, be better able to imagine the scene which followed, than I am +to describe it. Everything was soon explained, many letters had been +sent which never reached their destination; he knew not that his sister +had left England, and after writing again and again, and receiving no +reply, he ceased altogether from writing. During the first years of his +sojourn in California, he was unfortunate, and was several times brought +to the brink of the grave by sickness. After a time fortune smiled upon +his efforts, till he at length grew immensely rich, and finally left the +burning skies of California to return to England. He landed at New York +and intended, after visiting the Canadas, to sail for England. The +brother and sister had parted in their early youth, and it is no wonder +that they failed to recognize each other when each had passed middle +age. The brother was most changed of the two. His complexion had grown +very dark, and he had such a foreign look that, when convinced of the +fact, Mrs. Harris could hardly believe him to be one and the same with +the stripling brother from whom she parted in England so many years ago. +He was, of course, not aware of his sister's marriage, and he listened +with sorrow to the story of her bereavement and other misfortunes. "You +must now place a double value upon our family ring," said he, as he +replaced the lost treasure upon his sister's hand; "for it is this +diamond ring which has restored to each other the brother and sister who +otherwise might never have met again on earth. And now, both you and +your daughter must prepare for a voyage to dear old England. You need +have no anxiety for the future; I have enough for us all and you shall +want no more." Before leaving the City, accompanied by her brother, Mrs. +Harris visited the grave of her husband; and the generous brother +attended to the erection of a suitable tombstone, as the widow had +before been unable to meet the expenses of it. Passing through the Upper +Province they reached Montreal, whence they sailed for England. After a +prosperous voyage they found themselves amid the familiar scenes of +their childhood, where they still live in the enjoyment of as much +happiness as usually falls to the lot of mortals. + + + + +THE UNFORTUNATE MAN. + + +On a sultry afternoon in midsummer I was walking on a lonely +unfrequented road in the Township of S. My mind was busily occupied, and +I paid little attention to surrounding objects till a hollow, unnatural +voice addressed me, saying: "Look up my friend, and behold the +unfortunate man." I raised my eyes suddenly, and, verily, the appearance +of the being before me justified his self-bestowed appellation--the +unfortunate man. I will do my best to describe him, although I am +satisfied that my description will fall far short of the reality. He was +uncommonly tall, and one thing which added much to the oddity of his +appearance was the inequality of length in his legs, one being shorter +by several inches than the other, and, to make up for the deficiency, he +wore on the short leg a boot with a very high heel. He seemed to be past +middle age, his complexion was sallow and unhealthy, he was squint-eyed, +and his hair, which had once been of a reddish hue, was then a grizzly +gray. Taken all together he was a strange looking object, and I soon +perceived that his mind wandered. At first I felt inclined to hurry +onward as quickly as possible, but, as he seemed harmless and inclined +to talk to me, I lingered for a few moments to listen to him. "I do not +wonder," said he, "that you look upon me with pity, for it is a sad +thing for one to be crazy." Surprised to find him so sensible of his own +situation I said: "As you seem so well aware that you are crazy, perhaps +you can inform me what caused you to become so." "Oh yes," replied he, +"I can soon tell you that: first my father died, then my mother, and +soon after my only sister hung herself to the limb of a tree with a +skein of worsted yarn; and last, and worst of all, my wife, Dorcas Jane, +drowned herself in Otter Creek." Wondering if there was any truth in +this horrible story, or if it was only the creation of his own diseased +mind, I said, merely to see what he would say next, "What caused your +wife to drown herself; was she crazy too?" "Oh no," replied he, "she was +not crazy, but she was worse than that; for she was jealous of me, +although I am sure she had no cause." The idea of any one being jealous +of the being before me was so ridiculous that it was with the utmost +difficulty that I refrained from laughter; but, fearing to offend the +crazy man, I maintained my gravity by a strong effort. When he had +finished the story of his misfortunes, he came close to me and said, in +slow measured tones: "And now do you think it any wonder that I went +raving distracted crazy?" "Indeed I do not," said I; "many a one has +gone crazy for less cause." Thinking he might be hungry, I told him I +would direct him to a farm-house, where he would be sure to obtain his +supper. "No," replied he, "this is not one of my hungry days; I find so +many who will give me nothing to eat that when I get the offer of a meal +I always eat whether I am hungry or not, and I have been in luck to-day, +for I have eaten five meals since morning; and now I must lose no more +time, for I have important business with the Governor of Canada and must +reach Quebec to-morrow." I regarded the poor crazy being with a feeling +of pity, as he walked wearily onward, and even the high-heeled boot did +not conceal a painful limp in his gait. But I had not seen the last of +him yet. Some six months after, as I was visiting a friend who lived +several miles distant, who should walk in, about eight o'clock in the +evening, but the "unfortunate man." There had been a slight shower of +rain, but not enough to account for the drenched state of his clothing. +"How did you get so wet?" enquired Mr. ----. "O," replied he, "I was +crossing a brook upon a log, and I slipped off into the water; and it +rained on me at the same time, and between the two, I got a pretty smart +ducking." They brought him some dry clothing, and dried his wet garments +by the kitchen fire, and kindly allowed him to remain for the night. For +several years, this man passed through S. as often as two or three times +during each year. He became so well known in the vicinity, that any one +freely gave him a meal or a night's lodging as often as he sought it. +Every time he came along his mind was occupied by some new fancy, which +seemed to him to be of the utmost importance, and to require prompt +attention. He arrived in S. one bitter cold night in the depth of +winter, and remained for the night with a family who had ever treated +him kindly, and with whom he had often lodged before. He set out early +the next morning to proceed (as he said) on his way to Nova Scotia. +Years have passed away; but the "unfortunate man" has never since been +seen in the vicinity. It was feared by some that he had perished in the +snow; as there were some very severe storms soon after he left S.; but +nothing was ever learned to confirm the suspicion. According to his own +statement he belonged to the state of Vermont, but, from his speech, he +was evidently not an American. Several years have passed away since his +last visit to S., and it is more than probable that he is no longer +among the living. + + + + +THE OLD SCHOOLHOUSE. + + +I lately visited the time-worn building, where for a lengthened period, +during my early years, I studied the rudiments of education; and what a +host of almost forgotten memories of the past came thronging back upon +my mind as I stood alone--in that well remembered room. I seemed again +to hear the hum of youthful voices as they conned or recited their daily +tasks, and, as memory recalled the years that had passed since we used +there to assemble, I could not avoid saying mentally: "My schoolmates, +where are they?" Even that thought called to mind an amusing story +related by a much loved companion who for a time formed one of our +number. + +He was older than most of the other boys, and was a general favourite +with all. He was famous for relating funny stories, of which he had a +never-failing supply; and when the day was too stormy to allow of +out-of-door sports, during the noon hour, we used to gather around the +large stove which stood in the centre of the room and coax H. M. to tell +us stories. The story which recurred to my mind was of a poor Irishman, +who, in describing a visit which he paid to the home of his childhood +after a long absence, said: "At the sober hour of twilight, I entered +the lonely and desarted home uv me forefathers, an' as I gazed about the +silent walls, I said, 'me fathers, where are they?' an' did not echo +answer, 'Is that you Pathrick O'Flannigan, sure?'" + +I was in no mood for laughter, and yet I could not repress a smile, as +memory recalled the comical voice and inimitable gestures with which +young H. M. related the story. He was beloved by us all, and when he +left school we parted from him with real sorrow. As I walked around, and +looked upon the worn and defaced desks, I observed the initials of many +once familiar names which many years before had been formed with a +knife, which were not so much obliterated but I could easily decipher +the well known letters. That desk in the corner was occupied by two +brothers who when they grew up removed to one of the Eastern States, +where they enlisted as soldiers in the war between the North and South. +One of the brothers received his death-wound on the battlefield. In a +foreign hospital he lingered in much suffering for a brief period, when +he died and was buried, far from his home and kindred. The younger +brother was naturally of a tender constitution and was unable to endure +the hardships and privations of a soldier's life. His health failed him, +and he returned to his friends, who had left their Canadian home, and +removed to the State of Massachusetts; but all that the most skilful +physicians could do, aided by the most watchful care of his tender +mother, failed to check the ravages of disease. Consumption had marked +him for its prey, and he died a few months after leaving the army; and, +as his friends wept over his grave, they could see with their mind's eye +another nameless grave in a far-away Southern State, where slept the +other son and brother. The desk on my left hand was occupied by a youth, +who has been for many years toiling for gold in California; and I have +learned that he has grown very rich. I often wonder if, in his eager +pursuit after riches, in that far-off clime, he ever thinks of the +little brown school-house by the butternut trees, and of the smiling +eager group who used daily to meet there. One large family of brothers +and sisters, who attended this school for several years, afterward +removed with their parents to one of the Western States, and years have +passed away since I heard of them; but along with many others they were +recalled to mind by my visit to the old School-House. + +On the opposite side of the room is the range of desks which were +occupied by the girls, and I could almost fancy that I again saw the +same lively, restless group who filled those desks in the days of +long-ago. Again I saw the bright smile which was often hidden from the +searching eye of our teacher, behind the covers of the well-worn +spelling-book, again I saw the mischievous glances, and heard the +smothered laughter when the attention of the teacher was required in +some other part of the room. But these happy careless days of childhood +are gone never to return. Were I inclined, I could trace the +after-history of most of the companions whom I used daily to meet in +this school-room. With many of them "life's history" is done, and they +sleep peacefully in the grave. Others have gone forth to the duties of +life; some far distant, others near their paternal homes. Many of the +number have been successful in life, and prospered in their +undertakings, while others have met with disappointment and misfortune. +It seemed somewhat singular to me that, as I stood alone in that room +(after the lapse of so many years), I could recollect, by the name, each +companion I used to meet there; yet so it was, and it seemed but as +yesterday since we used daily to assemble there; and, when I reflected +for a moment on the many changes to which I have been subjected since +that period, I could hardly realize that I was one and the same. I +lingered long at the old School-House, for I expected never to behold it +again, having been informed that it was shortly to give place to a +building of a larger size, and of more modern structure. + + + + +ARTHUR SINCLAIR. + + +For several hours we had endured the jolting of the lumbering +stage-coach over a rough hilly road which led through a portion of the +State of New Hampshire; and, as the darkness of night gathered around +us, I, as well as my fellow-travellers, began to manifest impatience to +arrive at our stopping-place for the night; and we felt strongly +inclined to find fault with the slow motion of the tired horses, which +drew the heavily-loaded vehicle. Thinking it as well to know the worst +at once, I asked the driver "what time we might expect to reach our +destination for the night?" "It will be midnight at the least, perhaps +later," replied he. This news was not very cheering to the weary +travellers who filled the coach; and I almost regretted having asked the +question. The roughness of the roads, together with the crowded state of +the vehicle, made it impossible for any one to sleep, and it became an +important question how we should pass away the tedious hours. A +proposition was at length made, that some one of the passengers should +relate a story for the entertainment of the others. This proposal met +with the hearty approval of all, as a means of making our toilsome +journey seem shorter; and the question of who should relate the story +was very soon agitated. There was among the passengers one old gentleman +of a very pleasant and venerable appearance, and judging from his +countenance that he possessed intelligence, as well as experience, we +respectfully invited him to relate a story for our entertainment. "I am +not at all skilled in story-telling," replied the old gentleman, "but, +as a means of passing away the tedious hours of the uncomfortable ride, +I will relate some circumstances which took place many years since, and +which also have connection with my present journey, although the +narrative may not possess much interest for uninterested strangers." We +all placed ourselves in a listening attitude, and the old man began as +follows: "I was born in the town of Littleton in this State, and when a +boy, I had one school-mate, whom I could have loved no better had he +been a brother. His name was Arthur Sinclair. And the affectionate +intimacy which existed between us for many years is yet to me a green +spot in the waste of memory. I was about twelve years of age when +Arthur's parents came to reside in Littleton. That now large and +thriving village then contained but a few houses, and when the Sinclairs +became our neighbours, we soon formed a very pleasing acquaintance. I +was an only child, and had never been much given to making companions of +the neighbouring boys of my own age; but from the first I felt strongly +attracted toward Arthur Sinclair. He was two years younger than myself. +At the time when I first met him he was the most perfect specimen of +childish beauty I ever saw, and added to this he possessed a most +winning and affectionate disposition, and in a short time we became +almost inseparable companions. My nature was distant and reserved, but +if once I made a friend, my affection for him was deep and abiding. We +occupied the same desk in the village school, and often conned our daily +lessons from the same book, and out of school hours, shared the same +sports; and I remember once hearing our teacher laughingly remark to my +parents, that he believed, should he find it necessary to correct one of +us, the other would beg to share the punishment. Notwithstanding the +strong friendship between us, our dispositions were very unlike. From a +child I was prone to fits of depression, while Arthur on the other hand +possessed such a never-failing flow of animal spirits, as rendered him +at all times a very agreeable companion; and it may be that the +dissimilarity of our natures attracted us all the more strongly to each +other; be that as it may the same close intimacy subsisted between us +till we reached the years of early manhood. The only fault I could ever +see in Arthur was that of being too easily persuaded by others, without +pausing to think for himself; and being the elder of the two, and of a +reflective cast of mind, as we grew up, I often had misgivings for him +when he should go forth from his home, and mingle with the world at +large. The intimacy between us allowed me to speak freely to him, and I +often reminded him of the necessity of watchfulness and consideration, +when he should go forth alone to make his way in a selfish and unfeeling +world. + +"He used to make light of what he termed my "croaking" and say I +need have no fears of him; and I believe he spoke from the sincerity of +his good intentions; he thought all others as sincere and open-hearted +as himself, and happy had it been for him if he had found them so. +Arthur received a very good business education, and, when he reached the +age of twenty-one, obtained the situation of book-keeper in an extensive +mercantile house in the city of Boston. There was a young girl in our +village to whom Arthur had been fondly attached since the days of his +boyhood, and I need scarcely say the attachment was reciprocal, and that +before he left home he placed the engagement ring on her finger, naming +no very distant period when he hoped to replace it by the wedding ring. +Belinda Merril was worthy in every way of his affection, and loved him +with all the sincerity of a pure and guileless heart. I almost wonder +that the shadows which were even then gathering in what to them had ever +been a summer sky, did not cast a chill over her heart. In due time +Arthur went to the city. I could not help my fears, lest his pleasing +manners and love of company should attract to him those who would lead +him into evil; but I strove to banish them, and hope for the best. Our +pastor, an old man, who had known Arthur from his childhood, called upon +him, previous to his departure from home, and, without wearying him with +a long list of rules and regulations regarding his future conduct, spoke +to him as friend speaks to friend, and in a judicious manner +administered some very good advice to the youth who was almost as dear +to him as his own son. The young man listened attentively to the words +of his faithful friend and sincerely thanked him for the advice which he +well knew was prompted by affection. During the first year of his +residence in the city, we wrote very frequently to each other, and the +tone of his letters indicated the same pure principles which had ever +governed his actions. Time passed on, and by-and-bye, I could not fail +to notice the change in the style of his letters. He spoke much of the +many agreeable acquaintances he had formed, and of the amusements of the +city, and was warm in his commendations of the Theatre. My heart often +misgave me as I perused his letters, and I mentally wondered where all +this was to end? After a two-years' absence, he returned to spend a few +weeks at home in Littleton, but he seemed so unlike my former friend, +that I could hardly feel at ease in his society. He never once alluded +to any incidents of our school days, as he used formerly so frequently +to do, and objects of former interest possessed none for him now. He +called Littleton a "terribly stupid place," and seemed anxiously to look +forward to his return to Boston. "Surely," said I to him one evening as +we were engaged in conversation, "Littleton must still contain one +attraction for you yet." He appeared not to comprehend my meaning, but I +well knew his ignorance was only feigned. But when he saw that I was not +to be put off in that way, he said with a tone of assumed indifference, +"O! if it is Belinda Merril you are talking about, I have to say that +she is no longer an object of interest to me." "Is it possible, Arthur," +said I, "that you mean what you say; surely an absence of two years has +not caused you to forget the love you have borne Miss Merril from +childhood. I am very much surprised to hear you speak in this manner." A +flush of anger, at my plain reply, rose to his cheek, and he answered in +a tone of displeasure: "I may as well tell you first as last, my ideas +have undergone a change. I did once think I loved Belinda Merril, but +that was before I had seen the world, and now the idea to me is absurd +of introducing this awkward country girl as my wife among my +acquaintances in the city of Boston. I once had a sort of liking for the +girl, but I care no longer for her, and the sooner I break with her the +better, and I guess she won't break her heart about me." "I hope not +indeed," I replied, "but I must be allowed to say that I consider your +conduct unmanly and dishonourable, and I would advise you, before +proceeding further, to pause and reflect whether it is really your heart +which dictates your actions, or only a foolish fancy." Knowing how +deeply Miss Merril was attached to Arthur, I hoped he would reconsider +the matter, and I said as much to him; but all I could say was of no +avail, and that very evening he called and, requesting an interview with +his betrothed, informed her that, as his sentiments toward her had +changed, he presumed she would be willing to release him from their +former engagement. Instantly Miss Merril drew from her finger the ring +he had placed there two years before, and said, as she placed it in his +hand, "I have long been sensible of the change in your sentiments, and +am truly glad that you have at last spoken plainly. From this hour you +may consider yourself entirely free, and you have my best wishes for +your future happiness and prosperity," and, bidding him a kind +good-evening, the young lady left the apartment. Her spirit was deeply +wounded, but she possessed too much good sense to be utterly cast down +for the wrong-doing of another. Whatever were Arthur's feelings after he +had taken this step, he spoke of them to no one. I never again mentioned +the subject to him, but, knowing him as I did, I could see that he was +far from being satisfied with his own conduct, and he departed for the +city some weeks sooner than he had at first intended. Owing to the +friendly feeling I had ever cherished for him, I could not help a +feeling of anxiety after his departure, for I feared that all was not +right with him. He did not entirely cease from writing to me; but his +letters were not frequent, and they were very brief and formal--very +unlike the former brotherly communications which used to pass between +us. A year passed away. I obtained a situation nearly a hundred miles +from home. I had heard nothing from Arthur for a long time, and, amid my +own cares, he recurred to my mind with less frequency than formerly; yet +often after the business of the day was over, and my mind was at +leisure, memory would recall Arthur Sinclair to my mind with a pained +sort of interest. About six months after I left home I was surprised by +receiving from Mr. Sinclair a hastily written letter, requesting me, if +possible, to lose no time in hastening to Littleton, stating also that +he was obliged to take a journey to Boston on business which vitally +concerned Arthur, and he wished me to accompany him. He closed by +requesting me to mention the letter I had received from him to no one, +saying that he knew me and my regard for Arthur sufficiently well to +trust me in the matter. My fears were instantly alive for Arthur, and I +feared that some misfortune to him was hidden behind this veil of +secrecy: and I soon found that my fears were well founded. I set out at +once for Littleton, and upon arriving there I proceeded directly to the +residence of Mr. Sinclair. When he met me at the door I was struck by +the change in his countenance; he appeared as if ten years had been +added to his age since I last saw him, six months ago. He waited not for +me to make any inquiries, but, motioning me into a private apartment, he +closed the door, and seating himself by my side, said in a hoarse voice: +"I may as well tell you the worst at once: my son, and also your once +dear friend, Arthur, is a thief, and, but for the lenity and +consideration of his employer, before this time would have been lodged +within the walls of a prison." I made no reply, but gazed upon him in +silent astonishment and horror. When he became more composed, he +informed me that he had lately received a letter from Mr. Worthing +(Arthur's employer) informing him that he had detected Arthur in the +crime of stealing money from the safe, to quite a large amount. In +giving the particulars of the unfortunate circumstance, he further +stated, for some time past he had missed different sums of money, but +was unable to attach suspicion to any one; "and, although," said he, "I +have been for some time fearful that your son was associating with evil +companions, I never once dreamed that he would be guilty of the crime of +stealing, till I lately missed bank-notes from the safe, to quite a +large amount, having upon them some peculiar marks which rendered them +easy to be identified. For some time the disappearance of those notes +was a mystery, and I was beginning to despair of detecting the guilty +one, when I obtained proof positive that your unfortunate son parted +with those identical notes in a noted gambling saloon in the city; and, +as I have also learned that he has spent money freely of late, I have no +longer any doubt that it is he who has stolen the other sums I have +lost. Out of regard to you and your family I have kept the matter +perfectly quiet; indeed, I never informed the parties who told me his +losing the notes at the gaming-table that there was anything wrong about +it. I have not mentioned the matter to your son, and shall not do so +till I see or hear from you. I presume you will be willing to make good +to me the money I have lost. Of course I cannot much longer retain your +son in my employ, but he must not be utterly ruined by this affair being +made public. I would advise you to come at once to Boston, and we will +arrange matters in the best possible manner, and no one but ourselves +need know anything of the sad affair; let him return with you for a time +to his home, and I trust the lesson will not be lost upon him. When he +first came to the city, I am positive that he was an honourable and +pure-minded young man, but evil companions have led him astray, and we +must try and save him from ruin." + +I had never seen Mr. Worthing, but I at once felt much respect for +him, for the lenity and discretion he had shown in the matter. To no one +but his own family and myself did Mr. Sinclair reveal the contents of +that letter; but the very evening after my arrival in Littleton we set +out on our journey to Boston, and, upon arriving there, we proceeded at +once to the residence of Mr. Worthing, where we learned all the +particulars of Arthur's guilt. Mr. Worthing stated that he had ever +entertained a very high opinion of Arthur, and, when he missed various +sums of money in a most unaccountable manner, he never thought of fixing +suspicion upon him, till circumstances came to his knowledge which left +no room for doubt; but, owing to the high regard he entertained for his +parents, with whom he had (years since) been intimately acquainted, he +said nothing to the young man of the proofs of his dishonesty which had +come to his knowledge, and still retained him in his employ till he +could communicate with his father, that they together might devise some +means of preventing the affair from becoming public. After Mr. Sinclair +had listened to the plain statement of the affair by Mr. Worthing, he +requested him as nearly as possible to give him an estimate of the +amount of money he had lost. He did so, and Mr. Sinclair immediately +placed an equivalent sum in his hands, saying: "I am glad to be able so +far to undo the wrong of which my son has been guilty." All this time +Arthur knew nothing of our arrival in the city; but when his father +dispatched a message, requesting him to meet him at the house of his +employer, he was very soon in our presence. I hope I may never again +witness another meeting like that one, between the father and son. When +charged with the crime, Arthur at first made a feeble attempt at denial, +till finding the strong proofs against him, he owned all with shame and +humiliation of countenance. The stern grief of Mr. Sinclair was +something fearful to witness. "How could you" said he, addressing +Arthur, "commit so base a deed? Tell me, my son, in what duty I have +failed in your early training? I endeavored to instil into your mind +principles of honor and integrity, and to enforce the same by setting +before you a good example. If I have failed in any duty to you, it was +through ignorance, and may God forgive me if I have been guilty of any +neglect in your education." + +Trembling with suppressed emotion Arthur replied: "You are blameless, +my father; on me alone must rest my sin, for had I obeyed your kind +counsels, and those of my dearest friend, (pointing to me) I should +never have been the guilty wretch I am to-day." Turning to me, he said: +"Many a time within the last few months have I called to mind the +lightness with which I laughed away your fears for my safety, when I +left home for the city. O! that I had listened to your friendly warning, +and followed the path which you pointed out for me. When I first came to +the great city, I was charmed with the novelty of its never-ceasing +scenes of amusement and pleasure. I began by mingling with company, and +participating in amusements, which, to say the least of them, were +questionable; and I soon found my salary inadequate to meet my fast +increasing wants for money; and, as many an unfortunate youth has done +before, I began the vice of gambling with the hope of being one of the +lucky ones. My tempters, no doubt, understood their business, and at +first allowed me to win from them considerable sums of money; till, +elated with my success, I began playing for higher stakes, and when I +lost them, I grew desperate, and it was then that I began adding the sin +of theft to the no less heinous one of gambling. But it is no use now to +talk of the past; my character is blasted, and all I wish is to die and +hide my guild in the grave, and yet I am ill-prepared to die." He became +so much excited, that we endeavored to soothe him by kind and +encouraging words. His father bade him amend his conduct for the future, +and he would freely forgive and forget the past. In my piety for my +early friend, I almost forgot the wrong he had done, and thought only of +the loved companion of my boyhood and youth. I cannot describe my +feelings, as I gazed upon the shame-stricken young man, whom I had so +often caressed in the days of our boyish affection and confidence. +Little did I then think I should ever behold him thus. The utmost +secrecy was observed by all parties; and it was decided that we would +remain for the night with Mr. Worthing, and, accompanied by Arthur, set +out early the next morning on our homeward journey. But it was ordered +otherwise. The next morning Arthur was raving in delirium of brain +fever, brought, on doubtless, by the mental torture he had endured. Mr. +Sinclair dispatched a message, informing his wife of Arthur's illness, +and three days later she stood by the bed-side of her son. For several +days the fever raged. We allowed no stranger to watch by him, for in his +delirium his mind dwelt continually upon the past, and no one but +ourselves must listen to his words. Mr. Worthing was very kind, and +shared the care of the poor young man with his parents and myself. At +length came the crisis of his disorder. "Now," said the physician, "for +a few hours, his life will hang, as it were, upon a thread. If the +powers of life of are not too far exhausted by the disease he may rally +but I have many fears, for he is brought very low. All the encouragement +I dare offer that is, while there is life there is hope." + +He sunk into a deep slumber, and I took my place to watch by him +during the night. Mr. Worthing persuaded his parents to seek a few hours +rest, as they were worn out with fatigue and anxiety; and exacting from +me a promise that I would summon them if the least change for the worse +should take place, they retired, and I was left to watch alone by my +friend. All I could do was to watch and wait, as the hours passed +wearily on. A little before midnight the physician softly entered, and +stood with me at his bed-side; soon after he languidly opened his eyes, +and in a whisper he pronounced my name. As I leaned over him, and +eagerly scanned his countenance, I perceived that the delirium of fever +was gone. The physician, fearing the effect upon him of the least +excitement, made a motion to me enjoining silence, and mixing a quieting +cordial, held to his lips. He eagerly quaffed the cooling draught, and +again fell into a quiet slumber. "Now," said the physician, "I have a +faint hope that he may recover, but he is so weak that any excitement +would prove fatal; all depends upon keeping him perfectly quiet for the +next few hours." The doctor departed, and again I was left alone to +watch over his slumber. Before morning, anxiety brought Mr. and Mrs. +Sinclair to the room, to learn if there had been any change. In a +whisper I informed them of the favorable symptoms he had evinced upon +waking, and persuaded them to retire from the apartment. When Arthur +again awoke, the favorable symptoms still continued, and the physician +entertained strong hopes of his recovery. By degrees he was allowed to +converse for a few moments at a time. It seemed to him, he said, as +though he had awakened from a frightful dream; and he begged to know how +long he had been ill, and what had happened during the time. We were all +very cautious to say nothing to excite him; and by degrees as his mind +grew stronger, everything came back clearly to his mind, his father's +visit, and the circumstances which had brought him to the city. It is +needless for me to dwell upon the long period, while he lay helpless as +an infant, watched over by his fond mother, who felt that he had almost +been given back from the dead. But he continued slowly to recover, and +being unable to remain longer, I left his parents with him, and returned +to my home in Littleton, and soon after went back to my employer. Mr. +and Mrs. Sinclair remained with Arthur till he was able to bear the +journey to Littleton, and it was to them a happy day, when they arrived +safely at their home, accompanied by their son, who seemed to them +almost as one restored from the dead. The unfortunate circumstances +connected with Arthur's illness were a secret locked up in the bosoms of +the few faithful friends to whom it was known. Arthur arose from that +bed of sickness a changed man, and it was ever after to him a matter of +wonder how he could have been so far led astray, and he felt the most +unbounded gratitude to Mr. Worthing for the kindness and consideration +he had shown him. His father did quite an extensive business as a +merchant in Littleton, and as Arthur became stronger he assisted in the +store; and after a time his father gave him a partnership in the +business, which rendered his again leaving home unnecessary. A +correspondence, varied occasionally by friendly visits, was kept up +between the Sinclairs and the family of Mr. Worthing; for Arthur never +could forget the debt of gratitude he owed his former employer. I have +little more to tell, and I will bring my long and, I fear somewhat +tedious, story to a close, by relating one more event in the life of my +friend. I resided at a quite a long distance from Littleton, and some +two years after Arthur's return home, I was surprised by receiving an +invitation from him to act as groomsman at his wedding, and the bride +was to be Miss Merrill. I know not exactly how the reconciliation took +place. But I understood that Arthur first sought an interview with the +young lady, and humbly acknowledged the wrong of which he had been +guilty, saying, what was indeed true, that he had ever loved her, and he +knew not what infatuation influenced him in his former conduct. Many +censured Miss Merrill for her want of spirit, as they termed it, in +again receiving his addresses, but I was too well pleased by his happy +termination of the affair to censure any one connected with it. The +wedding day was a happy one to those most deeply concerned, and such +being the case, the opinion of others was of little consequence; and the +clouds which had for a time darkened their sky, left no shadow upon the +sunshine of their wedded life. Arthur and his father were prospered in +their business, and for many years they all lived happily together. In +process of time his parents died, and Arthur soon after sold out his +share in the business to a younger brother, as he had received a +tempting offer to remove to Boston, and enter into partnership with Mr. +Worthing's son, as the old gentleman had some time before resigned any +active share in the business. When Arthur learned their wishes he was +very anxious to return to them; "For," said he, "it is to Mr. Worthing I +owe my salvation from disgrace and ruin." For many years he has carried +on a lucrative business with the son of his former employer and friend. +An interesting family of sons and daughters have grown up around him, +and I may with truth call them a happy family. Old Mr. Worthing has been +for some years dead; and his earthly remains quietly repose amid the +peaceful shades of Mount Auburn. My own life has been a busy one, and +twenty years have passed away since I met with Arthur Sinclair; but the +object of this journey is to visit my early friend, who, as well as +myself, is now an old man." As the old gentleman finished the story, to +which we had all listened with much interest, we arrived at our stopping +place for the night, and, fatigued with the day's journey, we were soon +conducted to our several apartments. The next morning we parted with the +kind old man, as his onward route lay in another direction, but I could +not help following him in thought, and picturing the joyous meeting +between himself and his early friend, Arthur Sinclair. + + + + +THE SNOW STORM. + + +The event I am about to relate happened many years ago, but I have often +heard it mentioned by those to whom all the circumstances were well +known; and, when listening to this story, I have often thought that +there is enough of interest attached to many events which took place +during the period of the early settlement of that portion of Eastern +Canada which borders on the River St. Francis, to fill volumes, were +they recorded. + +The morning had been clear and pleasant, but early in the afternoon +the sky became overcast with dark clouds, and for several hours the snow +fell unceasingly, and now the darkness of night was added to the gloomy +scene. As the night set in, the snow continued to fall in a thick +shower, and a strong easterly wind arose, which filled the air with one +blinding cloud of drifting snow; and the lights in the scattered +habitations in the then primitive settlement of D. could scarcely be +distinguished amid the thick darkness. It was a fearful night to be +abroad upon that lonely and almost impassable road; and Mrs. W. fully +realized the peril to which her husband was exposed on that inclement +night. He had set out that morning, on foot, to visit a friend, who +resided at a distance of several miles, intending to return to his home +at an early hour in the evening. It was a lonely road over which he had +to pass; the habitations were few and far between, and, as the storm +increased with the approach of night, Mrs. W. strongly hoped that her +husband had been persuaded to pass the night with his friend; for she +feared that, had he been overtaken by the darkness of night, he would +perish in the storm; and the poor woman was in a state of painful +anxiety and suspense. The supper-table was spread, but Mrs. W. was unable +to taste food; and, giving the children their suppers, she awaited with +intense anxiety the return of her husband. The storm increased till it +was evident that it was one of unusual severity, even for the rigorous +climate of Canada, and, as the wind shook the windows of their dwelling, +the children often exclaimed in tones of terror: "O! what will become of +poor father if he is out in this storm." Bye-and-bye the tired children +fell asleep, and Mrs. W. was left alone by her fireside. She endeavoured +to quiet her fears by thinking him safe in the house of his friend, but +she could not drive away the thought that he had set out upon his return +home, and she feared, if such was the case, he had met his death in that +pitiless storm. She was two miles from any neighbour, surrounded by her +family of young children; so all she could do was to wait and watch as +the hours wore on. Sleep was out of the question, and the dawn of day +found her still keeping her lonely vigil. As the sun rose the wind +calmed, but the thick drifts of snow rendered it impossible for her to +leave the house, and she watched anxiously if any one might chance to +pass, to whom she could apply for assistance in gaining tidings of her +husband. Alas! her fears of the previous night were but too well +founded. He had perished in the storm. His friend tried his utmost to +persuade him to remain for the night when the storm began, but he was +anxious to return to his home, fearing the anxiety of his family: and he +left his friend's house about four o'clock in the afternoon. The weather +was intensely cold, as well as stormy, and, owing to the depth of snow +which had already fallen, he could make but slow progress, and, when +overtaken by darkness and the increasing tempest, benumbed with cold, +and blinded by the whirling drifts of snow, he sank down by the roadside +to die, and the suspense of his wife was at length relieved by the +painful certainty of his fate. + +About noon on the day succeeding the storm, as Dr. S. was slowly +urging his horse onward, in order to visit a patient who resided in the +vicinity, he observed some object lying almost concealed in the snow. +Stopping his horse, he left his sleigh to examine it, and was +horror-struck to find it the body of a man. Thinking that, possibly, +life was not extinct, he took the body into his sleigh and made all +possible haste to the nearest dwelling, where every means was used for +the recovery of Mr. W.; but all was of no avail, he was frozen to death. +It was the kind physician himself who first bore the sad tidings to Mrs. +W. When the lifeless body of the husband and father was borne to his own +dwelling, I have heard the scene described by those who witnessed it, as +most heart-rending. On the day of his burial the settlers in the +vicinity came from a long distance to pay their last tribute of respect +to one who had been much esteemed as a friend and neighbour. The widow +of Mr. W. is still living, but she now is of a very advanced age. His +children grew up and settled in various places, and the elder ones among +them retained a distinct recollection of the sad death of their father. + + + + +THE NEW YEAR. + + +Another year has just glided away, and it seems but as yesterday that we +stood at its threshold, and looked forward over its then seemingly +lengthened way, and fancy was busy with many plans and projects for +future happiness and delight. We looked forward through the whole border +of its months, weeks, days and hours, and life grew bright with pleased +anticipations. The year has now passed away, and how few, very few, of +all our bright hopes have been realized. With how many of us have +unexpected and unwished for events taken the place of those to which we +looked forward with so much delight. + +As the hours and moments of the past year have slowly glided into +the ocean of the past, they have borne with them the treasures of many a +fond heart. The sun shines as brightly as ever, the moon and stars still +look placidly down upon the sleeping earth, and life is the same as it +has ever been; but for these their work is over, and they have done with +time. As I sat watching the fast gathering shadows over the last night +of the old year, I fell into a sort of waking dream, and I seemed to +hear the slow measured tread of one wearily approaching. Turning my eyes +in the direction of the approaching footsteps, I beheld the form of a +very aged man; his countenance appeared somewhat familiar, yet it was +furrowed by many wrinkles, and on his once high and beautiful forehead +were the deep lines of corroding care and anxiety. His step was slow, +and he leaned for support on his now well-nigh failing staff. He bore +the marks of extreme feebleness, and gazed forward with a manner of +timidity and uncertainty, and on his changeful countenance was expressed +all the multitudinous emotions of the human breast. His garments had +once been white and shining, but they were now stained and darkened by +travel, and portions of them trailed in the dust. As he drew nigh I +observed that he carried in his hand a closely written scroll, on which +was recorded the events of the past year. As I gazed upon the record, I +read of life begun, and of death in every circumstance and condition of +mortal being, of happiness and misery, of love and hate, of good and +evil,--all mingling their different results in that graphic record; and +I trembled as my own name met my view, with the long list of +opportunities for good unimproved, together with the many sins, both of +omission and commission, of which I had been guilty during the past +year; but there was nothing left out,--the events in the life of every +individual member of the human family were there, all recorded in +legible characters. As the midnight hour struck the aged man, who +typified the old year, faded from my view, and, almost before I was +aware of the change, youth and beauty stood smiling before me. The old +year gone, the new year had begun. His robes were white and glistening, +his voice was mirthful, and his step buoyant; health and vigor braced +his limbs. He, too, bore in his hand a scroll, but white as the +unsullied snow; not a line was yet traced upon its pure surface, except +the title, Record of 1872. I gazed on its fresh and gladsome visage with +mingled emotions of sorrow and joy, and I breathed my prayer for +forgiveness, for the follies and sins of the departed year. + + + + +EARNEST HARWOOD; + +OR, + +THE ADOPTED SON. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +It was on a pleasant afternoon, in the month of June, some years ago, +that a small funeral procession might have been seen slowly wending its +way to the church-yard from the dwelling of Mr. Humphrey, in the village +of Walden in one of the Eastern States. Although a deep seriousness +pervaded the small company, and the manner of each was subdued, yet +there were no visible tokens of that strong grief which overwhelms the +soul when the ties of nature are rent asunder; for, with the exception +of a little boy, apparently about five years of age, whom Mr. Humphrey +kindly led by the hand, no one present bore any relationship to the +deceased. As the procession approached the grave, and the coffin was +lowered to its final resting-place, the little boy sobbed bitterly as he +begged of Mr. Humphrey not to allow them to bury his mamma in the +ground. Mr. Humphrey took the child in his arms, and endeavored to quiet +him by many kind and soothing words, explaining to him, so far as the +child was able to comprehend his meaning, that the soul of his mamma was +now in Heaven, but that it was necessary that her dead body should be +buried in the grave; and that although he would see her no more in this +world he would, if he were a good boy, meet her one day in Heaven. The +child still continued to weep, though less bitterly than before,--and +when the grave had been filled up he quietly allowed Mr. Humphrey to +lead him from the church-yard. + +In order that the reader may understand the event above narrated, it is +necessary that I should go back a little in my story. + +A few weeks previous to the circumstance related at the opening of this +chapter a pale weary-looking woman, leading by the hand a little boy, +might have been seen walking one evening along the principal street of +the small village of Walden. Although her dress was extremely plain, yet +there was a certain air of refinement about her which informed the +observer that she had once occupied a position very different from what +was indicated by her present appearance. The little boy by her side was +indeed a child of surpassing beauty. His complexion was clear and fair, +and a profusion of dark brown hair clustered in thick curls around his +full white brow. His childish features were lighted up by large and +expressive eyes of a dark hazel color. He was a child which the most +careless observer would hardly pass by without turning to gaze a second +time upon his wondrous beauty. + +I have been thus particular in describing the little boy as he is to be +the principal actor in the simple scenes of my story. + +As they walked slowly forward the woman addressed the child in a voice +that was weak and tremulous from fatigue, saying,-- + +"We must call at some house and seek a shelter for the night, for indeed +I am unable to walk further." + +It required not this remark from her to satisfy the beholder of her +inability to proceed, for extreme fatigue and exhaustion were visible in +her every motion. + +She approached the door of a handsome dwelling situated in the central +portion of the village, and rang the bell. The door was opened by an +elderly-looking man, who accosted her civilly and seemed waiting for her +to make known her errand. + +In a low and timid voice the woman asked him if he would allow herself +and child to rest for the night beneath his roof? + +He replied, in a voice that was decidedly gruff and crusty,-- + +"There are two hotels in the village; we keep no travellers here," and +immediately closed the door in her face. + +Could he have seen the forlorn expression that settled on her +countenance when, on regaining the street, she took her little boy by +the hand and again walked slowly onward--his heart must indeed have been +hard if he had not repented of his unkindness. + +After walking a short distance further, the woman paused before a house +of much humbler appearance than the former one, and, encouraged by the +motherly appearance of an elderly lady who sat knitting at her open door +in the lingering twilight, she drew nigh to her, and asked if she would +shelter herself and child for the night. + +The old lady regarded her earnestly for a moment; she seemed, however, +to be impressed favorably by her appearance, for her voice was very +pleasant, as she replied to her request,-- + +"Certainly you can remain for the night, for I have never yet denied so +small a favor (as a shelter for the night) to any one who sought it. +Come in at once, and I will endeavor to make you and your little boy +comfortable, for you look very much fatigued." + +The woman gladly followed the kind old lady into the house, and seated +herself in the comfortable rocking chair which she had kindly placed for +her; she also placed a seat for the child, but he refused to leave his +mother's side, and stood leaning upon the arm of her chair. The old lady +soon after left the room saying, as she did so, that she would soon +bring them some refreshment, of which they evidently stood much in need. + +Mr. Humphrey, the husband of the old lady, soon came in, and his wife +said a few words to him in a low voice in the adjoining room; a kind +expression was upon his countenance when he entered the room where were +the strangers. He coaxed the little boy to come and sit upon his knee, +by the offer of a large red-cheeked apple which he took from his pocket. +He stroked his brown curls and asked him to tell him his name. + +"Ernest Harwood," replied the boy. + +Mr. Humphrey told him he thought it a very nice name, and also that he +thought him a very fine little boy. The little fellow blushed, and hid +his face at the praise thus bestowed upon him. + +Mrs. Humphrey soon after re-entered the room, bringing a small tea-tray, +on which was a cup of tea and some other suitable refreshment for the +weary woman; she also brought a bowl of bread and milk for the child. +The woman drank the tea eagerly, like one athirst, but partook sparingly +of the more substantial refreshment which Mrs. Humphrey urged upon her; +but the sight of the brim-full bowl of bread and milk caused the eyes of +the little boy to glisten with pleasure, and he did ample justice to the +hospitality of the benevolent old lady. + +Mrs. Harwood wished to give Mrs. Humphrey some account of the +circumstances which caused her to be travelling alone with her child, +but the worthy and considerate lady would not allow her to further +fatigue herself by talking that night, and insisted upon her retiring at +once to rest. + +"To-morrow," said she, "I shall be happy to listen to any thing you may +wish to communicate." + +Mrs. Humphrey conducted the woman and her child up stairs to a neat +bed-room where, after making every arrangement necessary to their +comfort, she bade them a kind good night, and left them to enjoy the +rest which they so much needed. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +When Mrs. Humphrey rejoined her husband in the sitting-room, their +conversation very naturally turned to the stranger who was resting +beneath their roof. They evidently felt deeply interested by her +delicate and lady-like appearance. + +"I am sure of one thing," said Mrs. Humphrey, "that this woman has seen +better days, notwithstanding the poverty which her present appearance +indicates." + +"And I am convinced of another thing," replied Mr. Humphrey, "that no +fault of her's has reduced her to her present circumstances, for her +countenance shews her to be a worthy and true-souled woman; and she +shall freely remain beneath my roof until it shall be her wish to leave +it." + +Little did Mr. Humphrey think, when he made this remark, how soon the +poor woman would exchange the shelter of his roof for that of the grave. + +Next morning on visiting the room of the stranger, Mrs. Humphrey found +her too ill to rise from the bed. She complained of no pain, but seemed +very weak and languid. Mrs. Humphrey did all that lay in her power for +the comfort of the sick woman. Taking little Ernest down stairs she +beguiled him with amusing stories, as she attended to her domestic +duties, so that his mother might be left in quiet; and when the child +grew weary of the confinement of the house Mr. Humphrey took him to walk +with him while he attended to some business in the village. Before +returning home Mr. Humphrey called upon Dr. Merton, with whom he was +intimately acquainted, and spoke to him concerning the sick woman at his +house. He requested the physician to call to see her in the course of +the day, saying, that if the woman was not able to pay him he would +himself see him paid for his services. + +"It makes no difference," replied the humane physician, "whether she is +rich or poor, if she requires the attention of a physician she must not +be neglected; I will certainly call in the afternoon." + +The physician accordingly called in the afternoon, and, after some +conversation with Mrs. Harwood, prescribed for her some medicines, and +left her, promising to call again in a short time. Before leaving the +house, however, he informed Mrs. Humphrey that he thought the woman +alarmingly ill. "As near," said he, "as I can judge from her appearance, +I think that consumption has been for a long time preying upon her +constitution, and over-fatigue has thus suddenly prostrated her. The +powers of life," continued Dr. Merton, "are fast failing, and in my +opinion a few weeks will terminate her earthly existence. I have +prescribed for her some simple medicines, but I fear her case is already +beyond the aid of medicine. All we can do," said the physician in +conclusion, "is to render her as comfortable as may be, for she will +soon require nothing which this world affords." + +The lonely situation of the stranger had deeply touched the kind heart +of Dr. Merton. + +As the Doctor had predicted, Mrs. Harwood failed rapidly. She suffered +but little bodily pain, but her strength failed her daily, and it soon +became evident to all who saw her, that the day of her death could not +be far distant. + +She gave to Mrs. Humphrey a brief sketch of her past life, which will be +made the subject of another chapter. + +Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey had reared a family of five children; three of +them now slept in the village church-yard; the remaining two had +married, and removed to a long distance from their paternal home, +consequently the worthy couple had for some years dwelt alone in the +home where once had echoed the glad voices of their children. + +They soon decided that, should Mrs. Harwood not recover, they would +gladly adopt her little boy as their own, if she felt willing to leave +him to their care. So great was the anxiety of Mrs. Harwood regarding +her child, that it was long ere she gave up hopes of recovery, but when +she at length became aware that she must die, she at first found it very +difficult to resign herself to the will of Heaven. + +"Were it not for my child," she would often say, "the prospect of death +would not be unpleasant to me, for I have a comforting hope of a life +beyond the grave; but who will care for my orphan boy when I am no more? +I must not distrust the goodness of the orphans' God." + +Mr. Humphrey, in reply to these remarks one day, said to her-- + +"I hope you will make your mind perfectly easy in regard to your child; +for, should it please God to remove you by death, I have already decided +to adopt little Ernest as my own son, if you feel willing to consign him +to my care; and you may rest assured that while my life is spared he +shall be tenderly cared for, as though he were my own son." + +"Now," replied Mrs. Harwood, "can I die willingly. Since my illness it +has been my daily and nightly prayer, that should it be the will of +Heaven that I should not recover, God would raise up friends to care for +my orphan boy, and that prayer is now answered." + +Just six weeks from the evening on which Mrs. Harwood entered the +dwelling of Mr. Humphrey, her eyes were closed in death. The last day of +her life was passed mostly in a kind of lethargy, from which it was +almost impossible to arouse her. Toward evening she rallied, and her +mind seemed clear and calm. She was aware that the hour of her death had +arrived; but she felt no fears in the prospect of her approaching +dissolution. She thanked Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey for their kindness to +her, and again tenderly committed to their care her boy, who would soon +become an orphan. + +"I am powerless to reward you," said the dying woman, "but God will +certainly reward you for your kindness to the widow and orphan." + +She requested that her child might be brought and placed by her side. +Placing her thin wasted hands upon his head she said, in a voice +scarcely audible,-- + +"May the God who never forsakes the orphan preserve my precious boy amid +the perils and dangers of the sinful world!" + +She drew the face of the child close to her own, and imprinted a +mother's last kiss upon his brow, and sank back exhausted upon her +pillow. A few more fluttering quick drawn breaths and her spirit had +winged its way from earth, and no one who witnessed her death felt a +doubt that its flight was heavenward. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +The following brief account of the early life of Mrs. Harwood I give as +nearly as possible in her own words:-- + +"My earliest recollection carries me back to a small village in +Scotland, about one hundred miles distant from the city of Edinburgh, +where I was born the daughter of a minister of the Church of Scotland. I +was an only child. The salary which my father received was moderate, but +was nevertheless sufficient to support us respectably. When I became of +suitable age I was sent to school, and continued to pursue my studies +until I arrived at the age of fourteen years. At that period I was +deprived by death of a fond and indulgent father. Previous to the death +of my father neither my mother nor myself had ever experienced an +anxious thought as regarded the future. The salary my father received +had enabled us to live in comfort and respectability; and we do not +often anticipate the death of a strong and healthy man. He died very +suddenly; and when my mother's grief at our sudden bereavement had so +far subsided as to allow her taking some thought for the future, she +found that although my father had died free from debt he had been unable +to lay by anything for our future support. During my father's lifetime +we had occupied the parsonage, rent free, as had been stipulated when my +father became pastor of the church over which he presided till his +death. Consequently we had no longer any rightful claim to the dwelling +which had been our home for so many years. They kindly gave us +permission however, to occupy the house for one year, but my mother +liked not to continue to occupy a home which, in reality, was no longer +ours. After some deliberation upon the subject, my mother decided upon +teaching, as a means of support, as her own education had been +sufficiently thorough to render her competent for the undertaking. But, +as the village where we resided was small and already well supplied with +schools, she wrote to an old friend of my father's, who resided in +Edinburgh, as to what he thought of her removing to that city, for the +purpose of opening a school. She received a very encouraging reply from +the old gentleman, in which he promised to render her all the assistance +in his power in the way of obtaining pupils, and as the gentleman was +well known and much respected in the city, we found his assistance in +this respect to be of much value. The task of breaking up our old home +proved a very sad one both to my mother and myself. The furniture of the +parsonage was our own. My father had left quite an extensive library, +considering his limited means. With the exception of a few volumes which +my mother reserved for ourselves, she disposed of the books among our +acquaintances at a fair value, as each was anxious to obtain some relic +of their beloved pastor. The kind people, among whom we had resided, +expressed many kind wishes for our future welfare, when we left them to +seek a home in the great city. The school which my mother opened upon +our removal to the city proved very successful, and soon yielded us a +comfortable support. I assisted my mother both in the duties of the +school-room and also in our household work. We were prospered and lived +contentedly in our new home. We missed, it is true, the familiar faces +of our old friends, but we soon found friends in our new home; we were +cheerful, and should have been happy but for the sad loss we had +recently sustained. Four years thus glided by, during which time our +school continued to afford us a comfortable support. About this time I +became acquainted with Mr. Harwood, who had a short time before +commenced the practice of law in the city of Edinburgh, and one year +later I became his wife. His pecuniary circumstances were but moderate, +as he had been only a short time engaged in the practice of his +profession. We resided with my mother, as she could not bear the idea of +being separated from me. I continued as usual to assist her in the +duties of her school. We, in this way, lived happily, till the event of +my mother's death, which took place two years after my marriage. She +took a sudden cold, which settled upon her lungs, and terminated in a +quick consumption, which, after a short period of suffering, closed her +life. She died as she had lived, full of religious hope and trust. Of my +own sorrow I will not now speak; the only thought which afforded me the +least consolation was--that what was my loss, was her eternal gain. +About a year after the death of my mother my husband formed the idea of +going to America. He had little difficulty in gaining my consent to +accompany him. Had my mother still lived the case would have been very +different; as it was, I had no remaining tie to bind me to Scotland, and +wherever he deemed it for the best to go, I felt willing to accompany +him, for he was my all in the wide world. We left the British shores on +the tenth of June, and after a prosperous voyage, we found ourselves +safely landed in the city of Boston. We brought with us money sufficient +to secure us from want for a time, and my husband soon began to acquire +quite a lucrative practice in his profession, and our prospects for the +future seemed bright. For a long time my spirits were weighed down by +home-sickness. I felt an intense desire to return to the home we had left +beyond the sea, but in time this feeling wore away, and I began to feel +interested in our new home, which appeared likely to be a permanent one. +When we had resided for a little more than a year in our adopted +country, my little Ernest was born, and the lovely babe, with my +additional cares, doubly reconciled me to my new home. When my little +boy was about a year old I was attacked by a contagious fever, which at +that time prevailed in the city. By this fever I was brought very near +to death. I was delirious most of the time, and was thereby spared the +sorrow of knowing that my child was consigned to the care of strangers. +But the fever at length ran its course, and I began slowly to recover. +But just when I was considered sufficiently strong to be again allowed +the care of my child, my husband was prostrated by the same disease from +which I had just recovered, and in ten days I was left a widow with my +helpless child. I cannot even now dwell upon this season of sorrow. All +my former trials appeared as nothing when compared with this. Had it not +been for my boy I could almost have wished I had not been spared to see +this hour, but I banished such thoughts as wrong and impious, and tried +to look the dreary future calmly in the face. I soon found it necessary +to devise some means of support for myself and child. I thought of many +plans only to discard them as useless. I once thought of opening a +school as my own mother had done, but the care of my child prevented me +from supporting myself in this way; and I would not consign him to the +care of strangers. I at length decided to seek to support myself by the +use of the needle, and accordingly rented two rooms on a respectable +street, and removed thither with my child, where, by the closest +industry I succeeded in keeping above want for more than three years, +when my health failed from too close application to my employment. My +physician strongly advised me to leave the city, as he thought country +air would have a beneficial effect upon my health. I followed his +advice, and, with the small sum of money which I had been able to lay +by, added to what I received from the sale of my few articles of +household furniture, I left the city. When I left Boston I had no +particular place in view as to where I might find a home. I had decided +upon opening a school in some country village if I could meet with +encouragement in the undertaking. About fifty miles distant from this +city I was taken ill, and for several weeks was unable to proceed on my +way. When I was sufficiently recovered to allow of my again travelling I +found it to be imperatively necessary that I should seek some place +where I could earn a support for myself and child, as the small sum of +money with which I left Boston was now nearly gone. The kind gentleman, +in whose house I remained during my illness, informed me that he was +well acquainted in the village of Walden, and he thought it a place +where I would be likely to succeed in establishing a select school for +young children, as he informed me there were many wealthy people +residing here, who would patronize a school of this kind. With this +intention I came to this village, and when I purchased my ticket for +Walden I had but one dollar remaining in my purse, which, with the +clothing and other articles contained in my trunk is all I possess in +the world. But this matters little to me now, for I feel that my days on +earth are numbered. I am unable to reward you for your exceeding +kindness to myself and child; but I pray Heaven to reward and bless you, +both temporally and spiritually. It is hard for me to leave my dear +child, but I now feel resigned to the will of Heaven, knowing that +whatever He wills is for the best." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +And so the little orphan boy found a home and friends to love and +cherish him. + +Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey felt a tender love for the lovely and engaging +orphan. Mrs. Humphrey, in particular, seemed almost to idolize him. + +She had many years before lost, by death, a little boy, when of about +the same age which little Ernest was when thus strangely cast upon her +bounty; and this circumstance may have attached her more strongly to the +child. + +Mr. Humphrey was equally fond of the boy, but his disposition was less +demonstrative than was that of his wife he was, therefore not so much +inclined to indulge, the child in a manner which would prove injurious +to him as he grew older. + +Although the child had a very affectionate disposition he yet possessed +a will that liked not to yield to that of another. Young as the child +was, his mother had discovered this trait in his character and had, +previously to her death, spoken of the matter to Mrs. Humphrey, and +besought her--as she valued her own happiness and that of the child--to +exact strict obedience from him when he should be left solely to her +care. + +"Even," said she, "should it require severe measures to break that will, +it must be done. Remember it is for the best good of the child." + +Had Mrs. Humphrey strictly followed the counsels of the dying mother in +the early training of her child it might have spared her much +after-sorrow. + +Mr. Humphrey treated the child very kindly, but made it a point that he +should yield to him a ready obedience in all things. But the little +fellow was quick to notice that when Mr. Humphrey was not present he +could usually, either by dint of coaxing or noisy rebellion, carry his +point with Mrs. Humphrey. + +Her husband often remonstrated with her upon the course she was pursuing +in the management of the child. She used often to say-- + +"I cannot find it in my heart to punish the poor child when I consider +that he is both fatherless and motherless, and I trust he will outgrow +these childish ways." + +Poor Mrs. Humphrey! She is not the only one that has been cheated by +this hope, and has thereby allowed their child to grow up with an +obstinate will that has marred their happiness for life. + +In after years Mrs. Humphrey many times recalled to mind a remark which +a friend made to her one day in regard to little Ernest, then six years +old. He came into the parlor where the two ladies were sitting, and +taking from the centre table an elegantly bound book, began turning the +leaves with fingers that were none of the cleanest. Mrs. Humphrey gently +requested him to replace the book, which request she was obliged to +repeat two or three times before he paid the slightest attention to it. +And then it was only to say in a coaxing voice-- + +"Ernest wants this pretty book; do let me keep it." + +Mrs. Humphrey replied that the book was not suitable for little boys, +and again requested him to replace it on the table. When a few minutes +had passed, and he still continued to turn the leaves of the book, Mrs. +Humphrey again repeated her request in a decided manner, telling him to +replace the book immediately, when his childish temper burst forth in a +regular tempest. He tossed the book from his hand, and threw himself on +the floor in a corner of the room, where he gave vent to his anger by a +succession of screams, which were anything but melodious. But his desire +to retain possession of the coveted book was yet strong, and when the +ladies again became engaged in conversation he quietly approached the +table and, hastily taking the book therefrom, left the room, and Mrs. +Humphrey, to save further trouble, appeared not to notice the act. The +lady, who was an intimate friend, asked Mrs. Humphrey if she were not +pursuing a wrong course in thus allowing the boy to do what she had once +forbidden him? + +"Oh," said Mrs. Humphrey, "he is but a child, and will become ashamed +of such conduct as he grows older." + +"I sincerely hope he may," replied the lady, "but I very much fear you +will see a day when you will regret not having been more firm in your +government of this child." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +Nine years have rolled by the with their various changes since we first +introduced Earnest Harwood to the reader, a child of five years of age, +weeping at the grave of his mother. + +Let us again glance at him when he has nearly attained to the age of +fourteen years. We find him grown a strong healthy youth, still +retaining that wondrous beauty which had rendered him so remarkable in +the days of his childhood. + +The reader will doubtless be ready to enquire if his mind and character +are equally lovely with his person. Would that it were in my power to +give a favourable answer to the question. But the truth must be told, +and, at the age of fourteen, Ernest Harwood was decidedly a bad boy. +When of suitable age he had been put to school, and for a time made +rapid progress in his studies. From the first he was rather averse to +study, but as he learned readily and had a most retentive memory he +managed to keep pace in his studies with most boys of his age. + +Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey exercised much watchfulness in regard to his +companions, as, when he began to mingle with other boys, they discovered +that he seemed inclined to make companions of such boys as they could +not conscientiously allow him to associate with. But, notwithstanding +their vigilance, it was soon remarked that he was often seen in company +with boys of very bad repute. He soon came to dislike school, and often +absented himself from it for a very trivial excuse, and in many +instances played truant, when Mr. Humphrey refused to listen to his +excuses for being allowed to remain at home. + +Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey endeavored to discharge their duty to the boy; and +more than that, they loved him as their own child. + +I cannot describe the sorrow they experienced on his account, when, as +he grew older, he seemed more and more inclined to the company of +vicious boys, and to follow their evil examples. Many of his misdoings +never reached the ears of his foster parents, for they were very much +respected by their neighbors, who disliked to acquaint them with what +must give them pain. He soon became so bad that if a piece of mischief +was perpetrated among the village boys, the neighbors used at once to +say they felt sure that Earnest Harwood was at the bottom of it. Often +when among his wicked companions, those lips that had been taught to +lisp the nightly prayer at his mother's knee were stained with oaths and +impure language. + +Mr. Humphrey, one day, in passing along the street, chanced to find him +in company with some of the worst boys in the village, smoking cigars at +the street corner. He was hardly able to credit his own eyesight. He +requested him to accompany him home at once. He at the first thought of +administering punishment with the rod, but as he had done so in former +instances of misconduct with apparently no effect but to make him more +defiant and rebellious, he thought in this instance he would try the +effect of mild persuasion. + +"My dear boy you little know the pain you are inflicting upon your best +friends by thus seeking the company of those wicked boys who will +certainly lead you to ruin, if you allow yourself to follow their +example." + +He talked long to him of his deceased mother, telling him of her many +earnest prayers for the future good of her child. + +For some time the boy maintained a sulky, defiant manner, but his heart +at length softened, and, covering his face with his hands, he wept +aloud. He begged of Mr. Humphrey to forgive his past misconduct, and he +certainly would try to reform in the future. + +For a time there was a marked change for the better in the conduct of +the boy, and his friends began to indulge the hope that the change would +prove to be lasting. But his resolutions of amendment soon yielded to +the influence of his evil companions, from whom he found it very +difficult to keep aloof. He was of a rash, impulsive disposition, and he +soon forgot his good resolves, and became even worse than before. + +Mr. Humphrey still maintained sufficient control over him to oblige him +to attend church regularly, in company with himself and wife, but often, +when they supposed him to be attending the Sabbath-School, would he join +some party of idle, strolling boys, and spend the day in a very sinful +manner. The Superintendent of the school hearing of this, called and +acquainted Mr. Humphrey of the matter. + +"I am obliged to you for your kindness in calling upon me," said Mr. +Humphrey, "although I fear I can do nothing that will have any good +effect upon the boy. I have endeavoured to do my duty by the child, I +know not wherein I have failed. I have counselled, persuaded, and even +punished him, and you behold the result. I am at a loss what to do with +him. I have brought up children of my own, who never caused me a real +sorrow in their lives. Why is it, that this poor orphan seems so +strongly resolved to follow only evil ways? Would that some one could +advise me as to what my duty is, in regard to the boy, for, unless a +change for the better soon takes place, he will be ruined for time and +eternity." + +Mr. Humphrey sighed deeply as he spoke, and seemed oppressed with +sorrow. The gentleman with whom he was conversing, endeavoured, as well +as he was able under the circumstances, to comfort him; telling him that +they could only give him good counsel, and pray for him, and leave the +result to an over-ruling Providence. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +Previous to her death, the mother of Earnest had entrusted to the care +of Mrs. Humphrey, a closely sealed package directed to Ernest in her own +hand-writing. She had left the request that this package should not be +given to him until he had reached the age of fourteen years. Many +surmises were formed among the few who knew of this package, as to what +it might contain. Some were of the opinion that it contained papers +which might lead to the possession of wealth. But from what Mrs. Harwood +had related to Mrs. Humphrey, concerning her early life, she thought +this idea to be highly improbable. + +However, she carefully laid by the package, and was very careful that +it should sustain no injury. In the meantime, the boy had continued to +go on from bad to worse, till he became known as the leader in every +kind of mischief among the bad boys of the village. He now seldom spent +an evening in his own home. In one or two instances he narrowly escaped +being sent to jail. The respect entertained for his foster parents by +the people of the village was all that caused them to show lenity to the +erring boy. The conduct of Earnest had borne heavier upon them than +their years; they had fondly loved the beautiful and friendless boy, and +it almost broke their hearts to see him go thus astray. Many there were +who advised them to cast him off, as he seemed given over to evil, and +even treated them with unkindness and disrespect; but with all his +faults, they still clung to him, hoping almost against hope that he +would yet reform. + +"I promised his mother," said Mr. Humphrey, "that I would care for her +boy so long as I lived to do so, and that promise I intend to keep." +"And," added Mrs. Humphrey, "as long as we possess a home, he shall not +be homeless. For if we can do no more we can at least pray for him; and +I have a hope that the prayers offered in faith will yet meet with an +answer." + +Time passed on, till the evening preceding the fourteenth birth-day of +Ernest. Mr. Humphrey sat with his wife by their lonely fireside, Ernest +had gone out directly after tea, and the hour was growing late. They +were speaking of him, for they felt very sad. + +"I often wonder," said Mr. Humphrey, addressing his wife, "in what duty +I have failed to Ernest. I have endeavored to set before him a good +example, and to do by him in all things as I would have done by my own +son. I have prayed with and for him; and yet since quite a little child, +he has been a source of grief and anxiety to us, by his evil conduct." + +"I am conscious," replied Mrs. Humphrey, "that I have erred in his early +training, by too often yielding to his childish will, rather than +administer punishment to enforce obedience from him. I meant well, and +if I have done him a wrong it is now too late to remedy it. I can only +pray that he may yet forsake his evil ways. To-morrow will be his +birth-day, let us hope that the contents of the package which so many +years ago, his poor mother entrusted to my care, may have some influence +for good upon his future life." + +While they were yet speaking a rap sounded at the door. Mr. Humphrey +rose and opened it, but stood speechless, when he beheld Ernest +supported by two or three of his companions. At the first he supposed +him either hurt or seriously ill. But upon going near to him what was +his amazement when he discovered that he was too much intoxicated to +allow of his walking without assistance. This was something entirely +unexpected. Some had hinted that, added to his other faults, he was +acquiring a taste for strong drink, but those whispers never reached the +ears of Mr. Humphrey or his wife. And when he was brought home in this +state, they had no words adequate to describe their feelings. + +Dismissing his companions they assisted him into the house, and to his +room, Mrs. Humphrey only saying, "poor misguided boy, what will become +of him?" + +When they returned to the sitting room their minds were too much +agitated to allow them to converse. After some time passed in silence, +Mr. Humphrey said, "we will not attempt to talk of this new sorrow +to-night, but we will pray for the poor boy as well as for ourselves, +before we retire to rest." + +Opening his Bible, Mr. Humphrey read the forty-sixth Psalm, then +kneeling, he poured out his troubled soul in prayer. He prayed earnestly +for the poor youth now lying in the heavy sleep produced by +intoxication. He also prayed for forgiveness, if they erred in the +management of the boy, and for future aid in the performance of their +duty. Could the boy have heard the prayer which Mr. Humphrey sent up to +heaven on his behalf, hard indeed must have been his heart, if he had +not from that moment resolved to forsake his evil ways, and by his +future good conduct endeavoured to atone for his past sins and follies. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +When Earnest came down to breakfast the next morning, neither Mr. or +Mrs. Humphrey made any allusion to the situation in which he had been +brought home the previous evening. They treated him with their usual +kindness, but it was evident, by his subdued manner and downcast +countenance, that he felt sensible of his shame and degradation. They +intended to talk with him of the matter, but deferred it for the +present. Mr. Humphrey advised his wife to give him the package herself, +as it was to her care it had been committed. Soon after breakfast was +over, he went up to his room, whither Mrs. Humphrey soon repaired with +the package in her hand. Earnest opened the door when she rapped for +admission. He looked somewhat embarrassed, and seemed by his manner to +expect she had visited his room for the purpose of talking to him of the +event of the last evening. She made no mention of the circumstance, but +seating herself by his side, addressed him, saying-- + +"My dear Earnest, you have often told me that you retain a distinct +recollection of your mother. I have never before told you that, previous +to her death, she consigned a sealed package to my care, directed to you +with her own hand, with the request that I should give it to you on your +fourteenth birthday. The time has now arrived, and by giving you this +package I fulfil what was a dying request of your mother." As she +concluded, she placed the package in his hand, and immediately left the +room, thinking he would prefer being left alone to open the package. + +When some time had passed, and Earnest did not come down, Mr. Humphrey +went upstairs, and softly opened the door of his room. He found the boy +with his face bowed upon his hands, weeping bitterly. He approached him, +and gently placing his hand upon his shoulder, enquired the cause of his +grief. + +He replied, in a voice choked with sobs,-- + +"Oh! I have been so wicked--so--bad--I know not what will become of me. +It is well that my mother did not live to see how widely I have strayed +from the path in which it was her last hope and prayer that I should +walk." + +Mr. Humphrey endeavoured to comfort the poor boy, wisely thinking this +to be no time to reproach him for past errors. + +Mrs. Humphrey, thinking that something unusual must have taken place +followed her husband to the room of Earnest. + +By the tearful request of Earnest, she examined the package, which had +for so long a time remained in her keeping. First there was a Bible and +Hymn Book, the books were elegantly bound, and had silver clasps. Then +there was an old-fashioned locket of gold, containing a picture of the +father and mother of Ernest, which had been taken many years before. +Between the leaves of the Bible was placed a letter addressed to Ernest, +in the hand-writing of his mother. The letter had been written at +different times as her strength permitted, during the last few days of +her life. It read as follows:-- + + "My dear little Earnest,--Long before your eyes will rest + upon these lines, the hand that traces them will have mouldered + into dust. The contents of this package with my prayerful blessing, + is all I have to leave you. As I write these lines you are playing + about my room a happy, innocent child. Would that my knowledge + could extend into the future, that I might know what manner of + youth you will be, when this letter is placed in your hands. But I + fear that I am wrong in thus wishing to know the future which a + kind Providence has mercifully hidden from us. It is my anxiety for + you alone that prompts the desire. I leave a request that this + letter be not placed in your hands till you shall have attained the + age of fourteen years. For should your life be spared to that + period, you will then be capable of reflection. It is my earnest + prayer, that you should grow up a good and dutiful boy, and by so + doing, reward Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey for the care and instruction, + which, I feel confident they will bestow upon you. But, O! my son, + should it be otherwise, and you have been led astray by evil + companions, I beseech you, my child, to pause and think. Listen to + the voice of your mother as if speaking to you, from her grave. + _Again_, I say, 'pause and reflect.' If you have evil companions, + forsake them at once, and forever. But I trust that these sad + forebodings are needless, and that when you read these lines, you + will be all that the fond heart of a mother could desire. The Bible + and Hymn Book which I leave you belonged to my father, who was a + minister of the Church of Scotland. Is it too much for me to hope + that you will follow in the footsteps of your deceased grandparent, + and use this Bible as he did in the pulpit, as a minister of the + gospel? The locket contains the likeness of your father and myself, + taken a short time after our marriage. I commit you with many + prayers, to the care of your Heavenly Father, for I feel that the + hand of death is upon me, and that a few brief days will close my + earthly existence. My last prayer will be that my boy may so live + on earth, as to meet his mother in Heaven. My strength fails me. I + can write no more. + + "From your loving, but dying mother, + + "Charlotte Harwood." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +The reader who has got thus far in the narrative of the early life of +Earnest Harwood, will doubtless learn, with pleasure, that the letter +written by his mother, proved, under the blessing of God, the means of +his salvation. The earnest persuasion of that letter, induced him to +form a firm resolve, that he _would_ amend his conduct, and cease from +his evil ways. He was, at the first, fearful that he had lost the love +of his foster parents, by his ungrateful conduct. He one day expressed +this fear to them, and together they assured him, that although he had +certainly caused them much grief and anxiety, their love for him had +remained unchanged. They took this opportunity, when his feelings were +thus softened, to urge him to be firm in his resolution of amendment. +They also, for the first time, spoke of the fearful sorrow he had caused +them by being brought to his home in a state of intoxication; and +besought him never again to allow himself to be persuaded to taste of +the intoxicating cup. Mrs. Humphrey pressed a motherly kiss upon his +fine brow, and said,-- + +"My dear boy I hope that you will not again disappoint our fond hopes, +and that you will yet do credit to the fine abilities with which our +Heavenly Father has so liberally endowed you." + +From this time there was a marked and decided change in the character of +Earnest. Many feared that the change would not be permanent, but Mrs. +Humphrey was very hopeful. + +"I feel an assurance," said she "that the many prayers which have been +offered to heaven on his behalf, are about to be answered." + +It was even so. And they who feared a relapse into his former evil ways +were happily disappointed. He again punctually attended school, and +applied himself diligently to his neglected studies; and his teachers +were surprised, as well by the astonishing progress he made, as by his +correct exemplary deportment. As may be readily supposed, he had much to +contend with from the vicious boys who had been his former associates. +He shunned their company as much as possible, but he could not avoid +occasionally coming in contact with them, and I am happy to say, that +they found him immovable in his resolutions for good. They tried every +means again to entice him into evil ways, but without success. As a last +resort, they tried the effect of ridicule, but they learned now, that he +had allowed his better nature to assert its power, for he possessed a +spirit far above the influence of ridicule; and when they found they +could by no means induce him to mingle with them, they were forced to +give him up, and allow him to go his way in peace. When Mr. and Mrs. +Humphrey found that the change in Earnest was likely to prove a +permanent one, their gratitude and joy was heartfelt and sincere. + +Two years have now passed away, since the beginning of the happy change +in the life of the orphan boy. We now find him a fine, tall youth of +sixteen, as much respected as he had formerly been shunned and pitied. +His personal appearance was still as attractive as in his childhood. He +was called by many the finest looking youth in all the village of +Walden. He had attended closely to his studies, and had obtained a good +English education. During the mid-summer vacation Mr. Humphrey asked if +he had turned his mind towards any particular calling in life which he +wished to follow,-- + +"For," said he, "it is my intention to assist you in fitting yourself +for any profession you may feel inclined to pursue." + +Ernest blushed deeply as he replied,-- + +"You know, sir, the wish which my mother expressed in regard to my +calling in life, and I feel a desire to fulfill her wish in the matter. +I deeply feel my unworthiness for a calling so sacred, yet I hope my +unworthy services may be accepted, should I be spared to enter upon the +Ministry." + +When Mr. Humphrey learned the wishes of Ernest he gladly defrayed his +expenses while pursuing the studies necessary to fit him for the +Ministry. + +He passed through his college course with much credit to himself, and +then devoted the necessary time to the study of divinity in the +seminary. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +In conclusion I would ask the reader to accompany me to what is now one +of the oldest churches in the city of Boston. + +It is a beautiful Sabbath morning in the balmy month of June. + +Let us enter the church. Something of more than usual interest seems to +pervade the large congregation there assembled. As we enter the church +we observe in one of the front pews an aged couple, whom we at once +recognize as Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey. They are now quite aged and feeble, +yet the countenance of each is cheerful and placid. Notwithstanding +their age they have made the journey of two hundred miles to be present +upon this occasion. For their beloved Earnest is this day to be set +apart to the Work of the Holy Ministry by the solemn service of +ordination. + +When the services were closed, and Earnest came forward to accompany +his aged foster parents from the church, they felt themselves more than +rewarded for all the care they had bestowed upon the orphan boy; and +they might have said, as did Simeon of old,-- + +"Lord, now lettest thou thy servants depart in peace according to thy +word, for our eyes have seen thy salvation." + +To the boys who may read this story I would say: As you value your own +well-being in time and eternity, avoid evil companions--for these have +worked the ruin of many a promising youth. + +Should this little story be read by any who are mothers of families, it +is my hope that it may afford them encouragement to persevere in their +prayerful efforts, for the good of the immortal beings committed to +their care. The letter penned by the feeble hand of his dying mother, +under the divine blessing, saved Earnest Harwood from ruin. Let this +circumstance encourage you, never to grow weary nor discouraged in your +labours for the good of your children, and "ye shall in no wise lose +your reward." + + +THE END. + + + +[Transcriber's note: Punctuation inconsistencies of the original have +been retained in this etext.] + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Path of Duty, and Other Stories, by +H. S. 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