The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1839-07-06
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY II. WEBB.


as the primary cause Of all this misery, she
felt like guilty creature; and casting off,
at once her native timidity and habitual sub
mission, she had repeatedly braved his an
ger, by the most earnest supplications for
mercy and for pardon; and, when this pre-
we'd unavailing, she tried to mitigate their
distress by all the assistance that her small
means would admit Every shilling of
her pocket-money she expended on her
dear cousins, worked for them, begged for
them, and transferred to them every present
that was made 10 herself, from the silk
frock 10 penny tartlet. Every thing that
was her own she gave, but nothing Of her un-
cle's; for though sorely tempted to transfer
some Of the plenty around her to those
whose claim seemed SO just, and whose
need was so urgent, Dora felt that she was
trusted, and that she must prove herself
trustworthy.
Such was the posture Of affairs at the
time of my encounter with Dora and little
Walter in the harvest field: the rest will be
best told in the course Of our dialogue
"And so madam, cannot bear to see my
dear cousin Mary so sick and SO melanchol-
ly; and the dear, dear child, that a king
might be proud of-only look at him" ex-
claimed Dora, interrupting herself, as the
beautiful child, sitting on the ground, in all
the placid dignity Of infancy, looked up at
me, and smiled in my face. "Only look at
him y continued she, "and think of that
dear boy, and his dear mother, living on
charity, and they my uncle's lawful heirs,
whilst, that have no right whatsoever, no
claim, none at ALL that compared to,them
am but.a far-of' kinswoman, the mere crea-
ture of his bounty, should revei in comfort
and in plenty, and they starving! l can
not bear it, and will not. And then the
wrong that he is doing himself; he that is
really so good and kind, to be called hard
hearted tyrant by the whole country side.
And he is unhappy himself, too; know
that he is. So tired as he comes home, he
will walk about his room half the night; and
often, at meal times, he will drop his knife
and fork, and sigh so heavily! He may
turn me out Of doors, as he threatened or
what is worse, call me ungrateful or undu
tiful, but he shall see this boy"
"He never has seen him then and tha
is why you are tricking him out so pretti
lyw
"Yes ma'am. Mind what told you
Walter; and hold up your hat, and say
what l bid you"
Gan-papa's towers - stammered the
pretty boy, in his sweet childish voice, the
first words that / ever heard him speak.
"Grand-papa's flowers p said his jealous
Preceptress.
"Gan-papa's fowers!" echoed the boy.
Shall you take the child to the house
Dora!" asked l.
No ma'am. look for my uncle here
every minute; and this is the best place to
ask favor in, for the sight of the great
crop puts him in good humor; not so much
on account Of the profits, but because the
land never bore half so much before, and
it's all owing to his management in dressing
and drilling. l came reaping here to-day
on purpose to please him; for though he
says he does not wish me to work in the
fields, know he likes it; and here he shall
see little Walter. Do you think he can re-
sist him, ma am?" continued Dora, leaning
over her infant cousin, with the grace and
fondness of young Madonna; " do you
think he can resist him, poor child, so help
less, so harmless; his own blood too, and so
like his father No heart could be hard
enough to hold out; and am sure that his
will not. Only" pursued Dora, relapsing
rto her girlish tone and attitude, as cold
fear crossed her enthusiastic hope" only
I'm half afraid that Walter will cry. It's
strange when one wants any thing to behave
narticUl larlv well. how sure il is 10 be nauOh-