The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1839-05-30
A Sketch for Mothers and
Daughters.

Grace was the pet Of the village
pretty. lively. and, like all other pets. very
seli.w lied: but The effects Of this latter
quality were soiiened down and rendered
quite loyeahle by her open. generous
disposition. which would not allow her
10 iniure another. even 10 crafty that ruiz
ing passion. Some said that Grace
thong ID, herself sufficiently handsome. and
termed i, vanity. True. perhaps, when
each Sabbath morning found her ready
derked for the sunny walk TO the parish
church on the hillside, or the weekdays
evening saw hor in her little cham.
Der window plying her needle--yes.
perhaps then, as she caught a side-long
slauce a. herself In The little mirror. she
might THINK Itgnu surII great wonuer tnat
The young men gazed as they PASSED
her, or that they looked so curiously at
the bow.pois and Towering geraniums
perched on the sill Of her easement /;
perhaps, too. she nigh. think they
cas-, a glance beyond. But was this
vanity! No. Grace was as free Of tina,
hateful quality as the bird which carolled
so joyously in his bright cage on the
cottage wall. Vanity cannot be justly
attributed to those who are only conscious
of possessing The qualities which are theirs
in reality, but 10 those alone who boas,
10 themselves Of Projections. which they
can never hope 10 possess. Such was
the case with those who termed Grace
vain.
One fine autumn evening she sat. as
usual, beside her geraniums. over which
was hung her little bird Pet; but the
| leaves of the former hung droopingly, as
though 10 ask of their swee. mistress the
usual drop Of spring water, and poor
Pet chiruped and hoped from perch 10
perch, and ruffled his yellow feathers
10 attract her attention, but in vain. No
cooling drop greeted the sickly leaf-no
tiny finger placed bi. Of sugar between
| PETS cage wires. And how was this!
/ Was Grace inn No, but her thoughts
we're wandering, and although her eyes
we're fixed full on poor Pet and his
companion plants. she neither saw one
NOR The other. And whittier we're her
thoughts wandering' Only into a neigh
/ boring lane, up which she s,rolled when
the sun was beginning 10 dip his bright
head meath the blue tops Of The neighbor.
ing hill. Il was a very pleasant lane,
but as its sides were bounded by high
! hawthorn and wild rose. bushes, IL may
he supposed that Grace did not GO there
FOR the sake Of any beautiful prospect, for
her whole height was no, more than the
] ton Of the banks on which The bushes
l grew. For what. then, could IL be! in
truth i, was that there generally accompa
MED her ,hi.her a very pleasant companion
mo, her moiaer-not one oil the neigh
bor's daughters. No: but young man,
! ,he son Of farmer not far distant.
+ Yes, the truth may as well be told.
/ Grace had given, or thought she had
giveu, her litle heart 10 this companion
Of her suolls; and, indeed, any one 10
look on him nigh. imagine better choice
could not be made. Tall, handsome. and
athletic he was, and his eye heamed when
he looked on her. But they who Knew
:. him better Than Grace. said that he was
wild aua fickls.s Neither did they scrupls
10 warn her OF that knowledge. But Grace
would not believe. How could she
|, when she saw that. although they spoke
against him, they were always ready q
welcome him to their own homesl
!, Besides, there was an eloquence far mors
( powerful TO The heart and understanding
Of Grace--mors eloquent, more easily
believed than sughs they could utter