The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1841-08-21

Frederick now rccollscted that his children,
never dined with him, and the idea struck him,
that perhaps they lived through the day on the
same hard and homey fare. He recollected
that his wife generally made excuses when she
sat down with him, that she had previously din
ed with the children, thinking it best to keep or
der amongst them, by her own presence, and he
iecollected too, that his own little board was al
ways spread with dainties-wlth the game that
was in season, or with some choice viands cook
ed so as to tempt his failing appetite, and always
served up in such Il manner, as to avoid remind
ing him that he was not gentleman still.
''And these poor creatures, y said he to himself,
"have been all the while living like the paupcrs
the parish" lie could scarcely swallow the
morsel he had put into his mouth; and if ever
man loathcd himself, he did SO at that moment.
BY way of divcrtng his thoughts, however, ho
made an effort to change the subject of CONVEX
saton.
"Who are you working for, Mary he in
CURED
The child blushed deeply while she answered
81 am making a shirt"
Her father had asked the question with the
most perfect indifference as to any answer she
might make but her embarrassment awakened
his curiosity, and he went on.
as it for me, or for your mother
ooh, it is too large for George" said Mary
cndeavoring to smile away her bushes.
sit is for me, then, suppose, Why don't
you answer me, Mary"
The child burst into tears. at is a secret, >
sld she, "my mother charged mo not to bring
this work into the room where you were; but
felt sure YOU would never notice it, and so I
dsobeyed her commands, and now she has hard
y been gone an hour, and my Judgment has
come upon me-"
q RIt ot oar bau ,
Shirt
sob, don't ask me, father. | dare not tell n
falsehood, and yet must not betray my mother
secret; she has kept it so long"
"Poor child,n said Frederick, in a voice SC
kind, and 50 unusual, that Mary's little hear,
was melted; and looking up through her tears
she said, 81 am sure you'd like my mother better
ifyou knew, and yet hardly dare tell you"
well, Mary. | will leave it to you. If YOU
mother has charged you not to tell me- fyou have
promised that YOU would mott cannot urge
upon youto break your trust
''No, she has never charged me at all; she has
never even mentioned the subject directly, but
she has been so studlous to keep it from you,
that we all know her wishes; and ought we not
to regard them as much as her word:n
"Ccftalnly you ought; but i'll this instance do
beg you will tell me the whole truth; it may be
of the utmost consequence both to your mother
and to me-
Mary looked anx ously at her father, and then
began her story.
"Well, then, we take in great deal of plain
sewing my mother and Eleanor, and isabel, and
l. We all get up ut five every morning, and n
shirt is sometimes made before your breakfast"
'And do you this for pay"
"Oh yes and mamma tells us all about hoasc-
keeping, and how much it saves to eat such and
such things, and to veal our common tiocks; UNI
I'll sometimes she smiles, and says she is afraid
we shall become lovers Of money"
And what do you do with all that you make
and all that you save:'
why, first, there is Georges schooling, abou,
which mamma thinks a great deal, and all the
housekeeping; and lsahcl'S doctors bil and the
wages Of the servant--all these take Il great deal
ofmoney to pay, and there is also another thing
which mamma keeps great secret
Frederick was afraid to pursue the subject far
ther, but the child having once plunged into her
mothers secrets, thought it Just as well to tell
the whole as a part She therefore went on
81 am sure you will love mamma, as we all do,
when tell you; that for years she has been try
ing to afford to keeps pony for You, for she per-
ssts in it, that Won are not in good health, tho
we all think you are a great deal better than she
is herself Yet she says it would do YOU much
good to ride out every day that il is hard thing
tOr Il man VINO has been accustomed 70 rIdInr tD
do withouta horse; that it would give Won more
responsibility in the neirhborhood and many
other things that VIC don't quite understand.
However, we all work for this preat object. and
last winter we had nearly accomplished it, when
there came in at Christmas, that lonG lone biiI
from the cruel wine merchant. for tbinps whirh
nv mother never knew of. but which shc said
must be paid for before we thouqht Of the nonv,
| shall never forget how she cried that day. In
deed, we cried to see her so distressed. and the
worst was, poor George could not 90 to school
ior Iholo quarter pe,ause there was not money
too 50 he rev te idle and o "jo usc'ia h
lost more Than he had gained for three months
before"
,; ana thus the child went on in her simplicity,
motbers o 0 ,, more o, ,ma aels OF her
word she uttered Vent like dagger 10 her fatbers
heart. He had dropped his knife upon his plate,
his coffee remained untasted, and he sat with his
elbow reslllg on the table, and his tOrrhpld