Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1841-11-13


was not yet so hardened as TO violate.
/ "Mary," said he. 500 you always eat that
brown bread which | you eating this morn
lng2''
"Yes always"
"And have YOU alwavs those wooden bowls for
"Oh, yes; ike them better, because they
never break
"And does mother always ca, brown
bread with your"
"Yes, when she eats any thing; bu: she some
times goes almost without breakfast at aiI.''
'sDo you think she likes the bread nnd milk"
al don't think she does like il much; more
did Henry and Isabel a. first, but we are getting
| to like it now; and mamma is always trying to
persuade us 10 the simplest and cheapest; food,
because she says will have 10 do so some time.
and il is better to do il now while we are young
and healthy and happy, ,hun to wait until we are
forced, and may neither he strong we'll
able TO eat coarse food"
Frederic now recoIlec,cd that his children
never dned with him. and the idea struck him
that perhaps thew lived through the day the
same hard and homely fare He recoiectcd that
his wife generally made excuses when she sat
down with him, that she had previously dIned
with the children, thinking it best to keep order
| amongst them by her own presence; and he rec
objected too, that his own hide board was always
spread with dainties-with tho game that in
season, with some choice viands cooked to
tempt his failing appetite, and always served up
in such u manner TO avoid reminding him tina.
he not a gentleman still.
"And these Door creatures said he 10 himse
"hure been all tho while living iitv Tue paupers
of the parsh!' He could scarcely swallow the
morsei he had pu. into his mouth; and i! ever
man !oathed himself, he did so at that moment.
BY way of diver,ing his thoughts, however, he /!
made effort to change the sniject of converse
ton.
"Who arc you working for, Mary?' he inqur-
The child blushed deeply, while she answered,
81 am making 4 shirt"
Her father had asked the question with the |
most perfect Indifference 10 any answer she |
mg ht make: bat her embarrassment awakened |
his curiosity, and he wen, on.
SIS il for me, or for your hrother?'
"Oh, ii is too large for George said Mary, en-
deavoring to smile. away her bushes.
alt is for then, | suppose. Why don't you
answer me, Aiary?'
Tho child burst into al, is a 7ccrct,''
said she; my mother charged me not 10 bring
this work into the room where you were; but
felt you would never notice 1t, and 50 DISC
boyed her command, now she has hardly been
gone an hour and my Iud gment has come upon
me-
'But what secret can you have, Mary, about a
shirt?'
"Oh don't ask me, father. l dare not tell n
falsehood, and ye, must not heiray my mothers
secret; she has kept SO long"
Poor childr' said Frederic, in a voice so kind.
and unusual, that Mary IS little heart was melt
ed; and looking up through her she said, 81
am you'd like my mother better if you knew,
and Yet hardly Dare to tell you.
''Wel, Mary, l will leave it to you II your
mother has charged you not to tell me-if you
have promised that you would mott cannot urge
upon you to break your trust"
mo, she never charged me a all; she has new
er mentioned the subject directly, but she
has been studious to keep 1t from you, that we
all knew her wishes; and ought we not to regard
them much her world"
'sCeriainly you ought; but in this instance |
do beg you will tell me the whole truth! it NAV
be Of the utmost consequence both to your moth
er and me.''
Mary looked anxiously at her father, and then
began her story;
s'Well. then, take in n great deal of plain
sewing; my mother. and Eleanor, and Isabel, aud
l. We oil get up al five every morning. and Il
shirt is sometimes made before YOU breaks fast"
"And do you do this for pay?
Oh, yes; and mamma tells US all about house
keeping, and how it eat such and such
things, and TO wear common frocks; until
some times she smiles. and saws she is afraid
shall become lovers Of money!.
And what do you do with all that you make
and all tina, you save?'
'Why, first, there is Georges schooling, about
which mamma thinks n great deal. and NIL the
houseke eping; and Isabel's doctors bill and the
wages of the servant-all these take a great deal
of money to pay, and there Is also another thing
which mamma keeps a secret"
Frederic afraid TO pursue the subject fur
Their: bu, the child having once plunged into her
mothers secrets, thought /, just as we'll TO tell the
whole as a part. She therefore went -
II am you will love mamma as we all do,
when tell you that for years she has been try
ing 10 afford 10 keep pony for you, for she per-
sisis in il that you not in good health, though
we think are great deal better than she Is
herself Yet she says il would do you much good
TO ride out every day; that 1t il q hard thing for
a man who has been accustomed 10 riding 10 do
without a horse; that 1t would give you more res
probability in the neiohborhoo cd. sand many other
things that we don't quito understand; however,
we all work for this great object: and last year
we had nearly accomplished ii, when there came
IN al Christmas that long, long bill from the cruel
wine merchant, for things which my mother new