Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-07-28

Miss Priscy, OF this modo Of living il
community which is just going into oper.
alton in your neighbourhood, under sucl
hight auspices"
al don't, my dear / don't. There,
no use in trying To be wiser than Provi'
dcnce. 'God set the solitary in families,
and think il is the preitiest contrivancl
for happiness and virtue that ever was
hit upon" She hobbled down stair,
slowly, her tongue going much fasteI
than her feet, and opening the door into
her little parlour-"llere," she said, 81,
many IA me,nori al of family life aud love
which keep alive and fresh, in my heart
the sense OF home--a solitary old woman
as | am. | dwell in its Atmospheric
There is the picture of my grandfather
how well remember him in his Judicia
robes; there are no such men now days.
This is the picture of my mother she
was the beauty of her time. As J re-
member her, she was not so young, MOI
quite 50 beautiful but | think no one
ever had so sweet a look"
Thanks to Him who "set the solitary
in families" thought that unequalled
sweet look belongs To most mothers.
"This," she said, pointing to one o
Copley's most brilliant portraits, "wa'
nv eldest sister Esther; she was paint
ed in her bridal dress. That white
brocade with that single maiden-bIush
rose in her bosom-it would not seem
quite the thing nowadays to wear a
dress made like that, but then it was The
custom, and custom is everything. There
never was loveier woman to look at, or
modester: | believe she would have
blushed at an imnodest thought passing
through another PERSONS mind"
This rather ultra proof of modesty
caused me 10 look more aie ntively AT the
beautiful face Of the young bride, sepa.
rate from her dress which being pant
ed in Coplcy's Most elaborate style, ralh-
er impaired the effect of face of such
exquisite delicacy that 1T might have
been taken for that Of an ideal vcstal. -
| WAS struck with its resemblance to
some face had recently seen, but be-
fore | had time to arrest the floating
image and verify tho fancied resemblan-
ces, Miss Priscy passed on to another
picture and another, and another, illus
traiing each with some family ira or
anecdote.
81 am never alone in this room" said
she "they are not pictures to me. ]
talk to them, and if they don't answer
me, am sure they hear me-"
Il -
where stood little round mahogany ta-
BILE covered with family relics.
"iIcre," said she, opening a rich old
ebony knife-case, inlaid with ivory, "hore
are the first silver forks that ever came
into the Province Of Massachusetts, -
All, there has been pleasant gaihcri ng
round this table. remember when first
Esther made ,ca.at it. My father called
her the little Queen there's nothing TO
compare with it nowadays. Here is
one moro thing you must examine" .
She drew to the window a higb-backed
chair, covered with patch she had re-
Gently made Of relies of the family
brocades, and in the centre Of the up
right back, the family herald, embla.
zoned in silver embroidery There is
nothing that brings back the past to n
woman's memory more vividly than bits
Of gowns worn on family festivals or
great social epOchs but Just at the mo-
ment Miss Priscy was dilating on them,
my attention was caught 1--WE were stand
ing at the Window by two figures cross
ing the street, the one was an elderly
gentleman holding by one hand, with n
sort of Roger de Coverley courtesy, n
young girl, and in the other large pa
per parcel from which two drums,icks
peepcd My friends eyes followed the
direction Of mine.
ado you know those People 2" she
asked.
"Yes--that is, camo to town in the
car with them"
"Ah :" said she, and reverted to the
chair, and my car acqudintances disap-
pcared, turning round the house which
made tho corner Of the street. Presently
there was ringing of the door-bell, and
n moment after Miss Priscy's maid
brought in Lizzy Dale. Her face light
ed up on seeing me, but after we had
shaken hands, aud exchanged greetings,
she looked more sad and embarrassed
than | had seen her at any moment on
the previous day.
"I am sorry, my DEAR" said Miss
Priscy, "that ! don't recollect you, but
you must not mind that tell me your
grandmoiher's name, and ] dare say
shall IIoll all the girls, | knew your
grandmothers, girls a generation (turn-
ing to me, like Jonah's gourd, grows up
in one day and perishes the next, but
should know you my child your face
comes over me somehow, like an old
song"
My name is Dale, ma'am-I.izzy
Dale"
"Dale Dale IL have heard the
name, but when or where can't romem-
Der. Dale 20
"iou wilremember my mothers name
ma'am, better. Esther Vassal, the se-
cond daughter Of Miss Sluarl's sister,
Esther Stuart"
NV old friend sunk down into The path
chair, took both Lizzy's hands, and 'felI
to pcrusing Of her face" with deep and
silent emotion. After brief space,