Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-03-17

no gratitude, who was unwilling to as
sist her by sharing her labors, and who
preferred her own qualification TO any
other object. And how had she trained
that daughter? How had she fulfilled
the high responsibilities of mother'-
Mrs. Wallace, although what the world
calls n pattern-woman, thorough
house-keeper, prudent, Industrious, and
an oracle in the common affairs Of lilo,
yet in points ofthe most vital Importance
was weak and ill-judgiug. Mary was
her frst-born, and her excessive mat
crnal fondness, decpened by the loss Of
several succeeding children, displayed
itself in the most unlimited indulgence
towards its object. Her childhood,
that period when the habit seeds Of a
lifetime are sown, was allowed to pass
in perfect idleness, until she was old
enough to be transplanted into the hot
bed of fashionable boarding school,
where she remained four years. When
she returned, tall, graceful, accom-
plished, and very handsome girl, Mrs.
Wallace thought hor zoo genteel and
lady-like to assist in any of the domes-
tic employments in which she herself
was constantly engaged. The walls
were hung with landscapes in oil, flow
crs in wator-colours, and India ink
drawings superb vases of shell-work
graced the mantels, and lamp-stands of
glowing worstod decorated the centre
table f; yet was Mary Wallace, at the
age Of eighteen, in utter and profound
ignorance of all useful and important
knowledge, and knew no more of the
ingredients composing the roll she ate
for breakfast, than the butterfly of the
nature and qualities Of the flower from
which he sips his honied repast Her
early fondness for light reading, which
her mother had taken no pains to coun-
teract, had deepened while at school
into confirmed passion for works Of
fiction, from whose glowing pages she
drew such exaggerated pictures of hu-
man life, as wholly unified her for its
stern realities. Whole days were spent
in devourng with the avidity of era
wing appetite, volume after volume Of
the mos, exciting kind, and after weep
ing herself to sleep at midnight over the
broken hearts and blighted hopes oflovc-
,lorn heroines, she would awake late the
next morning, wretched and lstless, to
renew the same course, unless compa-
ny at homo or amusements abroad,
stimulated her to call into exercise her
engaging manners and powers of con-
versation, which were charity displayed
before the mere household circle.
"There is no use," was Mrs. Wal
lace's reply to those who ventured to
hint to her the injury she was doing her
daughter, "thcre is no use in heaping
cares on young shoulders, they will
come fast enough" forgetting that it
would be wiser to qualify her for duties
which in the usual course Of events
would devolve upon her.
This is no fancy sketch-would that
it were but there is in the minds eye
at this moment more than one young
lady, every way qualified 10 confer
pleasure on all around her, and become
blessing to her family, who has had
thousands lavished on her education,
but who is nevertheless drone in the
domestic hive. She is, perhaps, like
Mary Wallace, the eldest Of large
family, to whom it should be her de-
light, as it is her duty to impart the
knowledge so literally bestowed on her
self She knows that for their support
her fnther tolls increasingly in his pro-
icssion or occupation-thal her mothers
life is wearing away in anxious watch
ings and labourings for their comfort
aud happiness, yet is her time wasted in
dress, company, amusement and novel
rendiog. Alas ! for him who wins such
female for the wife Of his bosom-his
companion on the thorny journey of
life-the sharer of his cares, the soother
Of his sorrows His will be lot OF
disappointment and misery. Mothers
is this the result Of all the glorious the
orics for the education Of your daugh-
ters with which the age is rife VIII
you leave them TO the bitter teachings
Of experience, when your gentle hands
might lead them pleasantly along in the
paths Of true wisdom But to return
to our story.
NJ. n.,,1 L., A. n annaeI and