Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-02-23

yours again; or rather misses, as call
them. Now. it's my opinion. young la
dies, and my opinion in these matters is
worth something | take il, that you are
no more fit, as you are, to make wives
for honest, sensible men-and to Get mar
ried. suppose, is about all you are look
ing forward to-than green apples are 10
make good CIDER
This produced quite sentation, and
spndry deprecating CALCULATIONS from
Mrs. Howard and Cecilia. But the old
man had mounted hobby, and was not
to be thrown off.
Can any OF you make shirt on a
pinch ? he went on. No, of course not.
That would be vulgar. Ora loaf Of bread?
y no. Nor cook dinner, nor even
make Cruel for your sick husband?-
What can yor do then What qualifi.
cations have you for the station Of wives
to which you all SO eagerly aspire? An
swer me that p Here Uncle Peter be-
gan to warm. The hobby was in full gal
lop. % yes. ! remember now. You can
paint flower, and draw an old ruined
castle. You can dance and waltz-talk
French and ItalIaE-scheech, not sing, a
few foreign airs in foreign tongue, and
play fashionable music. Rare accom-
plishments indeed. Ireally wonder that
you have Iot been caught up by the men
and married long ago. No doubt. YOU
have each had a dozen or so offers alrea-
dy. And shall! not he at all SUI prise TO
hear that the responsibility Of two or
three duels will rest Upon each of your
heads
Here Uncle Peter arose from his chair
& commenced walking backwards & for
wards, with quick, nervous step, talk
ing all the while rapidly and almost in
coherently. His words and manner,
however, had not offended single one
OF the visitors, who knew the old man
great deal better than he knew them;
Tor he had been, ever since their recoI-
lection. an occasional visitor at their ia
TIERS housss-and had not changed in
appearance during all that time, while
they had sprung up aud grown entirely
out OF his recollection. Disnified as they
were-their dignity was all an assumed
exterior; for they were gay girls at heart
they had yet sirlish love Of fun, and
gFllsh perception of the ridiculous.
and were therefore far more amused
than offended at Uncle Peters freedom
and fervor. though by no means disposed
to profit by the lecture he read them
But Mrs. Howard and Cecilia were
dreadfuily mortified. and talked so
plainly to Uncle Peter after the Wis
tiers had retired, that the old gentleman
felt himself really offended. And well
he might, for Hrs. Howard told him We
ry distinctly, that if he could not feel
himself constrained to use little more
decorum in her house, especially when
visitors were present, she would much
rather he would stay away; and Cecilia's
manner expressed the same thing.
1t was nearl y two months before he a.
gain semitic the house; and when he did
resume his visits, his manner was reser-
we'd and his stay brief. The fact was.
the old man had resolved. not to cross
the threshold of his sisters house for a
year. But his affection for Cecilia was
strong, creating SO earnest desire to
see her, that be could NOT stay away.
This reserved intercourse was kept up
until towards fall, when Uncle Peter felt
himself compelled to speak out in his
usual plain style. Cecilia had sprung
up, during the year, into a fine. tall,
graceful woman, in appearance. Her f.
CURE was perfect and, herslaoe intelligent
IND hon,,trf,,t rFho n. i 4 L
but feel proud of his niece as he looked
upon her-but his pride was softened by a
deeper & pnrer love than was felt even by
her mother, whose false views of society
had polluted the weli-springs Of parental
affection. Her pride was of her daugh-
ter's person, and for the sake of the opin
ions and admiration of others-aud was
moreover tinctured with the vain desire
that Cecilia should ontshine all the other
young ladies who moved in their circle.
In his eyes, she was far more beautiful
in face and graceful in form and
figure, than any young ladies he saw,
| and this made him naturally feel proud
of her. But far above, this did he set the
genuine innocence and pure affections
which dwelt in her heart, but which. alas!
though not destroyed, had become OBJ
scured by false aud dangerous system
Of education, under the care of a weak
minded, iniuticioas mother. 1t was
for these that he loved her, and he had
never loved any one before.
Immersed i'll business, and his mind
all absorbed in its details, Mr.. Howard
had given little or no though to Cecilia' s
education. She "a daughter. and of
course, $50 he quieted the smomentary
concern for his child that would some
times arise in his mind) her mother. un-
derstood best how she ought to be edu-
Gated. Whatever Mrs. Howard sugges-
ted was therefore immediately acquies-
ced in, and all the bills paid on presenta-
ton, as matter Of course. But when
it was proposed to send Cecilia away
from home to distant boarding-scho
to be absent for months at ii time, Mr..
Howard demurred. He was too fond Of
his daughter TO be willing thus to have