Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-05-05

hand, as contradict any OF Cousin Phillls
orders, assure YOU answered Elmira.-
You are the only person who ever dared
to do it yet, and You will be very sorry for
it. She said before you came home, she
knew Aunt Lydia had spoiled you, and it is
true enough You are exactly like her, in
thought, word, and action
ooh that were indeed like her. ex-
claimed Leila, for a gentler, purer, holer
being never lived.-All my virtues are hers
all my faults my own Let me never hear
her reproached for folles or sins, which are
the legitimate offspring of my own heart
Unable to repress the tears which this
unkind allusion to a relative so tcnderly
beloved, and so recently lost, excited Leila
left the room, feeling more keenly than she
had ever done before, that between her
sister and herself there was not one feeling
or principle in common. All that is ne
cessary TO state of the previous history OF
these two young sisters, may be explained
in few words. Deprived in childhood oil
their mother, they were separated immedi-
ately after her death, and placed under inilu-
ences as opposite as pole TO pole. Aunt
Lydia, a maiden sister of Mrs. Manners,
received the orphan Leila from her dying
mother, as her own, and as such she educa-
ted and cherished her, till her death making
her second time an orphan, she returned
to her fathers house Elmira remained at
home, under the care of Miss Phills Man
ners, who assumed the charge of her broth
er's household, with an authority as abso-
lutte and undisputed as the laws of the Modes
and Persians
Mr.. Manners was one Of those good ma
tnred men, who always avoid trouble and
contention, and who have not moral cour-
age enough to follow up the principles they
profess to admire. lie believed his sister
one of the best managers in the world, prob
ably from the hustle attending all her move
ments and thought himselfvery fortunate in
having so careful and discreet a guardian
for his daughter. He regretted that Leila
did not enjoy equal advantages, for aunt
Lydia was so quiet aud unpresuming, and
made so little parade of her own good deeds,
and he was so accustomed to ego,ism and
display of his sister, he imagined that Aunt
Lydia was one of those passive characters
who exercised but little influence in her
own household. Had he reflected little
OH the great laws of nature, he would have
that the most powerful infuen-
ces are silent and often unseen The rays
that ilumine the immensity of the universe,
as silently as brightly execute their glorious
mission. The dews that refresh the sultri-
ness of nature, steal silent and unseen from
their secret dwelIing-place and teach man
L nd rba n,,t
ners never reasoned from analogy, indeed
he seldom reasoned at all, and it is not
strange that the unobtrusive virtues of Aunt
Lydia escaped his worldly observation
True when Leila returned, he would have
thought her very graceful, lovely aud anna
bic, had not his acute-mindeG sister discov-
cred so many bemishes in her, and such
superior excellencies in Elmra. He con-
Guided, as usual, that she was better Judge
than himself, and her opinion was consider
ed iniallble.
Miss Phills, Manners, alias Aunt Philis,
alias Cousin Phillis, would have been in the
full sweep of her glory, on the day of Mr..
Banks arrival, had not the expectation of
Mr.. Clements visit cast its dark shadow
before. 1t is not to be supposed, that all
her anxiety was disinterested, or that il
was for the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of her neices
alone, she was hoping, and toiling, and plan
ming.
Mr.. Banks was wdower, and as she
had passed her vernal morn and summer
noon in maiden sngleness of heart, she was
resolved that the quietude of her autunnal
eve should be spent in the shadow of the
myrtle bower. Notwithstanding her sin
certify to her brother, and the truths her
oft-consulted mirror breathed of her with.
ering beauty, she fancied every one else
must be laboring under an optical illusion,
and imagined herself still in the spring-time
Of youth. 1t was great source of yexation
that she was compelled to own her once
dark, but now bleaching locks, thus detrac-
ling from the juvenility of her appearance
but she consoled herself with the idea that
a turban was a most becoming and oriental
style of head dress, admirable in keeping
with the erectness and dignity of her figure.
This day she appeared dressed with eabo-
ate elegance-on her white turban, she
wore a single artificial white rose, placed
over her left ear. partly twisted in her long,
lowing curls, pearl ornaments on her neck,
md robe of delicate, lilack-colored silk,
tilted close to her really fine form. No
was ever allowed to mar the out
inc of her dress, and could she have exer-
,ised as arbitrary a dominion over her face,
t would have been as smooth as Paran
marble. She had been practicing kind of
Eager smile, with which to welcome the
East India Nabob, as she had great faith
n first impressions. EImra, who implicit
y followed her Aunt's directions, was also
much adorned, but Leila made no altera-
ion in the mourning garb, she wore in
of Aunt Lydia. Miss Phills told
Ter that she had never looked so shocking
n her life, that her eyes were as heavy as
cad and her complexion as pale as ash