Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-11-27


black eyes.
1T amt right of Won to ask it, Miss Floy. fol
You know cant refuse you. but Mrs. Richard.
AMI me will see what can I've done, if Mrs Rich.
ards likes, may wish, You sec, to take a voyage
TO Clancy Mrs. Richards but mayn't know
how to leave the London Docks
This house amt so exactly ringing with mer-
ry-making,' said Miss Nippcr, that one need be
lonelicr than one must be. Your Toxes and You
Chickses may draw out my two front double teeth
Mrs. Richards hut that's no reason why noet
offer EN- the whole set
This proposition was als, assentcd to by Rich
ards. as an obvious one.
so I'm agreeable, I'm sure, said Susan Nip
per, to live friendly, Mr. ,chrrls, while Mas
ter Paul continues r.'rma Sncr, e the nnean'
can be planned out without going openly against
orders, but goodness gracious Nj, Miss Floy
you haven't got your things offyet You naughty
child. you haven't, come along!
With these words Susan Nippcr. in trans
port of coercion made charge at her young
ward, and swept her out of the room.
The child, in her grief and neglect. was SC
gentle, 50 quiet, and accomplishing; was pos
scsscd of so much affection that no one seemed
to care to have, and much sorrowful inteIli-
gence that no one seemed to mind or think about
the woundng of: that Polys heart was sore
when she was left alone again. In the simple
passar e that had taken place between herscfa and
the motherless little girl. her own motherly heart
had been touched no less than the chuds; and
she felt, as the child did, that there was some
thing of confidence and interest between them
from that moment
Notwithstanding Mr. Toodcs great reliance
on Polly she was perhaps in point of artificial
accomplishments very little his superior Bat
she was good plain sample of Il nature that is
! trup pOblpr
quicker to feel. and much more constant to re-
tain, all tenderness and pity, sclf-denial and de-
votion, than the nature OF men. Aud perhaps.
unlearncd a she was. she coud have brought IL
dawning knowledge home TO Mr. Dombey at that
early ay.which would not then have struck him
in the end like lightning
But this is from the purpose. Polly only
thought, at that time, of improving on her sue
cessfu Precipitation of Miss Niprer, and devising
some means of having little Forcncc beside her,
lawfully. and without rebellion. An opening
happened to present itselfthat very night.
She had been rung down into the glass room
as usual, and had walked about and about it a
long time, with the baby in her arms, when. to
her great surprise and dsmay. Mr.. Dombey came
out. suddenly. and stopped before her.
Good evening, Richards.
Just the same auSterc. stiff gentleman. as he
had appeared to her on the first day; such a
hard-looking gentleman, that she irvoluntary
dropped her eyes and her curtcsy a, the same
time.
Ilow is Master Paul, Richards ?
Quite thriving, Sir, and we'll
| He looks So said Mr. Dombey. glarcing with
great interest at the tiny face she uncovered for
his observation, and yet affecting To be lalf care
less of it. They give you everything GU want,
| hone y
! oh YES thank YOU Sir
She suddenly appended such On obvious hos
itation to this reply, however that Mr.. Dombev.
vino had ,urnd away, STEPPED, and turned round
again, inquirngly.
Il believe nothing is so good or making chill
dren lively and cheerful, Sir, as seeing other
children playing about EN- observed Polly, TAX
/ ing courage.
i think | mentioned to YOU Richards, when
you came here said Mr.. Donbey, with irown,
that wished you to see as little of your family
as possible. You can continue your walk, If you
please.
! With that he disappeared into his inner room;
and Polly had the satisfaction of feeling that he
had thoroughly misunderstood her object, and
that she had fallen into disgrace without the least
advancement of her purpose.
Next night she found him walking about the
conservatory when she came down As she
stopped at the door. checked by this unusual
sight, and uncertain whether to advance or re-
treat. he called her in.
If vou really think this ort Of society is good
for the child he said sharply, as if there had been
no interval since she proposed it, where's Miss
| Florence ?
Nothing could be better than Miss Florence,
Sir said Polly eagerly, but | understand from
her little maid that they We're not to
Mr.. Donbey rang the bell and walked till it
was answered.
Tell them always to let Miss Florence be
with Richards when she chooses, and 20 out
with her, aud fourth. Tell them to let the
children be together, when Richards wishes it..
The iron was now hot, and Richards striking
on it boldly-it was a good cause, and she was
bold in it, though lnslinctively afraid OF Mr.
Dombey-rcquestcd that Miss Florence might
be sent down then and there, to make friend,
with her little brother
She icigned to he dandling The child as the ser
want retired on this GRAND but she thought she
saw that Mr.. Dombeys color changed; that the
expression OF his face quite altered; that he
turned, hurriedly, as if To gainSlv what he haC
said or she had said, or both, and was only de
TERED by very shame.
And She was right The last tine he ha,
seen his sighted child, there bad boen that in tn,
sad embrace between her and herdyng mother
which was AT once revelation ami reproaCl
To MN. Let nm he absorbed as he would IN III,
Son on whom he had built such high hopes h,
could not forget that closing scene. He coult
not forget that he had had ~ part in it. Tha
at the bottom of it, clear depths of tenderness
and truth, lay those two figures clasped in eacl
+ others arms while he stood on the bank above
them, looking down mere spectator-not ;
sharer with them-qute shut out.
; Unable to exclude these things from his re
membrance, or to keep his mind free from sucl
imperfect shapes OF the meaning with which they
were fraught AS were able to make themselves
visible to him through the mist of his pride, his
previous feeling ofindiiierence toward little Flor
ence changed into an uneasiness of an eXtraor
binary kind. lie almost felt as il she watched
and distrusted him. As if she held the clue L
something secret in his breast, OF the nature o
which he was hardly informed himself. As i
she had an innate knowledge of one jarrng anc
discordant string within him, and her very breatl
could sound it.
His feeling about the child had been negative
from her birth lie had never conceived an aver
sion to her : it had not been worth his while o
in his humor, She had never been positively
dsagreeablc object to him. But now he was Il
at ease about her. She troubled his peace lie
would have preferred to put her idea aside alto
gether, if he had known how-Perhaps-whc
shall decide ON such mysteries !--he was airals
that he mivht come Ia hate her