Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-04-23
GREEN MOUNTAIN FREEMAN.

friend Nanny in the domestic duties of the fam c
,ly, in darkened chamber the widow is wiring :
ing her hands, reproducing even the memory OF
the dead that so much trouble has fallen upon u
her; and Amelia sits inactive and depending il
droopiuc like some beautiful flower crushed by t
the wind and rain She has little sympathy for
her mother she wonders at Ethel for her cheer h
fulness, and pronounces her to be heartless- a
self, dear self claims alone her signs and tears. '
What's she shut out forever from the coterie {
of fashion-no longer able to follow It's whms
and fooleres, must she no longer sport those
beautiful dresses, and decorate herself with jew
els and where are all those weath-serving lovers
that so lately sighed even for her slightest glance
what all gone! Poor Amelia, with her mis-
Guided frivolous mind, with no inward sources
of relief for the hour Of adversely; and no
mothers example to prompt to better things, no
wonder repining and iretfulness gradually made
their power visible upon her temper and her
beauty.
Perhaps it might be considered almost mis-
fortune to Mrs. Walsingham that her step-daugh-
ter proved so energetic and uniting in her ex-
Iertons-otherwise she might perhaps have
breasted the storm with more hrmness AS i'll
was, Ethel could do all-her constitution was
wondelful-Ethel never complained-the house
was in perfect order-Ethel did it ALT was her
pride-Ethel was so fond of her needle, and
did up her caps so handily Thus argued Mrs.
, Walsingham in favor Of her own indolence.-
There was always enough to eat upon the neat
ly spread table, but how it was procured, and
) when, neither mother nor daughter troubled
| themselves to learnt was EthePs affair.
Unlike Cinderella, however, Ethel unfortu-
natey possessed no good fairy to assist her in
S her dIemmas, and her own hands must there
fore to the task. By disposng Of the little
Y ewelry she possessed she was enabled to hire a
e piano, for the purpose of teaching, and her
d taste and proficiency upon that instrument being
well known, she had no difficulty in obtaining
a scholars, which would without question have
Il proved of some avail--but now Mrs. Waslng-
ham began loudly to demonstrate upon her teach
:, ing the children of those persons who had once
felt themselves honored by her notice
d Why not remove to the city! she suggested
i victimized, to the condescension Of their for
t. mer dear friends The idea once aroused, grew
e to be positive mania, and she looked forward
TO the change with restless eagerness. Amelia
is too, became animatcd-the very word city was
If magical, and coniured up visions of delight
" And Ethel although she would have preferred
10 the quiet cottage, reflected that III the city she
4 might not only obtain more pupils and at
IL higher price, but ALSO where so much is to be
n done gain by her needle an additional income
o for the support of her mother and sister. The
it poor girl knew not ofthe many
e Fingers weary and worn,
lie Eyelids heavy and red,
e that in every street meet the midnight hour un
II resting-ther reward-starvation and contu
mely
=, CHAPTER ".
- To the city, therefore, they came, and took
". board with small family in retired street
. upon the most moderate terms Mrs. Walsing
y ham and amelia occupied the front chamber, anC
" Ethel smaller one adjoining. Nanny Of course
: was dismissed, Ethel undertaking to perform al
= those little offices which her mother might re
~ quire piano was hired, but stranger, un
supported either by friends or fame, finds no rea
~ dy acceptance with the pubIic-hence her pu
y pills were few, and her skill in needlc-work, how
ever tastefully eXerted, met with cold praise ant
y, still less profit Unfortunately, too, as denizen
Of a city, although unknowing and unknown
, their wants began to multiply. New bonnets &
'e dresses Mrs Wasingham insisted must be had
for they must make decent appearance in the
street, and as the fashions changed so must they
it would never do to be different from the rest o
. the world She delighted to saunter leisurely
along through the most fashionable thoroughfare'
= with Amelia by her SIDE whose beauty never
failed of attracting much attention. until finally
not doubt existed in the mind of the partia
u make brilliant match, and to set off her charm:
at she drew unspanngy upon the means of Ethel
IS Ethel yentured to demonstrate upon this cruel ex
e pendHure but she might as well have talked tc
J. the winds. The only reply vouchsaled was tc
v accuse her of being selfish and avaricious
i CHANGING over newspaper one morning, Ethel
i noticed the advertisement Of an editor of pop
uldr PellouIcaI, oHernl8 9%oO lot the Dest popu-
! lar story, In her present situation that sum
o seemed fortune The idea of writing for a
Il livelihood had never occurred to her, but now
: she was tempted to undertake it. 1t was a haz-
Il ardous enterprise, fox she had no one to counsel
g and encourage her--to correct an error or sug-
Is gest an ornament She must rely upon her own
+ good sense and Imagination. With an aching
Il brow and fevered pulse she set about the task
+ The Sketch" completed, with throbbng heart
d and trembling hand, Ethel folded, sealed and
! forwarded her manuscript to the publisher. Many
: days must intervene ere she can know the de-
e cison of the committee appointed to pronounce
upon the merits of the different pieces laid
e open 10 their criticism, and l cannot do my he
u rnnn the ininsiicn 10 saw that those hnnrc r;Eo