The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-09-24

0 no doubt !" returned the accomplished daugh-
= ter.
Meantime a kind letter was received by
4 Mary Fielding from her uncle, warmly invit-
: ing her to make his house her home. After
consulting with her Uncle Philip, Mary wrote
= back thankfully accepting the offer, and sta
ting that she would be on in a week. 1t was
, after the receipt of this letter that Mrs. Ell
= wood mentioned the subject to her oldest
} daughter On Mr.. Elwood's return home in
the evening Clarinda said to him
"ln what capacity is Mary Fielding coming
here, father ?"
"Who is Mary Fielding?" asked Mr.. Ell
wood, knitting his brow.
"Why, Cousin Mary Fielding" said Clar
linda, looking little confused,
"Why do you ask that question ?" enquir
ed Mr. Elwood
"NIother says she is coming here in
week."
"And so she is"
"To live?"
eyes, to live. And understand you have
asked in what capacity"
Yes, sir. Is she coming as chambermaid,
or sempstress, or what? Mother doesn't seem
to know"
Mr.. Elwood felt angry, and grieved, and
indignant
"She is coming as your companion and
equal" he said sternly.
The young lady's face colored to deep
crimson, and her eyes were cast in deep con-
| fusion to the floor.
| Instantly conscious that it would do harm
rather than good to appear angry with CLAIR
india for her pride and folly, he controlled
himself with strong effort, and said in kind,
earnest voice
"Clarinda, what you have said must own |
fills me with surprise. Why should your
Cousin Mary on coming into our house, be
reduced to the condition Of a nurse Or semp-
stress ?"
Carinda did not know how to reply to this
question. Her eyes still rested upon the !
floor, and she remained silent. She felt that
she had said too much, and was more than
half ashamed of the way in which she had
spoken.
"Your cousin has been as tendcrly raised,
and as deeply loved as you have, Clarinda,"
resumed Mr.. Elwood-'' and she can feel
as acutely if not more acutely than you can.
That her mother was widow and poor is no
disgrace to the daughter who is worthy to fill
any position in life to which a woman may be
called. Let the unworthy prejudices your
mind has entertained be at once dismissed
Mary comes here as your relative, compan-
ion, and friend receive her as such,-she
is in every way worthy Of your esteem, re-
gard and love"
Clarinda could reply nothing. She felt
ashamed before her father for what she had
said, but she could not feel pleasure at the
thought of making companion and friend of
her poor cousin.
In due time Mary arrived, and was re-
ceived with tenderness and cordiality by her
uncle. Mrs Elwood was cold and formal,
and Clarinda took the hand of her cousin and
affected to be very happy to see her. The {
warmest welcome she received was from the |
younger children, who loved her as soon as
they saw her. Il
1t did not require the passage of even an
hour to satisfy the stricken heart of Mary
Fielding, that the house of her uncle could be {
no home to her. She saw at a glance, that
Mrs. Elwood had been opposed to her en-
trance into the family, and that Clarinda $
looked down upon her as an inferior. Long !
and bitterly did she weep in the chamber to |
which she was shown, and where she was left t
alone during the whole afternoon of the day i
on which she arrived at her uncle'5 house.
Where is Nary" asked Mr. Elwood, k
when he came into tea, and found his wife a
and daughter sitting alone in the parlor. /
" In her own room,' returned Mrs. Elwood, G
She seems to ike to be C
alone" S
Mr.. Elwood looked at his wife for a few v
steadily, until her eyes fell beneath \
his gaze. f
HAS she been down since she was first I
shown up into her room ?" he asked. a
"No," was replied. il
q Has she been invited down ?" continued e
Mr.. Elwood f
q Invited down. Is she so much of a lady t
rs to require to be invited to do this and that f
and the other? If so, she will get precious '
little inviting here, If she wished to join the
amily, she had sense enough to do so, i sup d
pose, however, she preferred being alone" c
Mr.. Elwood turned away in grief and an r
ger, and went up to Mary's room. lie tap v
1ed lightly upon the door, which was opened v
sad face he saw too plainly the marks of weep n
ng. /
g Come, Mary" he said kindly, you must a
DIN us in the parlor. didn't expect to find
Iou shut up in your room when came home a
rom the store. Take my arm and let us 90 \
Town." o
Mary took her unclc's arm and descended n
o the parlor Mrs Elwood forced her coun- y
enance into a smile, and said something about s.
Nary, making a nun of herself Clarinda W
ried to be pleasant and kind, But all was o
orced work, and Mary was not deceived by 81
t.. Her heart was so full that she could only c.
With difficulty answer the questions asked by tt
Ter aunt and uncle, and felt deeply relieved p
When the tea-bell rung e.
A day, week, Il month"; a year went by, HI
nd Mary Fielding felt no more at home in te
Ter uncle's house than she did the first hour n
he entered it. Her aunt was cold and polite n
o her, and REFUSED every offer that Mary lc
made to render her some service in the fami- C,
y. Clarinda treated her as though they had HI
othing in common. She rarely introduced W
Ter to her young friends, and never asked her
0 90 out with hnr Il thnir In to,nou,-o IL