Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-05-14

only uncomplaAingly but cheerlullv. =
The thought Of making her happy a, the
close Of ihe day, cheered and lighteneC
The long and tedious houIs u the sewing
girl. She thought of no other duty an,
dreamed ofno other happiness.
The grandmother died. Desolatt
now indeed was Laura's hearth. But i
was not fitting that her young life should
be longer occupied in protecting the ex'
Isience Of one whose days having faI
passed three score and ten were now OIL
ly labor aud sorrow. Providence had
more active and useful duties in reserve
for her. Hears aaer, when, surround
ed by her happy children, she reviewed
her life, she could perceive how com
paralively proflIess that life would have
been, had it been limited, as once in the
bitterness Of her grief she desired, TO the
day when she closed the eyes of the last
dear friend of her infancy.
Laura could endure 10 look at none Of
The familiar objects in her lille tene-
ment, for each but suggested the mem-
ory Of the departed. The strong no.
tive which had existed for cougase and
exerion was gone, and the poor girI was
! fast sinking into a hopeless and almess
state of despondence which boded III for
her own health. She ceased 10 draw
lessons OF conten, from, the circumstances
Of others, for her own grief aud !oneIi-
ness now naturally seemed to her more
grevious Affections than any one else
was called upon 10 suffer She moved
mechanically about her accustomed pur-
suits, and was no longer the cheerful
and conten,cd lassie in her poverty whom
many person IN wealth might have
cnvied.
But brighter day was TO dawn upon
her. Her kind friend, Mrs. Melville,
no sooner heard of her situa,iop than
she absolutely needed Laura's assistance
Tor month at least although the fash
ions for the season were made up
and all the rest Of the world were con
graduating themselves that, for while
they were rid Of she plague oi milIlners
and such people. In two or three days
Mrs. Melville made another discovery
that there was no shadow Of use ol Lau-'
ra's going home every night to her de-
serted quarters, while some dozen a
parlmen,s in her ample mansion where
unoccupied.
SO passed the month. Mrs Melville
had 10 intention that with that monh
Laura's resistance under her root should
close, but while the generous woman
was debating with himself how she could
best aud most delicately and unoblru
sively make the months visit glide into
a perpetual resistance, the grateful, 5ut
sensitive and high spirited orphan had
upon her own course. She
was morbidIy and, we must add, fool I
ishly, as every exaggerated sentiment is
foolish afraid Of appearing like an III
iruder, and resolved upon the day
when her nominal terms closed 10 steal I
away wilhou, taking leave other bene-
iactress. She felt that her departure \
would be opposed 49, that n Ieave-takiue
would be painful. She had already OBJ !
served that the p'cteXt Of employment
no longer existed, Tor during greater
portion Of The time she had been en-
ployed ouly in reading 10 Mrs. Mel
ville, and her quick perceptions detected
The jealousy with which cousins and eX-
pectanrs watched her presence, as ihey
redoubled their attentive calls jusl al this
particular period She noticed how \
careful all were TO bring something with
them which should interest the wealthy
aunt, and with what labored aud par
ticuary obiiglng cloculIon, they insisted
upon reading to the old lady, when
under other circumstances they would .
have avoided such n task as most ter- T.
ribc lnfllc,ion. ller gentle spirit shrank
from contest IN which hcr shsre ~
isied only in the fancy ol her Jealous
rlyals, aud although she thought she
saw the lenst shade Of malicious humor
in Mrs Melville, in playing her of as u
mark Of emulation 10 her coyetous cous-
ms, Laura was too much true lady l."
endure position so eqnlvocal SO upon
the last day Of her engagement she
quietly prepared her llItlr wardrobc. -
At evening when she bade her FREUD
good night, she slipped out Of tn, house