Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-01-06
Prom The Christian Waiehman.
Alice Weston.

ering amidst her loosened tresses. a hlty
dollar ball lay on the table with which she
intended 10 purchase q winter bOnnet and
pelisse. II had been bestowed that morning
by her father, aud she would have noticed
the reluctance with which II was granted,
but that she was absorbed by the attempt TO
decide whether certain Edgur Morris would
prefer q pink or white hat. She was still /
busied with the important question; but IN /
vain she Tansacked her memory Tor some re-
mark which might furnish, as a hint to his
taste. lie never conversed upon such top
les, and carefully avoided commencing or
condemnlDg any style of dress. The longer
she dwet upon the subject The more per-
| picked she became.
/ "Ah we'll" she said TO herself, il is Of
/ little use Ia sIt here. | must be guided by
! my complexion. | think | will get white
one with very rich white feather, and tho
smallest Of delicate flowers Tor the inside.
! such as saw at tlaten's.
n So saying she finished dressing. glanced
/. conteu pluous!y al her last year. bonnet ms
/ she put It on, thrust the bill into her purse
/ aud took the way To the priucipal shops
| She was still balancing the merits oi silk and
| satin. pink aud white, when she was stop
ped by crowd OF people who were prevent
| ed from crossing the street by two entangleu
lcarrlages Her father was standing near,
/ but he did not observe her for he was engag
i ed IN conversation with his next door neigh
Dor Mr.. Burton.
4 "Alow me-" said the latter gentleman,
as an old friend TO enquire the Cause ot your
ANXIOUS and harrassed took. We were boys
Together on the banks Of The Merrmack, yet
while | remain comparatively young, your
eyes grow dim, your HAIR whitens, and on
l..h fhaaln
Of perpetual struggles"
"Ay, my good friend, but my family ~
large and our expenses great. For me VINO
inherit nothing, loll Is ordained"
My income is scarcely the half OF your,
, yet my hours of leisure are double those you
allow yourself. have somewhat to spare,
D too, # your capital" and he hesltated lest
he might give offence.
81 understand YOU" replied MIR. Weston
f the offer you wish to make is generous, ou
such aid do not need. Step hther,' ant
: he pointed TO the arched entrance OF th'
! church behind where We shall not be over
=. heard"
Thus far Alice had listened with breath
: less eagerness. She must hear all. Her
father might refuse her the communication
he was about TO nuke, She ought, she hat
; a right to know why he was thus growing
4 old before his time. She followed the gen
9 ienrn and stood unobscTved beside them
= "The death Of my wife," said Mr.. Yves
4 ton. "has impaired a degree of sacrednes'
:, TO the subject Of which we have been speak
u ing that has made me shrink from converslng
upon j, but your kindness to me and mine
has given you claim upon my confidence
l. married, MS you know, the daughter OF
h wealthy man, frail and beautiful glrI sur
J.. rounded by every luxury that money couI'
procure. was IN prosperous business. =
" few years of economy would have made mi
l. rich but | was unwilling TO propose d'
ferent style Of living from that TO winch sh'
was accustomed. | struggled with ever,
s, power, bent every energy to the task OF sup
F.: plyinp the means of = lavish and ostentatlou
expenditure. Day and night were alike con
T. sumcd IN the toll Even upon the Sabbat
my spirit was in my counting room. Had IN.
wife been aware Of this she would have IN
ID sisted upon retrenchmenl, but she had see
y, her father thus ergrossed. thus care worn
" aud she regretted my laborious life as a nee
essny without suspectlng whence that neces
y. sity arose. After her death determine
to reduce our expenses. But my chlldre
81 have been brought up in luxury. They re
a. pncd at slight DEFICIENCIES. imaglnnrywant
!. and feared lest they might think me col
and stern"
no "You have misjudged," said Mr.. Buro'
although they muImur at trifes they will
active, vigorous, happy in great change
he Il will give them work for the heart, wor
! d for the head, work for the hands"
Nay, my friend ; my lot IS fixed. u
the toll for me, the leisure for my family.
:, cannot risk the loss OF my only pleasure, TIT
OF seeing smiling faces al my hresldc.'
NJ The gentlemen parted leaving Alice Owe
lc. whclmed by the discovery she had made
Slowly she retraced her footsteps iorgeti
Of her errsnd. She re entered her dressing
n room and gNzed regrctiully upon its Iuxn'
ous appointments. They seemed to reproa'
~ her with the hours taken from liie's highe
he duties and bartered for their perlshable sple
IN dor She LAID aside her purse thankful tn
its contents remained untouched : then 81
looked long and steadily upon the new pot
he ton in which she was so suddenly placed.
Her needless disregard of her father who h
''- iadulged her every caprice seemed To her !
Ill., tie less than criminal. Her idly selfish i
spoke To her with hundred voices, q
there was reprOof 10 their tones. The retr
spect was salutary though painful. Fro
Se her very errors sprong The knowledge
pe rpht, and the true path once found, her ic
ing spirit prompted her onward. She W
certain OF CT. operation on the part of her ihi
tty lily. and after surveying the tastes, the hab
- aud capacities OF each member down to I
o' pelied Effie. The darling oi the whole, s
ks. opened her desk and sketched the outline
her plan.
nv, Her father left that same evening
New York To be absent several weeks
"e Alice longed to reveal to him her dec
eA- ion, 10 ask his counsel aud receive
sympathy but she doubted her untri
strength aud preferred to make the
'e' tempt alone. OF six domestlcs she d
v" missed three. As she determined
give up the superfuities of the table. I
lpastry-cook was no longer needed, VIII
den Charles and George proilered their ser
y ces in the place of the errand boy. j
scamsiress could not be so easily dlsp'
sed with. Afier much delibcra,lon, no
rom ever, Alice, Margaret, and Kate, reso
us,. ed to take charge Of their own room
l,,oge,her with the pnrlors Alice a