Saturday morning visitor., 1848-08-19
From The Olire Branch
MARIA CLIFFORD,
OR, THE PRoTEGE.
BY EMMA WHARTON.
CHAPTER l.

|
Sidney Percival WIS portiorlless or
phan, but lie had never fell the bitter ills
with which orphanaee, when conioined
with poverty, usually visits her hapless
children. His mother, in her dying hour,
placed him in lie arms of chldless sis
Ter, who looked with delight on the lovely
babe, who, utterly unconscious that he
was at that moment suffering loss, " hich
no future time nigh; repair, turned his
bright blue eyes so Swimmingly and trust
ingly upon her, and prayed that God might
bless her as she proved faithful 10 her sa-
cred trust
William Eldritlce. the husband Of this
lady, was the head Of large publishing
! house in Phlladelphis. and very rcsnect-
able man. as the world goes. That is TO
say, lie had accumulated a fortune sutii-
cient Ter the reasonable wants OF half a
dozen families, which he took very rood
care, should nul be curtailrd bv a sinple
unnecesSar, expense: looking nuon char
! iiaHle societies, and all ether reform move
inents of Tie day. as SO many downright
humbugs. which no honest man sbonld
encourage by aiding. He had not a sin.
gle idea above his business; and although
! he delighted TO sell books. he reparded
4 reading lhem as sheer waste of time.
! Although be daily praelised a thousand
! tricks and IAeannesses IN trade. vet hay-
/ lnq been guilty of nothing. which would
4 render lnln a subject for the deliberations
OF twelve good men and true" he con
! ,iaered himself very honest man,
! Ets v.i4c ,ro. !, all ,l,inos ,r,a hi,
r,oo, t,, .nch .n bn>l,and? ,ooon,l;na r.
views. and carrying ,he,n ou, a. in d,ty
bound In n,r,1n The "a, his yerv Am.
node. Nhfie ,,e was hui five tert nyo
! can and lsul,y AZ a qre,bouud. She wa,
I fully dye feet tj,h, aud e,doweJ Win =
rather pnusual nrono,,ion Of fesb. LII
iog very uueh like a waIkino Colossns.
B,u notwiih>tan5ine ,hoir worldli,ess
they could not but love. With their whole
heart. lhe bepuIilnl Lny entrusted IN her
care; whose frank nature their selfish
maxim, failed 10 ,aiut. anfl y no. ahhop,h
ornvioo beneath such cnli,,re v..s rol,ie-
hess and truth itself. 10 them he was a
most dnlihl and LOVING son. for ,be-e il
snoutaneuus ou,hiro o0t Of Affection in
he heart or q rIild to,,ards tboya ,,bo
stand to linn in Ne re,s,,ou of n,reots
ouita independeul of cbarac,er or ds,;gu
II i.,he s,il wine nj ,h.. motber :, Iirh
sco,hes Ii. ia,crish and fretinI ,no.ninns
and Ipns him :, his GRAIL. .lumh.rs II
j. Ler bana Dbich ministers 70 Ills ,narv
calls spd when he is IN or hurt. her ren.
Az His. is ever under con,ribu,ion lo sco,be
I his nam or heal his wound Ii her
knee thai hs frs, rrayer is lisned. md
there his frst clear ns,cen,inns ri C,oJ
and Heaven Mr,, upan liz mIna !. Is
his father. industry which nrov;aes far
his dailv wants, and when infancy oi,e
plaoe 10 ehildhood. n. i his f,ber's hand
Which auidss his oul.door sncrts: bis f,-
ther's smilss b,s most cbor,,bod ned
hi. r,ou, hi, most dreaded n,u,;.bmant
An This had Sidney Perciv,I's adon,e1
n,rsu,s been 70 mm and al,bo, be Lrev
he had once lad n,Ler nsrents far whom
| he lsl, nm n.,;nc,iye lave ma wLo be in
m,,;yaIy nerceiyed ,nns, bo,A G;Gsrel
from Them widely bo,b in mind and NOM
he vet rerarded mess w;,b an tbe Mi,
udes of ! child
When he wa, about seventeen Mrs
Eldridne. whose kitchen s,Ipporters were
about as Auctuatine as the opiuibns of n
candidate for office. resolved 10 have at
leas, one constant fixture. and accordingly
little ten wears old inmate Of The aims.
house, was one day duly Installed there,