Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-05-25
From Tie Union Magazine.
MARY GREY;
4 sTO n I. SF LTPE's snUT.sTI0.N'S.
BY MRS. JANE c. CAMPBELL.

BY MRS. JANE c. CAMPBELL.
Clara, wish you would assist me with
this sewing; Miss Grey was not well yester-
day, and fear will not be able to come here
to-day
And do you wish me to take her place, and
turn seamsiress' No, no, aunt Lefty, dis
like sewing plain sewing is horribly vulgar,
and besides I've no time after taking thy
Italian lesson will finish one more row on my
worsted netting, and then i must dress for a
walk. don't know why Mary Grey has those
everlasting headaches; people who live by
their needle should act differently; she knows
ma will be disappointed if she is not here, aud
] think she might have eXerled herself little
to oblige ma
You cannot be so unreasonable as to wish
her to work when she j. unable to do so.
unable believe half the tin,e she is only
putting on airs: and il is pas fault, for he
treats Mary as if she were an equal, instead oi
an old maid who is paid by the day for plain
Isewingn
Clara Clara am grieved to hear you
talk so unfeelingly. From your cradle you
have been surrounded by luxury, every wish
has been graiifed, and just IN roportion as you
have been removed above he toiling thousands
around you, in just such proportion you have
become pampered and selfish
Il wish no lectures, aunt Lefty. Your sym
pathy for the single sisterhood is not to be
wondered at old maids-pshaw /!
The young lady took her lesson, finished
her row of netting, dressed herself with ex-
treme care, and then went out to walk.
Clara's mother was out Of town, and the
duty of experimenting the household concerns
devoved wholly on aunt Lefty. Indeed, this
was no rare occurrence, for her sister.in in-law,
when in town, was obliged to receive aud re-
turn so many visits, that Lefty, will you
give orders to cook this morning-Letty will
You help Miss Grey with this sewing-Letty,
will you stay in the nursery until the baby
goes TO sleep, the little thing does not like
nurse, and ] am engaged for the evening
requests that had first been made in gentle
insinhating manner, as if favor would be
granted il aunt Lefty complied with them,
were now equal to commands, when uttered by
Mrs. Alexander Boardman to her husband /,
sister.
Whilst thoughts OF her own happy girlhood
were thronging round her heart, aunt Lefty
felt that she was indeed an old maid, as with
tears binding her eyes she sat down alone to
stitch, stitch, STITCH for her brothers. wife.
From the death of her aged mother, Letitia
Boardman had resided with her only brother, a
wealthy merchant. AfIectionately attached TO
his sister, Mr.. Boardman always wished her to
act as if his house were her own, aud, daily
engaged in business, he knew not but his dear
Lefty was happy as he desired she should be.
fthe many services looked for as matter Of
course-by Mrs. Boardman, and exacted as a
right from the old maid by Clara, he knew
nothing, for his sister would not stoop to com
PLATA, nor did she wish TO wound his feelings
by showing him how matters really stood.
is not Miss Grey here to-day! inquired Mr..
Bssrdman Of his sister, when they sat down to
dinner, Il thought you told me she would re-
main for two weeks, Lefty
She was not wei yesterday, and was o.
blged to go home, and fear is no better to-
day; or she would have been here
Poor tliing;' said Mr.! Boardman, compass:
sionaiely, You must 60 and see her after din
ner, Clara perhaps she wants something tha,
we can send her.
Clara looked up with flushed face. Go
and see her 60 and see Mary Grey, pa =
Yes, that is what / said you look sur
do you mean, Clara!'
Nothing-but--l think Duncan might 20
instead Of me-
But | wish you to go, and not your maid
Well, pa, this is so strange j dom know
where Mary lives, and il is certainly more fit
ting that Duncan should visit our seamstress,
than that should go trudgng into some out
of-the-way street to look after her.
Mr.. Boardman gave one long, searching
l6ok at his daughter, and. without replying 10
her, he turned to his sister
Lefty, dear, you will see Miss Grey this
afternoon if she requires medical advice let
DR.. Walker go to her Immediately. When
return N the evening we will consult together
how We may best benefit her without wound.
ing her delicacy of feeling
Paired by Clara's exhibition Of unfeeling
pride, Mr.. Boardman found that he had conf;
mtted great error he had left his daugh.
ter education, and her moral training, wholly
to the mo,hof, aiid to teachers Of her mothers
selection, without pausng to think whether
the mother was fitted Tor the holy duty en-.
trusted to her. lie resolved in future to watch
more carefully the temper and the habits olhis
child, while he comforted himself with the
thought that Clara was barely seventeen, and
that II would be easy to uproot from her young
heartthe tarcs Of pride and sehshness.
well, Lefty, have you seen Miss Grey =
Yes, she was quite Ill when ! went there,
and there was no one with her but her nephew,
sent him for the doctor, who administered
some incidence and when | came home left
Betsy to stay with Miss Grey until tomorrow.
You did quite right, quite right, dear Sis
ter, and now, IL you will step into, the store
room you will find some fresh fruit ordered
while you were OUT select the finest and send
il to Miss Grey
As her aunt left the room, Clara curled her
lip con,emptuously, and wondered why her
father took so much interest in the seamstress,
the stiff old maid Mr.. Boardman saw The
look, and with some severity he said u; 'Clan,
/ am surprised at the manner in which you
conduct yourself when Miss Grey sspokcn OF,
and wonder that you have 50 little considera-
iion for the feelings " others, might say, 80
little good breeding, as to speak Of unmarried
women by the snecrng title Of old maids In
the presence Of your aunt Lefty
'Oh, pa can't bear them. They are sll
20 queer and idge,ty, and they dress 40 oddly
their c,mhes are never in the present fashion,
but look as II mad, ten years ago AZ least.
What a fright Miss ORGY is sometimes, with
her old-lashioned white canlrtc gown. and her
hair frizzed, and that everlasting gold locket,
and her stately manner, as IL she fancied her
self some grand lady instead of what she is