The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-10-15
GRACE BROWN.

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6race Brown was the pet of the vifage-oretty
lively, and, like other pets very selCV9jIIed mt
the effects OF this latter quality were softsped down
| and rendered quite loveable BY her OPEN gsnerous
disposition, which would not allow her to iniure
another, even to gratifVf that rIjfno rsssfen1 sra
said thatGraoe thought herself sufIeientlv Il nj
some, and termed 1t vanity. True, perhaps. when
| each sabbath morning found her rsadv deexed for
lns sunny walk TO the parish church on the hili.
sue or the weekdays evening saw her in her lit
| ue chamoer window plying her needle-yes, per-
haps then, as she caught side long glance Al her.
sell Ia the little mirror she might think il no such
great wonder that the young men gazed as thew
passed her, or that they looked so curiousV al the
| OoW"pois and Towering Reraniums perched on the
SUI OF her casement-perhaps, too she might think
| theY cast glance beyond. But was tbis VANITY 4
! No. Grace was as free of that hateful quality a.
the bird which carrOled so joyously in his bright
cage on tne cottage wall. Vanity cannot be Justly
attributed to those WHO are only conscious Of nos
sessngthe qualities which are theirs in realirv bnt
| TO those alone who boast to themselves of perEse-
tons which they can never have to possess. Such,
was the case with those who termed Grace vain
One hne autumn evening she sat- as usual he
Side her geraniums, over which was hung her litte
bird Pet butthe leaves of the forest hung drgnn
ngly, as though to ask of their sweet mistress the
usual drop of spring water, and poor Pet chirruped
and hoped from perch to perch, and ruffed bis vel
low feathers TO attract her attention but In vain
No cooling drop greeted the sckly leaf-no tiny
fingers placed a bit of sugar between Pets CAGE
wlres.t And how was this !! Was Grace III? No.
but her thoughts were wandering and although
her eyes We're fixed full On Pet and his companion
plants, she neither saw one nor the other And
whittier were her thoughts wanderinpl OnIvinto
a nelghboring lane, up which she stroed when
the sun was beginning dip his bright head meath
the blue tops OF a neighbOring hall. 1t was verv
pleasant lane, but Its sides were bound by high
hawthorn and wild rose bushes it may be suDposed
Grace did not go there for the sake of any beautiful
prospect, for her whole height was not more than
| Lhe top OF the banks on which the bushes grew.
For what, then, could 1t be /! In truth it was that
| there generally accompanied her thither a very
| pleasant comprehension her mother-not one of
| the neIghbors' daughters. No. but a Young man
| the son Of farmer not far distant
Yes, the truth may well be told Grace had
gyen or thought she had given, her little heart to
THIS companion of her strolls and indeed aDy one
to look on him might imagine better choice could
not be made, Tall, handsome and athletic he
was, and his eye beamed when he looked on her
| Butthey.whO knew him better than Grace. said
/ that he was wild and fcke, Neither did tbevr
scruple to warn her ofthat knowledge But Grace
| would not believe. How could she, when she saw
/ that, although they spoke against him, thew were
| always ready to welcome him to their own homes .
Besides, there was an elOquenee far more powerful
| 10 the heart and understanding of Grace-more
! eloquent, more easily believed than aueht they
could utter. Yes, the eye and tongue of William
| Gllvey we're the monitors most eagerly sought and
most willingly listened to when found. How could
sue lnink ne was deceiVlng neT & There no
talsehood in his deep gaze on her-nO harshness in
his soft voice, But there was one who did not
like him, to whom Grace had ever vet been accus.
toned to pay the most profound submission. he
cause that humility had never been forced but
ever Won from her by love. That being was her
size had now been sitti6g in this deep TsveFie
some ten minutes, from which she was reused by
light hand being laid on her shoulder The blood.
| mounted to her temples and cheek for she knew
| without raising her eyes, that il was her mother
and she felt conscious that that mothers eve was
| reading her innermOst heart She also knew thai
she had nought to fear, for though at this moment
her little heart had been rebelling, her parents
| Gliding was ever one of gentleness.
Grace, love, !" spoke the mother, gently placing
! her hand on the half downcast head, Is why do YOU
not go forth this evening See, the sun has al
most lost his last bit of crimson in the deep gray
Come, love you have been sewing all day Just
throw your scarf around you and walk in our
garden.'
" would rather not, mamma" answered Grace
IN low tone, turning her head still more from her
parent, and then for the first time casting her ewes
on the dropping plants and now sulkV little PET
But she quickly added, " will water nv trees and
chlrrup 10 Pet little, for he seems quite to have
the mOpes."
And how comes it that he has the mopes.
love " again spoke her mamma.
An see, mamma returned the now half
fearful, half.smiing maiden g sea you have BEEN
reading my heart, and that il is useless to keep any,
that was passing there, you cannot tell ALL"
But | can guess, Grace, and that pbrcbance
Will do as well. 1 doubt not You thought me very
cruel, very inGOnsideFate in not allowing YOU to
have quite your own way and doubt not that
you thought | knew very little about il: but ait
down love and will tell you of a passage in nv
own life, and after that shaIlleave you to Judge
for yourself, only first assuring you that | have
every proof that William Clivey is very Wild and
his father quite unable to suppress him in his pre-
SAINT aYfr have I -, l..
my knitting so take up your work from the win
dow sill, and thus while we are quite industrious
VIII proceed TO tell you that my sketch commences
when was a year older than you are now
AT that time, Grace, was crcumstanced, too
somewhat as you are. You understand me- love 90
Grace blushed and smiled I" | had a rebellious
heart, too, and there was one for whom it was re-
belliOus-one whom it had set up as the idol of its
idolatry, and one whom, unfortunately, neither of
my parents approved. But vet Grace own that
thought my knowledge of his habits far exceeded
theirs; and all / knew of him was fair and OPEN
Things continued thus for above eighteen months
at the end of which time my eyes were fearfulY
opened to his yiees=-he committed forgery and
absconded though it is probable, had he siaid, no
injury would have awaited him, for his friends
who were wealthy and powerful, made up the sum
for which he had risked so much and paid it.
Grace, It was sometime, even then, before could
perfectly win my heart from it's idolatry; but ithad
seen its error, and my mind was made up TO over
come such perversy, and | did. Yes, Grace,
knew what it was to feel cherished affections war
ring against my own convictions of right You
will perhaps say that he had deserted me, and 1t
might be that pride superior 10 neglect and
slight; but not So He did not desert me-he did
not slightme for though all others were ignorant
of his destination, knew whittier he had fed, and
from thence received a letter full Of affection and
repentance for the past foles. But, Grace, had
forgiven, or rather overlooked his vice, flor did
forgve,) / never could have placed confidence in
him again so / wrote him once, but that once was
to discard him forever. From that time busted
myself in work, in tending my garden, in assisting
my neighbOrs, and, indeed, in various ways of
which had not thought before. saw that people
approved my conduct too; every eye greeted me,
every tongue welcomed me in joyous tones and in
time my own heart grew joyous, and felt light
ness it had never known till then, even in its wild
est moments of affection for the now unworthy.
But did not know the fitness Of the happiness |
was to reap from that era Of my life till FIVE years
had elapsed During that period, love, your dear
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