The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-08-28
SELECT TALES,
THE FATAL KsEEsUEKE,

was born in little town not very far from
this My father was a tradesman with a large
family, and was his youngest and likewise his
favorite child, perhaps because my mother died
just when was born, and left me, her last, to
his care. Even in the early years of my child
hood, was of a proud, obstinate, overbearing
temper, and father, brothers, and sisters, rather
than see my tiny frame convulsed with passion,
yielded at all times to my will. was conside-
red a pretty child; and when I was about six
years old, my beauty and smartness caught the
attention, of a lady who lived in the opposite
house. She was neither young nor married, and
IN ut OF generosity proposed to adopt me as her
own My father overcame his unwllingness
| for what he considered my advantage; my sisters
were not sorry to lose their daily torment, and
was nothing 10th to go. 1t might have been an
advantage to me had the lady been as iudcious
as she was good-natured, but she was nervous
and irritable, and during the nine years spent
under her roof, petted and teased me by turns in
a manner that would have ruined any temper,
and certainly did not benefit mine When was
sixteen my patroness died; and as her income
died with her, returned to my fathers house
with the trIf1e she had left me, a vain, foolish
girl, too proud for my own station, and too low
and ignorant for any other. [ had indeed learn
ed little of almost every thing
A thousand plans had been commenced in nv
education; and dropped as hastily; but this I
must say, Qhough not to justify myself,) that no
one ever took rational means to curb me in my
pride and passion; the former gratifed the lady,
the other passed unchecked, except by a reproof
as passionate. The only thing for which had
imbibed taste was for novel-readng. My a
dopted mother slave to it, nothing was too
strange, nothing too horrible or absurd for her;
and think | must have read to her every pro-
duction of the Minerva press before she died
Night and day I read to her, partly because |
really loved her, but principally because loved
the occupation much better. | pursued the
same course on my return home, and with in
creased grcediness my mind devoured It's sickly
food. All the books I read were of the meaner
sort. had not taste or learning enough to di-
crimnate; and my mind became q confused
mixture offalse and distorted ideas, and was in
deed "'like the troubled sea, casting up mire and
dirt | read of high-sprited heroines, whose
pride was the cause of all their happiness;I read
OF vanity as an amusing propensity, and of pas
sion as a thing to jest about and | formed my
own character accordingly. Thus the time pas
sed till was eighteen; and as could be affcc-
tionate and good natured, nay, even generous,
when my own particular wishes were not thwar-
ted, was the acknowledged queen of the little
circle in which moved. 1t was my misfortune
to get people who would always bow down to
me; even my father whom dearly loved, dared
not refuse submission to my will, because he dis
liked to witness the uncontrolled outbreakngs Of
a temper that was growing more violentas grew
older. -aas1E san. --,.}. p, .ss,s4. s....' ..s
About this time young man in my own sphere
fife came to live in our town. We soon be.
came acquainted, and he was evidently struck by
my beauty; for was very beautiful then. Eve
ry one said SO, though it may seem unlikely
now, with my Sithered face, and my gray hairs
Yet am not what they cal livery old, nor is my
head covered with tlie soft silver which becomes
the old 50 we'll; but with the hard iron gray to
which remorse hasturnedit But at that time