The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-04
tcoPY-RIsHr sEcURKDI
THE MOTHER-IN-LAW.
sroRY OF THE ISLAND ESTATE.
Ely MRS EMMA D. z. sourHwoRTH'
BOOK THIRD.
THE TRAVELLERS.

".
THE TRAVELLERS
She shall 20 east she shall go west,
To seek for that she shall not find
heart az peace with it's own thoughts,
A quiet and contentsd mind n-Ldndo1
Mrs. Armstrong, from the time of her leaving
Mont Crystal, seemed possessed with a perfect
Juror for travelling. She who, until near her for
teth year, had lived entirely in one sumptuous
but retired home, now with the strange restless
ness of remorse, or fear, or both, wandered from
city to city, with troop of attendants, equal in
number to. queens retinue Only she avoided
the NafaseFrr aisies TO which shs could not carry
her slaves Mrs Armstrong sbhorred the attend
ance of any one over whom she did nut possess
absolute control Her winters were passed at
New Orleans, Charleston, South Carolina Wash
ington City or Richmond, and her summers at
the Capes, the various Sulphur Springs Of Vir-
ginia. or at other fashionable Southern watering
places And everywhere, the majestic grace of
the mother and the fragile beauty of the daugh-
ter, attracted great attention. Ii was in Febru-
airy of the second winter Of their wanderings,
ments in the most fashionable hotel in Washing
ton It was the long session of Congress, and the
city was very full of strangers. Mrs. Armstrong
had her rooms fitted up with ostentatious magni-
fcence, and soon found herself and her daughter
"tbe cynosure of neighboring eyes, Mrs Stu
art-Gordon was supposed to be wealthy young
widow. Louise excited very general interest /;
her extreme youth, her fragile beauty, her deep
melancholy and habitual absence of mind, were
an inexhsustible subjectof surprise and commits
Grafton. In the deep blue eyes of Louise brooded
an eternal sorrow the lids seemed heavy with
suspended tears that yet never fell. This was of
course supposed to be the grief Of youthful
wiasE ~eywning for the premature loss of her
hppRasss% m And without committing herself by
ssSing hhdifectly Mrs. Armstrong favored the
opinion bx implication. Among the many who
from various motives paid great attention to the
mother and daughter, was Mrs M, the lady
Of the President. Mrs. M was perhaps the
most dignifed and gracious of all the ladies that
ever presided at the White House. Certainly
her general affability made her the most popular
1t was at public reception that she first saw the
pale young beauty who, to her eyes, seemed q sor-
row-strcken orphan child, scarcely old enough to
be presented but when she mas presented as
Mrs. Stuart ordon, and when she understood
that the broken-spirited girl was widow, all the
sympathes of her benevolent heart went out to her
Louise, also, by a corresponding instinct was at
traced to this lady, forcibly. Mrs. M. occasion
ally went to the parties given by the ladies of the
members of the Cabinet, and here she sometimes
met Louise; and even in the thickest crowd, Louise
would find herself, she scarcely knew how, in the
immediate circle of the Presidents lady. Mrs
M, quick to discern and prompt to distin-
guish excellence of character, had another pro-
tsge. This was young Frobisher, the secretary
Of legation whose high intelligence, and, more
than that, whose deep sensibilties, attached her
to him with an almost maternal tenderness.
Louise was frequently admitted to the domestic
privacy of Mrs. Ms apartments. Here she
often met young FrObisher, who, more than any
other person, deeply sympathized with her sor
rows Louise was reserved, and Frobisher was
almost distant in his veneration for that reserve
And when he had occasion to address her. there
was deep-toned tenderness and respect in his
voice, that spoke to the heart of the Borrowing
one, and the glance and voice of Louise revealed
the gratitude that her voice failed to express.
am afraid that all married ladies are, more or
less, match makers. After having finished up
their own marriage, they set about, from various
motives of benevolence, interest, or the want Of
amusement or occupation, to make up the matches
Of friends and acquaintance Certainly, il was
from motives Of benevolence that Mrs. M
wished and hoped that the deep sympathy of
young Frobisher might ripen into warmer SEN
spent, and that the supposed young widow might
beNable to find consolation in the affection of so
amfable youth And there was the attraction OF
sympathy on the one side and the need of it on the
other, that drew this young man and woman forci.
Oily together II was not love- but one Of those illu
sve counterfeits Of love, that often deceive both
SUBJECT and object. IL was near the close Of the
session OF Congress, that is to say upon the first
OF June, that young Frobisher presented himself
al the lodgings Of Mrs Armstrong and requested
private audience. Here he made a formal An.
honncement Of his regard for Mrs Stuart Gordon
and requested permission to pay his addresses 70
her
MRS Armstrong bowed haughtiiy in acknow.
.e'gment OF this honor, and eoldly requested in
formation as to his fortune and prospects, stating
mat she bad heard rumor Of his recall nv the
nriosh Government. Mr.. Frobisher informed
her tna' he was recalled at his own reouest--
pre,erred Tor the following reasons, namely: tina,
NC na' recently purchased the estates Of c,o,.
m"cnno's' and that he wished to return n Iceland
ior lne purpose OF improving the land. ana A.
oonai'ion OF his tenantryi and also to spn,v %,
the reversion Of the title Of Ear, Of clonn.. ~,
n'is, the title OF Countess having been yolun,,r,
renounoed by Mrs. Stuart Gordon by the AL. =
her patrlmony and by her selEexpatriasiou fro,,
her fatherlaod. The heart Of the naughty wo
man bounded at this announcement Somsthin.
OF TINS Irish earldom she had heard before, bu
nothing with certainty, 70 that she had been alto
se'her incredulous Now, however there was n,
doubling the fact and a aush Of maligu triumph
erimsoned her cheek, as she thought that not
withstandng all their humiliations, Louise would
Al last wear the title and the coronss that nigh
nave grsoed Britannia's brow Concealine hel
JOY, however, she spoke Of her daughters deer
s0rr0w' that was only new beginning to yield 4
a"s' and 70 the sympathy Of friends She knew
she said, Of her daughters high esteem of Mr.
frooiSner--nAy, more, Of her affection. vet unse
Snewiedged to her own heart, Jealous Of In 6ds
IVY and sopsrstitious In 10 devotion 10 = S,.,