The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-06-27
THE NATIONAL ERA.

BOOK THIRD.
~
LITTLE Brightly.
An airy, pleasant chamber, with the rose vines
Woven around the casement.-MiSs MILFORD
A youthful mother 10 her infant smiling, -
Who with spread arms and dancing feet,
And cooling voice returns an answer sweet
Miss Bdlie.
lam about to take you into a pleasant room
and into pleasant company. If there was one
room more delightful than all the others at the
Isle of Rays, it was Brighty's summer room IL
was on the ground floor, and opened in front by
glass doors upon the piazza, and at the back by
SIMILAR doors into the garden of roses In TACT,
VAS the room on the left corresponding to the
plessaut breakfast rooIi& - IIgn,-Sss s~s~v..
of roses running the whole length of the back Of
the house Brightly had chosen this room for her
midsummer boudoir, for the sake Of her two pas
sions--the music of birds, and the fragrance Of
flowers, borne upon the summer breeze into the
chamber These could not be had in an upstairs
room, for Brightly could not delight in the songs
of birds imprisoned in cages, or the perfume Of
flowers dying in vases To give her pleasure,
there must be freedom and gladness in the bird,
and life and freshness in the breath of the flow
ers Brightly said she would always feel quaver
of sadness in the merriest trills of a Gagged bird,
and scent of faintness in the richest Odor Of
plucked flower. But perhaps Brightly was fanci-
ful-which, as mistress Of the Isle of Rays, and
as the darling wife and spoiled child of General
Stuart Gordon, she had right to be. Well
this summer room, with its vine-shaded piazza in
'front.' and its garden at back, and the CHEEKY trill
of birds and the dewy fragrance of flowers watt
ed through it--this beautiful room with the car
pet on the floor, and the paper on the walls, both
of the same pattern, namely, white ground with
red roses running over it, with its white muslin
over pink curtains, with its lounge and chair
covers Of fine pink and white Marseilles quilt
work-ths cheerful ROOM with its bevy Of gay
girls gathered around one eaping, growing, laugh
ing baby--thst is to wit upon the fifteenth of
July, in the year
As might have been expected, both from her
position and her personal accomplishments, Mrs
General Stuart Gordon became the leader of the
ton in the county. The Isle of Rays became the
seat Of elegant hospitality And never had the
black satin vest of the stout General required
when seated at the foot of his own table doing
the honors Of dinner party, at which his young
and beautiful wife presided with equal dignity
and grace.
And Britannia enjoyed her position immensely,
| assure you. Yes, am afraid, above everything
else, until one fine summers morning, while the
sun was shining and the dew gistening-while
the flowers were blooming and the birds singing
little Brightly arrived, and Britannia had reve-
lation of another heaven than that Of marble pal
aces, silver plate and priceless jewels; and the
gates through which that heaven was visible were
know that Britannia, even in her cold, polished
grlhood, while eschewing love with youthful
scorn, admitted that she did love whom she pitied
prOtected-judge, therefore, how she loved this
bright new claimant for her pity and protection.
"And am very glad she is little girl, thought
Britannia because this dear General has son
already besides which, he has such Partially
Tor girls of all ages from infancy to old maiden
hoodD
SO the General had-especially since his two
brighties-his damask rose and bud-had rejuve-
mated him. So the General had--a grandfather
iy fondness for baby girls fatherly fondness for
young girls, and brotherly fondness for old
girls Oh! 1t was no wonder the General re-
CURED such very large black satin vest-he had
such large heart under it, And as for the
giris-babies maidens, and spinsters--they all
loved the General as kittens love hearth warmth,
or as flowers love sunshine.
But the fifteenth Of July, in the rose-colored,
rose-scented summer room at the Isle of Rays.
were assembled BRITANNIA, Susan Someryile. Ger
trude, and Zoe Miss Somerville, at the earnest
and repeated solicitation of General and Mrs.
StuartGordon, had been persuaded to spend some
weeks of the midsummer ut the Isle of RAYS.
Zoe was engaged TO assist in making up an inf
mite number Of summer garments there, and Ger
trude, being for the time deprived Of visiting the
Crsgs or the Dovecote, favored the Isle of RAYS
with an unusual portion Of her time.
ana now these three girls were all down on
'ne rose-hgured carpet, contending for the favor
o'-whom little, wilful, bright-eyed sprite Of
'our months old who would 20 to one, and wouldu't
20 70 another, just as its cspricious win Dictated
britannia was passing 10 and out, engaged In
some pleasant household duty, assumed more
run cnoice than necessity. The General was
waxing about the room, riding whip and hat in
ANU, now paasing to smile at the group around
A' oaoe' now jestingly wishing that he had a
aas'' cnair in which to enchant Britannia. 30
'"a' she should not make him rervous nv sdoet.
lug, s ao0a' 50 in fine, quite unable to take him
;a. IRON the charming room and its lovely
,n''y Britannia entered, preceded by old
'''p''na-or Sorry, as the girls called her
a.s "s basket Of plums, peaches, and grapes.
~, now the General laid down his ridiue. whip
Is. -" and drew of his gloves, calling through
"eshaded window to Apollo, who stood be-
'"e aoor With two horses saddled, one for bis
80. 80 ana one for himself, to put up the horses,
nc should not ride to-day, ~ it was growing
,a ' ana getting warm. Apd then the General
Nv himself upon one Of the settees, and
''snty turned sharply round, and, smiling gsyiy,
p'a ms rough chin In her hand, by way Of .
.a.s' y welcome; and Zoe bouncing up ran up
',.'.s' and returned with his blue and white
. 'fsesing gown, and his shssp-skin slippers,
men 'as took his oost and CATERS, and car
, 80 mem avsy ofoourss little Zoe got . cares
~, nsr pains and then she sAs down ssd sslsctsd
.As npsss grapes for the baby, which she held
upon Asr lap while the others ate ftuit Little