The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-10-03
For the National Era,
BESSIE LINDSAY; OR, THE H0YDEN tanned.
BY MARY IRVING.

"Come to our hearth aud home, Charles-we
will give you welcome for your poor mother
sake, as well as your own. They tell US you're
pining away off in that pent-up city, and going
the way she went Don't kill yourself studying,
my boy it's sin, besides being a folly Come
out into the country for bit of fresh air aud
fresh life | haven't seen you for many year,
Charley; but If you're akin to the little shaver
that used to chase my oxen and hunt my hens
nests dozen years ago, why, you'll still find
something to stir your blood on Squire Lindsay's
old-fashioned place My poor wife has been dead
these nine years come next Christmas; but have
girls enough to keep the old house lively and not
a bit ofa 'laddie' among them. Come, Charles,
Pm in right down earnest My girls want
brother, want a son, and you-you want home
and good nursing. ] can't forget that you are
Alice Wilson's boy-the child of my own favorite
cousin; and there's sort Of rising in my heart
when remember it, that gives me kind of feel
ing OF Claim "a ~ ~-,--s, ~ ,, ~" ,'Dn :
refuse an old friends homely, blunt way of ask
ing Come to us for the whole summerm
Thus ran the warm-hearted letter which
Charles Franklin stood reading, one pleasant eve
of spring by the twilight CLEANS that glanc-
ed through high western window in city block.
There was grateful, almost buoysnt smile on his
oountenance, but it was unmistakaby "sicklied
DER with the pale cast of thought" Charles
Franklin had buried, six months before, mother
almost idoized--a mother whose moonlight smile
from her sick chamber had shed q sombre cheer
fulness over his whole young life. She was his
only remembered parent, and remembered as al
follow her to the far South, and there soothe her
last hours She had breathed out her calm life
on his shoulder, and he had come back to active
life with the "shadow of great griefn on his
futurity.
Yet he shrank not from the battlefield of
Duty into the morass of Melancholy. He felt
that her angel eye was watching him from the
skies; he knew how she would have striven to
nurture in his heart those seeds of patience, for
titude, and disinteresteduess, which she had
planted there from her own. al will fulfil des-
tiny she shall smile uponp was his resolve.
With the VOW Of high and holy profession upon
his spirit, he threw himself again into the arena
of study, and wrestled with the masters Of DID, as
one who was determined to rife their most hid
den treasures But the conflict with emotions thus
nobly conquered had left bis spirits tenement too
weak for the weight Of duty he laid upon it, and
sudden illness came to suspend for time his
plans.
The sharp visage Of his tutelar Esculapiusn
protruded itself through the doorway just as
Charles was thOughtfully refolding his letter.
"Walk in, walk in, Doctor good evening y
exclaimed he, advancing a chair, toward which
the portly DR.. strobe with a sort of impatient
dignity.
@Books books again p growled he, humping
his knuckles upon the wel-strewn study table
beside him. "What were my orders, young
msnp
"Only recreation, Doctor Positively | was
firing to death of nothing to do, 30 took up my
Trigonometry for an hour only"
"Trigonometry be hanged or you will be
worse of % exclaimed the offended dgnitsry,
frowning fsarfully as he rolled up bis cuffs for
the preparation of some powders. =" wish you
were we'll away from under this roof and my
care! These obstinate fellows' they are enough
to ruin any clever mans reputation ~
"Aha. well, Doctor, what do you think Of des-
patching me into the country for month or two
have lust received an invitation from a kind
old friend, a connection Of my mother"
@Gol 90! by all that's hopeful" exclaimed
the physician There's no rest or respite for
YOU here, see plainly enough Go upon farm
hoe corn-dig ruts-bagas - hunt swim hrt
with the country girls; do anything but study !
and you may throw physic to the dogs with my
hearty amenW
at is q journey Of hundred miles, Doctor.
How soon Is Il advisable for me to set out2"
aTbis week-to-morrow- all means, IL you
can. Be off with yourself forthwith and mind !
don't let me see you again until you are as rudy
and sunburnt as Seminole
He rose to leave
aBut, Doctor inquired Charles, laughing,
&c YOU are not serious in interdicting all study 7"
ayes, youngster all but the study of botany
and black eyes, IL you please As for this rub
bish here, positively forbid you to load your
trunk with an inch Of It, As you value your
life, take heed Take your eye OF the vale
dictory, young man You may blaze up like
the rocket. but your life will be almost as
short. Make o Lesser star Of yourself, and you
may shine out your appointed time"
q You mistake me, sir; indeed, am not ambi-