American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-06-18

What charming names the author has chosen.
None of your Johns and Hannahs your Roberts
and Margarets-oh no here is noble Rodrigo,
poetic Clarence, sweet Florilla, sanity Therese
why there is not an ordinary name in the book
The writer must be one of unusual taste!"
| Having hastily cut the leaves, she shaded her
brow with one hand, grasped the charming book
with the other, as though it were polished gold
and she miser, and commenced, in the phrase
OF enthusiastic novel readers, to devour the
pages.
Rapidly did her eyes run over the first chap
ter. But then--she turned her head with q
quick, impatient movement. Did she not hear
q noise in the cradle? Yes, a little hand was
lifted from beneath the cover
"Too bad, too bad /; he'll be awake oil the
evening now;" and she glided with a noiseless
step to the child's side.
But the eyelids were still closed--the mea-
sured breath Of slumber stole gently from the
half-parted lips, and the offending hand rested
in quiet beauty upon the soft neck. ....
1t was fair, sweet babe, whose little hear
had throbbed but one short Summer As it lay
there, the spell of sinless sleep upon his brow,
i seemed the type of all things pure and blest.
Eden with all its loyeliness never charmed the
gaze of Eve with such a picture. The hoier
feelings of the mothers breast were touched, as
if by hand from heaven. The angel began to
trouble the deep waters Of her soul as she stood
beside that cradle-bed; and when, after vigil
of several moments, the child still sleeping, she
bent her head and imprinted upon it's lips the
kiss Of love, the healing wave flowed for an in
stant, then ebbed, for the novel was not yet
read.
Resuming her seat, Mrs. Lee again took her
book. But the fiction seemed to have lost some
Of its fascination. For some time her glass va
cillated between its finely printed pages and her
heaped-up basket. She even put on her thin
BILE and threaded needle But moonlight
scene, where, in a honeysuckle bower, the noble
lover draws a trembling girl to his BOSOM and
pours into her ears the bewitching words Of
wild courtship, acted like magic on the readers
mind, and she became absorbed in the glowing
picture. ...... =.
The second and third chapters were soon pc
rused, and she was entering with interest upon
the fourth, when sweet voice from the trundle-
bed called out, Mother, mother, mother"
Her ear caught the sound but it made no
impression upon her mind till it had been sew
eral times repeated then turning quickly in no
very gentle voice she exclaimed, what do you
want, Lizzie? ! thought you were asleep an
hour ago." -.
81 have been asleep, mother" answered the
daughter, in timid tone. ~ walked up be-
cause
because you were naughty girl and wanted
to plague me. Strange that / can't have q
minutes comfort" and going hastily to the
bed, she drew the clothes around the child, and
made her shut her eyes and go to sleep.
81 want a drink, mother; can't sleep, I am
so thirsty - --a.
The mother looked around; there was nei.
ther pitcher nor glass in the room.
"Its always just so. 1never forget to bring
water but you are sure to want some. Why
didn't you drink last night, when had whole
pitcher full for your .,. .aa e.,.
~ wasn't thirsty last night Do please give
me drink, and I'll go right to sleep"
"Tm not going to run down stairs tonight !;
so just turn over and shut your eyes,
And she sat down again to her novel, leaving
the thirsty child to its thoughts, or Dreams as
the case might be.
Lizzie, as she said, wanted a drink very much,
and so she turned and tossed, and tried to think
of everything but water, while that was al she
could think of.
"If only had one little swallow" murmured
she to herself, l think l could get along till
morning" But she might as well have wanted
pailful there was no prospect of getting any.
By-and-by she spied upon the stove hearth a
tin cup. The baby's milk % said She "Per-
haps that would be as good as water. / wonder
if mother would let me have t." She looked
| toward the parent. She was absorbed in heI
book; her very being seemed bound up in it
The child knew too much to disturb her.
But perhaps she could get it without disturb
ing her mother, and she did want drink s,
much. She hesitated awhile, then crept 81.
lently out of bed, stole to the cup, seized il
eagerly, and took a swallow. But it TASTED
better than she thought it would, and her thirst
was such that she drained it, Alarmed at what
she had done, she was in such haste to put it
back that it slipped from her trembling hand,
bounding against the stove, falling on the
hearth and rolling thence on the carpet
"Why, Lizzie Lee" screamed the mother,
dropping her book and running to the child
81 should like to know what you've been about;
split all the baby's milk, I'll warrant; :" as she
took up the empty cup. Then seeing the carpet
was quite dry she seized Lizzie by the shoulder,
exclaiming in an angry voice, "What have you
done with the milk, you little plague? Tell me
this minute what's become of !"
81 was 80 thirsty, mother" answered the
child in q pleading voice, tears starting to her
eyes, ~ could not 60 to sleep, and So
$50 you drank, did you you naughty girl"
continued Mrs. Lee with increased vehemence
Of tone; "drank it, and havnt another drop
Of milk in the house. I'll teach you to do such
things" and her hand came down heavily upon
the shrinking shoulder, one two three times
wild scream of pain burst from the child $
lips. Another and another, and angry and ex-
cited as the mother was, they pierced her heart
with deep arrows.
The noise startled another child who slept in
the same bed with Lizzie. Frightened from its
sound slumbers, it shrieked in alarm, when the
babe, waking at the same moment, Joined its
voice with the others, not in harmony, but in
discords which echo SO often in the nursery,
stunning the ear and bewidering the brain.
With quick steps, quick hands, and softened
tone, Mrs. Lee strove to calm the tempest she
had raised. Lizzie's cries soon merged into
piteous sobs, but Willie and the babe continued