Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-11-20
SELECT TALE.
-'f' From the Model American Courier.
THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER.
BY MISS SUSAN A. STUART.
CHAPTER l

tonishing to me, that you can I understand that
ed to tread on my Brussels carpet. / wish
you TO understand that these rooms were fur
nished for company; and am sure that Virge
and myself would be awfuly ashamed did any
body call and catch you with such seedy look
ing clothes and dreadful boots in our drawing
ROOM And there, too continued the world
ly Mrs. Eccleston, there are your followers
peeping in the door after you. Come in, if
you dare, YOU Dash aud Star ITO the hounds,
who were truly poking their noses inside the
door; bat when their mistress grasped the tiny
hearth-brush Of scarlet and gold, as a weapon
of war, they turned one over the other in their
efforts to escape her vigorous knocks, and re-
treated yelping and terrified into the yard. |
expect nothing else, but to see those vile dogs
seated in this drawing-roo with you but wo
TO them if do catch them' .
For mercy's sake Margaret, said her hus-
band, who, during all this TRADE, had been qui-
etly reading letter. do stop scoldng
am sure if they did enter, they would not en-
Joy the atmosphere Of the room any more than
| generally do; but would, like their master,
often feel it 10 hot to hold them now, do not
commence afresh. wish only kiss from my
little Ada for, suppose, Virginia thinks my
toilette not sufficiently recherche to make it
pleasant duty. Goodbye, my DEAR as he
fondly embraced Ada, who had thrown her
arms affectionatey round his neck, and who
still stood darting indignant looks at her moth
er and sister. Goodbye, till tomorrow and
don't, my child, read so many of those foolish
books, lest you become like some others will
not name, and Mr.. Eccleston, fairly reused,
walked abruptly ont.
'Humph he's in the sulks now,' said his
wife. But really cannot help telling him of
his odious ways. There, my dear Virgo, is
the man married for love-for truly did
love him, and fancied him perfect And he
why, he used once to take pains to
please mo; but, no,c, you see how he acts
Oh, dear me wish was not woman of
SO much feeling, and would not mind it as
do
And it was quite ridiculous TO see the look
of complaceni resignation which she assumed,
and which ill become her chubby face and fat
figure. And so thought Ada, too, if the con-
temptuous smile-which, | am sorry 10 say,
wreathed her beautiful mouth-might be TAX
en- as an outward sign of what was passing
within, as she leaned still farther back in the
luxurious chair of crimson velvet, with book
before her.
Mrs. Eccleston was woman of about forty
FIVE, with face which might once have been
handsome; but which now looked course and
unrefned and which, to say The least, was
no, at all in keeping with her soi-disant delica-
cy and feeling. Her dress, too, was costly in
the extreme everything of the highest price.
And yet the fault was that there was an air of
unsuitableness. Her dumpy fingers were load
ed with rings; her rich cashmere was founced
and adorned but, withal, she had the appear
ance, even whilst at rest, that makes quiet
person nervous in the exlreme-that of being
tussy. Her rooms partook in their arrange
ment somewhat of her own dsreenaem, for, fill
ed as they were with beautiful and costly fur
niture, there was still too much-ever too much.
There were luxurious divans of crimson vel
vet-large ottomans, of the same unsuited col
or-fduteu's tefe-d-tefes, sofa tables, strewn
with bjour and fancy articles in profusion.-
Statueites were in corners and on the broad
seat of one of the richly draped windows stood
an exquisite group in white marble, represent
ing Cupid and Psyche, and which her taste had
led her to wreath with artificial flowers, there
by hiding the beautiful and chastc simplicity of
the figures.
Virginia, or as her mother called her, Virge
Eccleston, was reclining on divan placed neal
crimson-draped window. whose rosy glow
was falling over her radiant face and beautiful
form; and with her eyes half closed, seemed
to be dreaming, if one might judge from The
dolce far niente attitude she had assumed-a.
graceful as it was lnxuriantly indolent. She
was indeed very lovely, with the rich glow o
the curtain, as said before, bathing her in it.
rosy light; and with her massive tresses o.
pu-pIish blackness, banded elaborately, vel
tas,efully, around her head whilst every feat
ure, from the low Grecian forehead TO the
slightly indented chin, bore the perfection Of
statue of beauty-such as must have eman.
ated from the chisel of a Phidias. And
well she knew it and well did she and heI
mother endeavor TO heighten the rich gifts
of nature by costume most becoming and ele-
CANT.
Ada, the younger sister, about sweet six
teen,' was somewhat in the same style of beau
ty; but slighter in form, and with pale, cleal
complexion But there were times when the
eloquent blood would mount up into those pale
cheeks, and the large hazel eyes would speah
in their intelligence, making her more ex
quisitely lovely than her queenly sister. Ada
was not yet out, and, TO use her own ideas
never would be. until virge had made good
match. ~ s'l ril s-f
20 You see, though very beautiful, she was nc
.angel.' She therefore sat tapping the faoor
with the toe of her tiny gaiter, as she read, and
sometimes looking from her mother and sister
with queer little smile dimp!ing her round.
ed cheek, as she heard the remarks occasional
y made. ss1