The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-09-25

A" St Clare always laughs when | make the
least allusion to my i'll health, said Marie, with
the voice of suffering martyr "a only hope
the day won't come when he'll remember it :
and Marie put her handkerchief 10 her eyes
Of course there was rather foolish silence
Finally st. Clare got up, looked at his watch
and said he had an engagement down street
Eva tripped away after him. and Miss 0phelia
and Marie remained at the table alone
Il" Now, that's Just like st Clare said the
latter, Withdrawing her handkerchief viii
somewhat of spirited flourish when the
criminal to be affected by it was no longer
in sight. He never realizes, never can, never
will what ! suffer, and have for years II
! was one Of the complaining sort or ever
made any fuss about my ailments there would
be some reason for it. Men do get tired natr
rally Of complaining wife. But I've kept
things TO myself and borne. aud borne, till st
Clare has got in the way of thinking | eau bear
anything
Miss Ophela did not exactly know what she
was expected TO answer TO this.
While she was thinking what TO say, Marie
gradually wiped away her tears, and mootheC
her plumage in a general sort Of way aS d
dove might be supposed 70 make toilette after
shower, and began a housewifely chat witt
Miss Ophela, concerning cupboards closets
linen presses, stOre-rOOms, and other matters Of
which the latter was by common understand
ing to assume the direction-giving her 81
many cautious directions and charges thai
a head less systematic and business-like than
Miss Ophelia would have been utterly dizzied
and cOnfounded
And now, said Marie, 4" ] believe I've tolC
yon everything so that when my next SICK
turn comes ON, you'll be able to go forward
entirely, without consulting me-only about
Eya-she requires watching"
She seems TO be a good child, rerBn said
Miss Ophelia; " | never saw a better child
q S7a's~peculiaY' said her mother " vavv
There are things about her ~ singular she ism
like me, nova particle y and Marie sieSeb
as if this was a truly melancholy consideration
Miss Ophelia in her own heart said, &" hop
she isn't but had prudence enough to kee
il down
Eva always was disposed to be with Sci
wants; and think that well enough with som
children Now, always played with father
little negroes--it never did Inc any harm. Blu
Eva somehow always seems to put herself OF
an equality with every creature that comes nea
her It's strange thing about the child
never have been able to break her of it, ST
Glare believe, encourages her in it. The fac
is, St Clare INDUCES every creature under th
roof but his own wife
Again Miss Ophelia sat in blank silence
"Now, there's no way with servants sale
Marie, "but TO pm them dorm and keep then
down Ii was always natural to me. from F,
child Eva is enough to spoil whole house
full What she will do when she comes t.
keep house herself I'm sure | don't know
hold to being kind to servants always am
hut You must make 'em knOW their place Ey,
never does; there's no getting into the child
head the first beginning of an idea what ser
wants place is You heard her Offering to tax
care Of me nights, to let Nanny sleep! That
Just n specimen Of the way the child would b.
doing all the time, if she was left to herself
"Why," said Miss Ophelia, bluntly, 81 SUP
pose you think your servants are human crea
lures and ought to have some rest when the
are tired
Certainly, Of course. I'm very particula
in letting them have everything that come
convenient Anything that doesn't put one
MI out~of the way. you know. Nanny ga
make mp her sleep some time or other; there
no difficulty about that. She's the sleepie
concern that ever saw sewing, standing,
sitting, that creature will go TO sleep and sle'
anywhere and everywhere. No danger b
Nanny gets sleep enough But this treatlr
servants as if they were exotic flowers or chiT
vases, is really ridiculous, said Marie, as 81
plunged languidy into the depths of n vol
minous and pillowy lounge and drew towar'
her an elegant cut glass vinaigrette.
"You see she continued, in Il faint and lad,
like voice, like the last dying breath of an Arr
bian icssamine, or something equally etherea
you see Cousin Ophela, al don't often spea
Of myself It isn't my habit : 'tisn't agreeab
TO me. In fact, haven't strength to do it. Bl
there are points where st Clare and ! difie
st Clare never understood me, never appr
oated me ! think it lies Mt the root of all m
i'll health St Clare means well, | am bOun
10 believe but men are cOnstitutiOnally sefis
and incunsiderate 10 women That at least
my impression"
Miss Ophelia who had not small share
the genuine New England caution, and YER
particular horror of being drawn into famil
difficulties, now began TO foresee something {
this kind impending; 40 composing her fac
into grim neutrality, and drawing out Of he
pocket about yard and q quarter OF stocking
which she kept as specific against what ID
Watts asserts 30 be personal habit Of Satar
when people have idle hands she proceede
TO knit most energetically, shutting her lips r.
gether in way that said, ms plain rs word
could Z" You needn't try 10 make me speak
don't want anything TO do with your affairs
in fact, she looked about ~ sympathizng as
stone lion But Marie didn't care for that. Sh
had got somebody 10 talk 10, and she felt il he
duty to Talk, and that was enough; and rein
forcing herself by smelling again at her vina
| grette, she went on.
"YOu see | brought my own property an
servants into the connection when married 81
Clare and am legally entitled to manage then
nv own way. st Clare had his fortune an
his servants, and Pm well enough content h
should manage them his way but Sc Clare vii
De interfering lie has wild, extrayagant notion
about things particularly about the treatmen
of servants. He really does act AZ IL he set hi
servants before me, and before himself too 70
he lets them make him all sorts Of trouble, an
never lfts II finger Now, about some thing
St Clare IL really frghtful-he frightens mo
| good-natured a. he looks in general. Now, h
has vet down his foot that, come what will
there shall not be blow struck in this housc
except what he or strike, and he does it in
way that really dare not cross him Wei
you may see what that leads 10, for St Clar
wouldn't raise his hand if every one Of then
walked over him and I--you zee how cruel
would DO 10 require me 20 make the exertion
Now you know those servants are nothing bu
grown-up children"
g don't know anything about it, and
thank the Lord that don't" said Miss ophe
liza, shortly.
"Well, but you will have to know something
and know il 10 your cost II you stay here Yo'
don't know what provoking, stupid, careless
unreasonable, childish, ungatefnl vet Of wretch
o. they are" .'
Marie seemed wonderfully supported Away
when she got upon this topic, and she nov
opened her eyes and seemed quite TO forge
her languor "h