The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1851-09-25
WESTERLY, R. l., SEPTEMBER rs, 1851
A STORY FOR MOTHERS.
The Children and the Novel.
BY MRS. CAROLINE A. soULE.

well, there y muttered Mrs Lee, in a
somewhat pctuicnt tone, as she laid down
her babe thank fortune, that the last
one is abed and asleep. Now for a little
comfort
Carefully drawing the blankets around
the tiny form, she rested one hand for a
few moments upon the gcntly-heaving
breast, stirring the cradle with the other,
singing the while q low lullaby.
Assured from its low breathing, and quiet
limbs, that it was indeed asleep, she turn
ed from it quickly, drew her low rocker to
the stand, picked up the light, and took,
from underneath miscellaneous pile in
her work-basket an uncut novel.
what beautiful title = said she, all
traces Of WEAKNESS vanishing with electric
rapidity from her countenance. AS her
eye glanced over its pages, the dull look
they had worn all day disappeared, and the
light of anticipated joy flashed in its stead.
1 know that I shall be pleased with it..
l feel that it will be interesting said she.
what charming names the auther has
chosen. None ofyour Johns and Hannahs,
your Roberts and Margrets--oh, no here
is noble Rodrigo, poetic Clarence, sweet
Flori Ia, 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 sha-
ded her brow with one hand, grasping the
charming book with the other, as though
it were polished gold, and she a miscr, and
commenced, in the phrase OF enthusiastic
novel readers, to devour the pages.
Rapidly did her eyes run over the first
chapter. But then-she turned her heat
with q quick, inpatient movement. Die
she not hear noise in the cradle /? Yes,
little hand was lifted from beneath thi
cover.
'Too bad, too bad he'll be awake al
the evening now,' and she glided with a
noiseless step to the child's side.
But the eyelids were still closed-the
measured 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
heart had throbbed but one short summer
AS it lay there, the spell Of sinless sleep
upon it's brow, it seemed the type Of all
things pure and blessed. Eden, with all its
loveliness, never charmed the gaze of Eve
with such a picture. The holier feelings
of the mothers breast were touched, as ii
by hand from Heayen The angel began
to trouble thc deep waters Of her soul as
she stood beside the cradle bed and
when after vigil Of several mom nts, the
child still sleeping, she bent her heal and
imprintcd upon Its lips the kiss of love,
the healing wave flowed for an instant
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 glance vacillated between its fine
ly printed pages and her heaped-up basket.
She even put on her thimblc and threaded
needle. But moonlight scene where,
in honeysuckle bower, the noble lover
draws trembling girl to his bosom, and
pours into her cars 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
perused, and she was entering with inter-
est on the fourth. when a sweet voice from
the trundlc-bed called out, Mother, moth-
err
Her ear caught the sound, but it made
no impression upon her mind till it had
been several times repeated, then turning
quickly, in no gentle voice exclaimed,
what do you want, Lizzie I thought
you were a sleep an hour ago
4 have been asleep, MOTHER answered
the daughtes in timid tone. Il waked
! up because -