The literary echo. (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1851, 1851-07-31

IHAlhIil5 IliliS, ilC lCC'llN OtCu IilN NJ
seen, the day before in the window Of Il
large horticultural store, an advertisement
Of a rare hot-hou5o fruit, and springmg up.
with alacrity, he started off on the impulse
Of the moment, and possessed himself
of prize, in the shape Of few delicious
grapes for his mothers invalid taste.
1t was about eleven o'clock when he
cntcred the house, an hour at which he
was never accustomed to return, and Which
Alice almost always improved for practis-
ing her music, so that when Fred, after
depositirg his treasure in the china-clOsct,
asccndod the stairs in search Of Lis sister,
he was surprised to hear, and apparently
proceeding from her room, the sound Of a
guitar, accompanying 4 voice which he was
sure was Ally's. lie paused moment
before the door, and then opening it noise
lcssly, looked in. There sat Alic> alone
her face avcrtod from hinI, and intcntlv
fixed upon the music before her. Fred
eric stood rapt in astonishmcnt-the uir
she sung was favoritc one Of his, AID il
was given with such expression and feeling,
and her touch of the guitar was 50 Ii4lt
and graceful, that his admiration c4uail.G
his surprise.
As her voice ceased, Alice TUNED care
lossly around, and their eyes met She
sprung to her feet, the color rushed Oyer
her check and brow, and bursting into
tears, and covering her face with her hands,
She sank again into her chair.
Alice, dear Alice, what does all this
:" said Frederic, seating himself
beside her, and folding his arm about her.
"Oh," sobbod Alice, who, taken by
surprise, inyoluntarily spoke the truth that
was in her heart, "I was trying to learn
music to please you'll thought if | coull
play and sing with you, you would love to
stay at home more in the evening. |
knew it must be very dull to you here,
but we were 50 lonely without you ~
Fredcric's broad chest hcavcd, and the
tears, manly tears, stood in lis eyes, as he
lrcw the thnid face towards him, and
said
Glow long have you been learning,
Alice ~
Oh, long time - replied lis sister,
while smile ovcrsprcad her face, " all
winter have been practising Whenever
you were gomez
| know not what originated the thought
that flashed across Frcdcric's brain, but
he started, and bonding his eyes earnestly
upon Alice, almost said in whisper,
Ever since your birth-night, Alice -
A sudden palcnoss oycrsprcad Ally's
face, and with painful shuddor, She
buried her face on her brothers. shoulder,
without a word.
Who could measure the tumultous tide
Of feeling in the hearts now throbhing side
by side For few moments not a word
was uttered, then Frederic lifted the pale
face from his shoulder, and said il Il voice
trcmulous with emotion
at needs not that any should tell me,
Alice, Of your suffering for the past three
months--my own soul measures its height
and its dapth-but as God lives and gives
me strength to do the right, such sorrow
shall never come to your heart again.
Never, Alice, have | wandered from the
path Of duty, withouta Il rcprodchful memory
OF your love and constant kindness, and
when last NIGHT was revealed to me, among
those whom had called friends, evil and
rccklassncss Of which | had never dreamed,
bitterly in contrast came up to me your