The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-09

The mother was not fully satisfied with her
child she had her Ideal, which Grace failed to
realize. II was something after this sort fair,
gentle girl, tender and dutiful to her parents
charitable to the poor, leading from day to day
a pious, loving life. To Carolines simple and
reyerent nature there was something unfemi-
nine, almost revolving, in Grace's worldly and
prayerless existenee-an existence that had no
higher object than the enjoyment of the pres
ent hour Something of personal disappoint-
ment too, mingled with her feelings. She had
hoped to possess q sweet and dear companion
IN her child-one who would make the some
what lonely house glad and cheerful with her
presence Grace, on the contrary, spent very
little time at home she seemed TO be always
at parties or out making calls, or spending the
day with Fanny Allward. Even if she were at
home, seine friend was with her. or she was
praeticng, or had new book to read Where
were the long hours Of happy intercourse to
which the mother had looked forward. which
had cheered her SO often during the young
girls absence at schools
A year or two passed, during which Miss
Lindley improved neutrality-suspicious. in
tercourse with society impaired finish to her
manner, new elegance even to her graceful
mien She had been quite belle at Washing
ton-decidedly one at Saratoga--in fact she
made sensation in whatever circles she an
peared She had numerous admirers, and some
suitors, all Of whom she regarded with indiffer
euce--coquetry was not among her faults She
never trhed with the happiness of any man
she never encouraged the attentions of any
simply because she had never met with one
who was more to her than an agreeable &C
quaintance.
Amid all the "busy ideness" of fashionable
life, she still found leisure for occasional com
position. She wrote well undeniahly; the
forcing system in which she had been edu-
Gated took from the freshness OF her powers
but enough was lett to indicate remarkable
ability. Poetry was almost the only thing in
which she took delight for its own sake. She
wrote merely because it gave her pleasure
How neflfnpsly sensitive she was on the sub
ject-she rho was generally 90 selfpossessed
and dignihkd! Her style was different from
what you would have supposed those who
saw her only in society read and wondered Mt
the tendeH melancholy, the vein of pure reli-
gous sentiment that characterized her verse
Many decided that she was not what she
seemed that under her gay and brilliant ex-
terror beat a heart warm with the best emo
tons How mistaken they were She scds
eractiu what she seemed-a beautiful, vain,
and worldly woman. But she had genius
which, exquisitey alive to the beauties of the
physical world, cannot be blind to moral beau
ty. She knew what she ought to be, and
what she might have been; what purity, what
unseliishness what truth, had she 20 chosen,
might have marked her nature-and from this
knowledge she drew her pictures Of ideal
worth Nothing in her writings was to be
trusted as true expression of herself save
now and then some cry Of mourning over
wasted years, some aspirations feeble and I'M
defined, after a better future. Yet even these
were deceitful; for if she really mournod over
the past was not the way Of restoration open
to hers it not open to all
Grace, think you ought'to publish said
her father one Sunday afternoon. Sunday
was always rather tedious to him, and particu-
larly 30 now, when bad cold confined him to
The house. He had been looking over his
daughters poems, to while away the time.
"Why?" she asked, raising her eyes from
the book she was reading.
Tho rinple question gather ptpzled MIR.
Lindey "pll tell you Why" he said; be-
cause you write well vastly better than any
woman know Of Here is a poem on Soli-
tude, that like exceedingly"
ayes remember how happened to write
it, had been looking at Il picture Of Napo-
leon in St Helena--NapoleOn, the prisoner,
gazing out on that ocean, vast az his own in
tellect, lmitless rs his ambitionl What n
mourniul idea of solitude it gave me !"
"Here is another. beautiful thing, though
it il written in rather sentimental style for
such lively sensible girl as you are, Gracey."
my May of lifo is on the wane
cob hush, papa!" interrupted Grace,
"don't read that aloud, if You please; it makes
me feel so uncomfortable, 80 foolish
DWELL, I'll keep it to myself, if it suits you
better"
Are you ready for church, my dear?" said
her mother entering the room " | am afraid
we shall be late the last bell is ringing
ooh no, will be down in time" replied
Grace, hurrying away. Nearly fifteen min
utes passed before she returned. What mat
ter was it, if they did not go in till after ser
vice began! Grace's bonnet must be put on
becomingly, of course, and all the ct cetera of
her attire arranged with care.
"What was the text" said Mr. Lindley,
looking up from his sofa, when they returned
Grace hestated and colored. "a do not re-
member she answered; al was thinking of
something else just then"
"Of something good, | hope" said her
mother
"Why, not exactly, mamma, though there
was no great harm in it, during tho singing,
the lines
% There lot the pealing organ blow
To the full voiced choir below
came into my mind, and thereupon ! had
quite "A new revelation of Milton ! had al
ways thought Of him Ms the very essence of
sternness and bgotry but to-day seemed 10
behold not the Puritan, but the Poet, in his
serene, stately youth, walking the studious
cloistcrs pale, according to his won't SO
fell into nice little roverie and it was then,
suppose, that Mr.. Horton gave out his text"
"Wbat was the sermon about, Gracey?p
inquired her father "Ah! suspect that your
reverie lasted through it all"
"No, indeed" she replied laughingly al
heard something about justification by faith,
and how totally depraved we are by nature.
1t was not very interesting, and ] soon ceased
to pay attention Don't look no Mortified, dear
mamma, pray own that il il oil you can do
to keep awake through Mr.. Horizons prosy dis
course
"Ah! Grace" said Mrs. Lindley, / wish ]
could see You like your dear amt Hannah
she used to say that she never heard sermon
40 poor that she could not gather some in
struction from it,
"Aunt Hannahs is the right spirit no doubt;
and dare say that when am M old Us she
is, shall feel just like her"
"Not unless you begin when you are young,
my dear; such feelings do not come Of them
selves"
Chow worry particular mamma isl" said
Grace when Mira Jindlev Icft the room ITO