Daily American telegraph., 1852-06-17

his wife, telling me that she had not onIv
learned to make bread, pies, puddngs, and the
like, but that she could wash, iron, and scrub
and, in fact, master all the less elegant depart
ments of housekeeping. Mrs. Robinson bashed
to hear herself SO praised but she shrunk with
bitter modification from the rough adjectives
and outright profanity with which it was inter-
larded.
After partaking of the delicious tea, and
other etceteras, was quite willing to endorse
commentator of the housekeeper and as
took leave of my new acquaintance, | could not
avoid expressing something of the pleasure
had felt as well as the hope that we should
meet much and often.
Often OF summer evenings as ! sat in the
moonlight, | heard the music Of the guitar
across the hill; and sometimes when it was
very still, could hear the young wife singing
to her baby.
We had soon little path worn across the
meadow, and many were the exchanges of
ginger cakes and pies thereby facilitated
Sometimes | caught the hutter Of the white
blanket on the edge Of the hill, and ran to
meet and relieve my friend of her precious
| burden. True there was no very deep or close
sympathy between us; ; but however d tferent
the circle of our lives and thoughts, there are
points that will touch. She could teach NE to
enlbrolder, and to make various little fancy ar
tIcles, both pretty and useful while in other
ways was of assistance to her And though
she never heard of the Mask of Comus, or read
the Fairy Queen, why, there were other things
to talk about
So the summer went by, and the fall and
when the fires were kindled on the hearth, the
long skirts of the baby were tucked up, and
she was toddling from chair to chair and de-
lighting father and mother by lispng the name
OF each. Mrs. Robinson was well pleased with
her new life, and often expressed surprise that
the idle nothings of her former life could have
satisfied. The autumn tasks, of putting up
and doUn sweetmeats and pickles, were gotten
over without difficulty or complaint; and even
the winter which she had always heard was so
horrid and lonely in the country, was to the
young wife and mother just as pleasant as ANY
other season. There were knitting and patch
work, sewing and mending, always to make
the days short; then the meat was to be minced
tor pies, the eggs beaten or the cakes baked ::
so that, far from having time hang heavy upon
her hands, she had scarce sufficient for all the
duties of the day.
During the clustering winter months we saw
less of each other than previously; neverthe-
less, we had many pleasant chat and rural
game in the broad light of the wood fires.
For the most part the demeanor of Mr. Rob-
affectionate: but sometimes, for he was of an
arbitrary and irritable temperament, he gave
expression to such coarse and harsh epithets as
must have sent sensitive and refined woman
weeping to her bed" AS my presence began
to be less restraint these unpleasant encoun-
ters became of more frequent occurrence: and
the wife, instead of the silent endurance prac-
ticed at first, learned to retort smartly then
angrily. However, these were episodes in the
general domestic tranquility, and were very
tar from requiring the binding over of either
party to keep the peace.
The following spring, Mr. Moore, who had
never forgiven his daughter, died suddenly and
without any will, and Mrs Robinson became
heir to some eight or ten thousand dollars. The
humble home in the country, in which they
had taken so much interest and where they
had really had much Of happiness, dwjndled
into nothingness. Carpets were torn up, and
curtains down, and, together with beds chairs,
and tables disposed of in summary order The
old things were of no use now.
The necessary preparations were soon effect |
ed, and early one April morning the fires were
quenched, the doors locked and the old house
left alone
| A handsome house was rented in town. stvl-
ish furniture bought, and half dozen SER
wants employed for, with the renewal of old
associations and with the ampler means, more
than the old Incidence and extravaganza were
INDUCED.
For three years. owing partly to chances
which need not explain, saw nothing of the
Robinsons. At the close of that term CHANGED
to be in their neighborhood, and. with some
mingling of curiosity among kindly remem.
brances, sought them out.
The exterior of their dwelling presented an
humble, even dingy and comfortless appear |
ance Perhaps thought !, reports have spoken
J falsely; bat, as the door was opened by sIat-
ternly black girl, the faded remnants of better
times that met my eyes spoke for themselves
was scarcely seated when a little girl of
some four years presented herself with dress
and face indicating n scarcity OF water and
eyeing me with more sauciness than curiosity.
t<ked me bluntly how long meant to stay mt
their house | confess to the weakness of being
disconnected by such questions from children
and before | had time fully to recover. n boy
who might have been year and hau
Younger, and whose white trowsers, red jacket
and milky face, were tattooed in a manner
sim lar to the face and garments Of his sister .
entered the room, and taking the remnant of |
cigar from his mouth threw his cap against |
me with as much force as he was master OF, by |
way Of sautation, and then, getting one foot |
upon the head of a broken cupid that graced
"windowed niche, he challenged my admira-
ton of his boots The little girl, probably
wishing me to know that she was not without
accomplishments opened the piano. and began
drumming on the keys; but the noise drown.
ing the boys voice, a lively quarrel ensued. and |
blows were exchanged with wonderful rap;dty |
" Aintyou ashamed ~ said the girl relcnting .
first, and looking at me,
No." replied the boy, don't care for her
Masaid she didn't want to see her; and pa was
1900 ,,..L Ill H. ,,,,no,. opJ tborc ,yos moth