Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-05-26

the other side of the parish. She was a
delicate, interesting creature, with slight,
dropping figure, and a fair, downmarked
cast face, like snowdrop. forming such a
contrast with her gay and gallant wooer,
as love in his vagaries, is often pleased to
bring together. The courtship was secret
and tedious, and prolonged from months
to years, for Mary shrank from the pain
full contest which she knew that an avowal
of her attachment would occasion. At
length her mother died. and, deprived Of
home and maintenance, she reluctantly
consented to private marriage. An
immediate discovery ensued, and was fol-
lowed by all the evils, and more than all,
that her worst fears had anticipated. Her
husband was turned from the house of
his father, and in less than three months,
his death, by an in1ammatory fever, left
her desolate and pennyless widow, un-
owned and unassisted by the stern parent,
on whose unrelenting temper neither the
death of his son, nor the birth of his
grandson, seemed to make the slightest
impression But for the general sympa-
thy excited by the deplorable situation,
and blameless department of the widowed
bride, she and her infant must have taken
refuge in the workhouse. The whole
neighborhood was jealous to relieve and
to serve them but their most liberal ben
efactresS, their most devoted friend, was
poor Dora. Considering her uncle's par
tiality to herself as the primary cause of
all this misery, she felt like guilty crea-
ture and casting off, at once. her native
timidity and habitual submission, she had
repeatedly braved his anger, by the most
earnest supplications for mercy and for
pardon and when this proved unavail-
ing +; she tried to mitigate their distress
by all the assistance that her small means
would admit. Every shilling of her pock-
ct money she expended on her dear cou-
sins; worked for them, and transferred to
them every present that was made to her.
self, from the silk frock to the penny tar
let. Every thing that was her own she
gave, but nothing of her uncle's for
though sorely tempted to transfer some of
the plenty around her, to those whoss
claim seemed just, and whose need was
so urgent. Dora felt that she was trusted.
and that she must prove herself trust
worthy.
time of my encounter with Dora and lit
tie Walter, in the harvest field, and the
rest will be best told in the course of our
dialogue
"And so, madam, I cannot bear to see
my dear cousin Mary SO sick and so mel
ancholy and the dear, dear child, that
the king might be proud of-only look at
him = exclaimed Dora, interrupting her
self, as the beautiful child, sitting on the
ground, in all its placid dignity of infan.
cy, looked up at me, and smiled in my
face. "Only look at him % continued
she. and think of that dear boy, and his
dear mother, living on charity, and they
my uncle's lawful heirs, whilst l, that
have no right whatsoever. no claim, none
at all, that compared to them am but a
far off kinswoman, the mere creature of
his bounty, should rival in comfort and in
plenty, and they starving cannot bear
it, and will not. And then the wrong
that he is doing himself; he that is so
good and kind, to be called hard-heart-
ed tyrant by the whole country side. And
he is unhappy himself too. know that
he is. So tired as he comes home. he
will walk about his room half the night ;
and often at meal hours, he will drop his
knife and fork and sigh SO heavily. He
may turn me out Of doors, as he threat
ened, or, what is worse, call me migrate
full, but he shall see this boy"
"He has never seen him, then? and
that IS the reason you are trcking him
out so Prettily,"
" Yes ma'am. Mind what told you,
q Walter. and hold I'm vOur head and ..,,
what bid you.
"GAn-papa's towers !" stammercd the
pretty boy. in his sweet childish voice,
the first words that l had ever heard him
speak.
" Grand-papa's S flowers l'' said the zeal
Gus preceptress.
"Gan-papa's towers !" echoed the boy.
"Shall you take the child to the house"'
asked l.
" No ma'am look for my uncle here
every minute. and this is the best place
to ask favor in. for the very sight of the
great crop, puts him in good humor not
so much on account of the profits, but be-
cause the land never bore half so much
in dressing and drilling. l came reaping
here to-day on purpose to please him for
though he says he does not wish me to
work in the fields, how he likes it; and
here he shall see little Walter. Do you
think he can resist him. ma am o. eontin-
ued Dora, leaning over her infant cousin,
with the grace and fondness of young
Madonna do you think he can resist him
poor child, so helpless, so harmless /; hi;
own blood too, and SO like his father
No heart could be hard enough to hold
out, and am sure that he win not. On
ly"-pursued Dora, relapsing into he
girlish tone and attitude. as q cold fea1
crossed her enthusiastic hope-"only I'm