Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1852-07-01
NJ [ sc Ell L A N Y !.
EfeRl the OIire Branch.
TIE sTEP-M0THER.

Mother, I want to 60 slide on the ice q
No, my dear, the air is sharp andaeold
and your cough was very bad last night aud
Mrs. Lansing passed her hand affectioaate-
ly over the silkcn hair Of the little MiAEfie.
as if to conciliatc her
The child shrugged her little fat should
ers, and withdrew, pouting to the other side
Of the room, saying
Il wish Ray 0tcA mamma wS out of the
ground, s4e'4 let me go; Isdon't LOVE YOU
ataburruvur 10 I'd fardsst soon affcr SIDE
left the roorA, and returned with some pref
ty paper dolls, calling TO Minnie to como
and help her dress them, but the cAild's
hayward temper was not to be eonciliated !;
another shrag Of the shoulders, and por-
tentous frown was the only answer.
Mrs Lansing did not enter upon the mar
rage relation unaqpriscd Of the trials to-
which stepmother is always exposed -
She shrank timidly from the responsibility
involved in tho charge Of Minnie, and fully
expressed the failihgs, to her father, but Mr.
Lansing repeatedly assured her that he
had seen no one since his wife's deathtto
whom he would so readily ontruss the care
Of his ehild,' and her sensitive fears was
quoted From her infancy, Minnie had
been accustomed to rule With the want-of
energy attendant upon feeble health, her
mother had yielded to her impcriors tenn
per rather than provoke a struggle and
Mr.. Lansing being necessarily absent on
business, Minnie was left to the judicious
chance training Of nurses and kireiings-
After his .wife,s death, the widowed fathers
heart was more closely knit in love 10 his
child, and with mistaken kindness be over
looked her Baywardness Minnie, who was
quick of perception, and wise beyond her
years soon found out that the staff was in
her own hands: and the injurious phrase re-
peated unthinkingly in her hearing about
cruel step-mothers butill prepared her to
submit to Mrs, Lansings gentle sway
With the pTomptings of a naturally kind
heart quckened by a sense of duty and a
desire to win this child Of her hearts adop-
ton, she eudeavored by every ingenious do
vice to conciliate her; but her efforts hith-
erto had been unayailing or shert.liyed
On Mr. Lansing's return at night, Minnie
would climb upon his knee, and placing her
little mouth close to his ear, (with d defying
glance at Mrs Lansing repeat her little dis
torted stor-- IF comsla;Gt, uavetukea, and
received from the inexhaustible pocket q
package of bon-b ons, ora new toy, by way
Of sedatiye-which she, of course contrast
Ell in her wise little head, most unfayorably
with the gentle frrnness with which Mrs.
Lansing stroFo 10 govern her, All this told
most disastrDasly upon the disposition OF
the child, and undermined every attempt al
reformation Added to this (although il
might pass unnotieed by casual observer
the sensitive spirit Of Mrs. Lansing was
wounded on those occasions, by perceiyine
the slightly clouded brow of her husband. -
The smile, 20 dearly priced, SO jealousy
watched for, was shade less beeming, the
tone of the loved voice less cordial and
heart-eheering and she soon found thai
80 retain his love she must sacrifice her duty
to his childIl Curious eyes, toe, watched
for halting Tnquisiaye neighbors, torturine
every accidental circumstance to extracl
food for their own suspicious, or skilfulll
catechising The child, BY questions sugses
/ tive of an answer to their liking. Their,
was no human ear into which the loving wifi
/ could pour this sorrow
! One evening, before retiring to rest, sh'
entered the room where Minnie lay sleeping
] The dimpled arms were tossed With careles
/ grace Of childhood over the little curly head
the pearly teeth were peeping from beneath
i the coral lips; and in broken mnrmur th
child repeated the word mother Mrs
Lansing knelt By the bedside, and her tear
flowed freely She asked herself, had d
/ jealous feeling of rivalry IN the fathers Low
clouded her sense of justice towards the wi
full little sleeperl With the angel eyes Q
her whom she believed to be still hoverin
over the child, bent full upon her, she weigh
ed ever7 passing feeling, and conscience q
quilted her Of being actuated BY any othe
motive than that Of d desire to perform faitl
fully her duty And noW-sRouIp 81
WAIVER Z The thought Of riskine the fail