The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-01-15
From Arthur's Home Gazette.
THE MiIDEN SISTER;
OR:
PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OF An OLD MAID.
IL MRS. S. HErBuRS HAYES.


Mv fathers address was Mr. Felix Hen
ley, or Esquire Henley, as he was denoml
mated par courtesy bg the country people
who sometimes came 10 see him on bnsi
ness. lie was an easy tempered old gen
tlemau, with mild, dark eyes, and flowing
silyery locks, and being naturally lndoienl
md inclined to tncilurni,y, he had very
willingly yielded tho prerngativc Of power
to his wife, who being !all fifteen years
Younger, and woman Of active habits and
strong intellect, omitted no opportunity to
govern her household which consisted Of
her children and farm seryants-wi'h, as
he thought, view 10 their best Interests.
Yet can remember, even at this late day
with many bite rpang, the feelings oi en-
Iyy and distress, occasioned by the diiter.
ence OF her treatment between my sister
and myself. From my earliest recoliec
toe, every disagreeablc, childish task was
mne ,operlorm. If any one was compel
Cd 10 forego 40 anticipated pleasure, The io'
was sure 10 fall on me; and ! was the
scapegoat upon whose devoted head every
acelden. and misdemeanor committed IN
The whole household, was sure to be laid.
II chanced, however, that my natural
disposition was mild aud accommodating
lad on this account was not so much In
nred by the disagreeableness Of my sitnn-
ION, az might have been expected; ii had
a tendency to make me thoughtiul; and
the solfdenial was compelled TO practice
enabled me to submit to the younger mem
hers Of the family, and to support with pa.
hence many petty trials and inconvenlen
ces
My readers, ! can no longer avoid IN,
'ossn'sg you that un the Oldest OF four
s'sters-,his being the entire family OF my
parents. |, moreover, was so unhappy as
10 be chrlstened BY the name OF Rhoda, a
name which had always been the detesta-
Won OF my mother; but as This was the dis
Stminaiiye appella,ion of a maiden aunt
" my fathers who possessed some landed
property, with considerable money at in
'eIeSl, who had promised to make me he,
aelr, provided l was called after her, all
struples had been wisely overcome. Bu,
'ae Old lady, who was exceeding capriclous,
aNer"ards becoming offended from some
,t'll'as cause, made her will in favor of a
us'an, male relative, aud | was thus com
p''sa to bear name with all the opprobrl
wv, which disappointment and prejudice
VOW , connected with it, without any pallia,
"Ag circumstances.
wy three sisters were all OF different
~ yes OF beauty, and yet they appeared &c
- 'quaiiy admired Constance tho ney'
s,se, bad igh,-brown hair, hazel eyes
W. oo"tching smile; ber figure was
s,'cef'l' and her whole manner and ap
ss psa'aace pleasing in the extreme. Ny
!, .tV'"d sister was considered the beauty O
w. 'fmliy Rose was her name--and with
sv' &C., snowy skin, and auburn eyes and hair
=" paused 10 enquire whether her disposi,
~ ava correspohaed with her person. Selma
a' Youngest, bore striking resemblance
oar mother, and was the tavoritc with
s'' she possessed moro mental energy
I''n either Of the others. but her natura
""'"e'er was both naughty and vain. Hel
'rS were a'so hnzel, bu, OF darker shaic
'"' nef superb hair was black as The "a.