Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-12-23
4flisfellallD.
MARIA, THE HAN,
THE FORCE OF PRINCIPLE
LADY OF THE COUNTRY.

BY LADY OF THE COUNTRY.
4 funeral procession passed slowly Cp
fremont street. and entered the venera-
bic burial place attached to Stone Chapel
There were deposited the remains Of Mrs
Lawrence and with them the pecuniary
dependence of two orphan daughters
Mrs. Lawrence, until year previous to her
death, had lived in the greatest opulence /;
but unfortunately, her husband became
surety for friend to large amount,
which he was obliged to redeem This,
added to many other losses, left him with
a comparatively small pittance for him
self and family. This blow was too great
for him What give up his fine residence,
his splendid furniture ard carriage, and
come down to the vulgar method of living
No he could not-he would not-and
the grief occasioned by this change in his
fortunes soon caused his death
His wife bore her trials with Christian
like fortitude With a small life annuity
which she possessed, she found an agree
able home in the family of q distant rela-
tive. She devoted her time to the i'm
provement of her eldest daughter Eliza
beth. aud in watching the unfolding beau
ties of her little rosebud, as she fondly
termed Maria.
The struggle of noble soul, contend
ing against affiiction is often too great
for its frail tenement With Mrs Law
renee. the chord which had been too tight
" strung snapped suddenly assunder its
ETHEREAL tones still thrilling the hearts of
its auditors.
The family with whom Mrs. Lawrence
resided kindly offered to take charge of
Elizabeth, (now nine years of age) and
bestow on her a good education. But
Maria-who would supply the place of a
mother to her2 No one seemed inclined
to take the care Of child two years old.
How ephemeral the friends Of the pres
ent day They futter around the glare
and snlendor of wealth, and bask in its
sunshine; but, extinguish its bIazonry,
and where are they Like the insect
they personate, they fly to some new illu-
mination and are seen no more.
Accordingly. none oferd to supply the
place of mother to Maria, until Mr. and
Mrs Harris, who had been befriended by
Mrs Lawrence in her days Of prosperity
and were 0istantly related, came forward
They resided about thirty miles from
Boston.
"'Twiu be but poor place for a gen.
tleman's darter," said Mrs. Harris but
perhaps when she gets bigger, some of her
Boston relations viii make "A lady of her
Maria was happy in her new house
\ ride in a Wagon was just as agreeable
as d carriage Aunt Hannah's turn over
and little cake on baking day pleased her
as well as the rich confectionery which
her mamma used to give her The check
ed linen frock in summer, the red and
blue wOrsted in winter, were quite as com
Portable as the satin and meriuo to which
she had been accustomed and tho she
said Stick stick Aunt Hannah." F." when
/ the coarse wo0len stockings were put OIL
her delicate feet, she soon forgot it, il
( looking at the boys as they ooasted dowr
the steep hill at the back of aunt Han
nah's house.
! In childhood, the country seems pecu
liarly adapted to the unfolding capacities
The youthful exuberance of spirits has
/ free scope. All nature, animal and veg
etable bursting into life and activity, ap
4 pears to coincide with the expanding miuC
/ botter than the confined limits of tn,
city
Maria's growth was remarkably forward
She pursued her studies at the distric
school. from books furnished by her siste
Elizabeth, who regularly made long Wis
/ it at aunt Hannahs in the summer sea
son, and impaired all the knowledge he
sisters mind could receive. These visit
proved Of great benefit to Maria, who
though unaccquainted with city life, wa
an elegant little girl, aud readily distin
guished from any child in the village
No change occurred IN Marias situa
tion until the summer in which she com
pleted her eleventh year. During the re
cess of her school, one fine afternoon il
/ August, a splendid summer vehicle leis
ureIy passed the school-house. The cbil
dren with one accord dropped the mos
profound courtesies, when a joyful cry o
1 "Sister Elizabeth sister Elizabeth =
caused the carriage to stop. A gentleman
alghted and inquired for Miss Lawrence
Maria ran hastily forward, and in a few
moments was seated by her sister.
After a mutual interchange of affec
tion between the sisters. Elizabeth intro
duced to Maria, Mr. Arthur Ellingwood
as her brother Maria's surprise at first
oyercame her natural politeuess, but sooI
/ recovering herself, she greeted him with
/ her sweetest smiles, and imprinted kiss
on his cheek which was warmly recipro
Gated
"Oh. sister why did you not come be
fore2 Ny roses all bloomed and faded
without you having one my strawberry
bed was loaded with the finest fruit, bu
they all decayed I would not toucl
them till you come. Then picked anC
picked wortleberries till l was tired
don't know how many times [ have gath
cred fresh bushes and flowers to alorr
your favorite little chamber,-but t wa
all in vain Aunt Hannah had lette
from Boston the other day, but would no
tell me the contents
The very counterpart Of yourself
sweet Elizabeth" said Arthur, "artles
and unsophisticated
The conversation was interrupted b