The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-29
BY MARY IRVING.

Poor Emily She had been the INDUCED
child of luxurious Southern home. Not
sunbeam had ever been allowed to kiss her
cheek too rudely Not wish of her heart
had been sighted by equal or inferior. Not
an atom of responsibility had ever burdened
those willowy shoulders nor particle of the
sordid, real dust of this everyday life ever
soled those fair, small fingers Poor Emily
it was no wonder that she knew little of house
keeping in the land of the free !" She had
a sort of vague idea that a house would keep
Itself if lady in white apron .jingling
bunch of keys sat in its parlOr, walked through
its halls occasionally, and peeped into Its
kitchen once or twice week.
Truly Pastor Young, it was q wild impulse
but pardonable impulse-that babe you take
that unframed flower to your heart and your
parish
When it is remembered that at least two
thirds of Emily's Pensioners were hard-work-
ing farmer women, who lived literally by the
labor of their own hands, and that of no other
than their own women to whom "shttless-
ness" was the embodiment Of all moral rs
well as physical infrmities and SINS it will be
understood how soon she became the target of
common gossip.
Mrs 'Liph Brown was not slow in reporting
how, at her second call, lit happened IN the IN
terregnum between the hegira OF Belinda and
the accession Of anot4ser Kitchen queen, red
handed and shrill-voiced, who rejoced in the
name of "Rocksy,") she had found " the hall
heap of chairs the sittin' room clutter OF
dust" and the mistress of ceremonies herself
"a sight to look uponW Furthermore, she
divulged, as follows
al couldn't stand that 80 | rolled up my
sleeves, and says l. Now Miss Young, you've
lust got to let me come into your kitchen, and
give you lift Well, she blushed up about
it, and said ! don't know what; but didn't
mind her, for was determined to find out, you
see whether she did know anything went
out to the sink and bless me such another
batch of dishes never saw in my born days
don't believe she had wet the dry thread OF
a dishcloth since she sent of her gal won
der there was anything left to eat off Well,
asked her for this thing, and that thing, and
tother thing and, as I'm living woman, she
didn't know where a thing was in her own
house It's my opinion, your Sophy, Wilder
Ray. could have laid hands on dish-rag or
wiper in half the time she took TO hunt them
up. And then, after all, to think of her bring
ing me a real damask towel, to wipe the greasy
knives with She's kind of natural Pm
thinking. Poor Parson Young! His old wo-
man. blessed creetur wouldn't rest still in her
grave, if she knew what hurra's nest her old
home was turned into!p
Emily did not know all that people thought
and said of her, fortunately for her peace
Her husband, whose heart was wounded by
every shaft aimed at her. tried to keep these
venomed arrows from her, who with all her
faults, as he knew, no little deserved to be
blamed But she read enough in the averted
eye the cold stare, or the formal salutation Of
one and another, to know that she was not be-
loved. 1t was new thing to her, and it ran
killed. in her heart like thorn, poisoning the
happiness of her life. Too proud to conde-
scend 10 conciliate, she repaid contempt by
silent contempt formality and reserve by a
princey portion Of the same. She secluded
herself in her maple-embowered home, rarely
going out of it, except to church, or to the
house of her only friend" as she often called
the invalid Mrs. Stephens. That lady knew
even less Of what passed in the neghborhood
than Mrs Young did; for she was one whose
ears were never unsealed to tale Of SANDER.
Her mild blue eye would confuse even Aunt
'Liph, in the outset of a long story, with its
glance Of calm decision.
Sitting in her easy chair, among her books,
birds and greenhouse plants, she was always
ready to welcome Emily with the sweetest of
smiles, the tenderest Of tones, and the kindest
of kisses. But the minister's wife was too
proud to disclose her hearts trials, even to her;
and she could not advise her, rs she might
have done, had she known all which she often
suspected
The summer went by, and the chilly winds
of winter came back Emily was not strong.
Her bodily energies unframed from childhood,
had been too suddenly overtaxed, and the
breath of censure had fallen on her like a
blight upon the flower whose name she bore
II had been a standing grievance among the
ladies of the church that she had never since
the first few meetings, attended the sessions OF
the Sewing Society" a charitable association
for stitching and--small talk, which sometimes,
with grief be it confessed degenerated into scan
dal At last, Mrs Ray was appointed com
mittee of the whole" to lay the universal grie-
vance before the pastors wife, and deal with |
her upon the subject Of her duty.
Her report was made, in full, the very after
noon after the morning Of her special call, to
the matrons and maids in Society assembled
at her house. We give few items only pre-
missing that all were listening TO it. with grave
faces and folded hands, as though they were a
jury to try Mrs. Young for her life.
II thought it my duty, ladies, to discharge
my disagreeable commission, by waiting on
Mrs. Young this morning. Here followed
sundry notes on her sins Of dress al told
her that the ladies were grieued-l think did
not use too strong a term-did ladies 2"
Murmurs of mo, no."
"That the ladies we're grievcd at her peril
nacity in absentng herself from our quiet
afternoon sociables and that, to secure the
influence in the parish which minister's wife,
by right, should exert she must not feel above
association with any members of our church
and society. Side gances and shrugs OF
,cornful meaning