The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-09
For the National Era
STORY OF DOMESTIC LIFE.
BY cATHARINE LEDYARD
CHAP. III.

CHAP III.
have hitherto said nothing of Derwenton
| the home of my young heroine. Who, that hai
ever seen it, can need description to recall i
| To his mind? Who can forget the broad
| smooth streets--the immense weeping elms
whose branches droOp almost to the ground
the spacious door-yards, each wilderness Of
| shrubbery and llowers--the cool, shady, aristo
cratic aspect of the whole place?
1t had not always been content with thin
| state of profound repOse IL had aspired in it,
day, to be "a manufacturing town it had am
bilious visions of factories, of railroad depots
and fourishing state of trade The prox-
unity of the city OF NJ had, however proved
fatal to these hopes. and Derwenton, failing ia
be crowded, busting, business-like, gradually
came 10 take pride in its quiet and inacton II
boasted unusual brilliancy in social way.
The circle of the elite Heaven save the mark y
was necessarily limited, but it could be en-
larged at pleasure from the neighboring city.
Nothing could be pleasanter than Derwenton
during the gay season--parties were numerous
and largely Enthusiastically little gatherings
were frequent, and it was remarked that the
most agreeable people in society were always
to be met at the houses Of it's principal families
Miss Lindleys return was quite an event in
Derwenton a young lady Of her attractions
was not often met in its little world and the
towns people took a patriotic pride in her
beauty and talents say in her beauty though
she was perhaps noble and striking in appear
ance, rather than strictly beautiful A clear,
blushing complexion, eyes Of the darkest lustre,
and an expression of vivacity and intelligence,
gave charm to her irregular features She
xou unl 81 "A.
portioned form the slope of her shoulders, the
delicate swell of her bust, her rounded arms
and taper fingers were perfect in their way
And abe WAS we'll named Craze. When her
parents called her thus in honor of her good
grandmamma, did they foresee how fitting a
title it would prove? All her movements were
neutrality-suspicious. she walked or sat, or
stood hers was the poetry Of motion, and the
poetry of -epose. Her mind was brilliant like
her person and ], at least cannot blame her
father and mother for thinking her lovely and
talented beyond compare.
Her heart had not been as assiduously cult
waited as her intellect. For some years she had
been very little at home; her occupations her
interests, had lain elsewhere, and her affections
had become quite weanod from the homo OBJ
jccts The love Of praise entered largely into
her cnHrhctr No hccusMneu WIZ sIls 10 huuli-
ration, that life passed without it would have
seemed to her inexpressibly wearisome. Her
various accomplishments were quite useless b.
her; they did not answer the purpose which
all such things ougbt---that Of furnishing re-
fined and agreeable occupation for her leisure
hours. She seldom practised 'hcr music, or
sketched, or sung, because she took pleasure in
40 doing; her skill in these arts was regarded
merely as a means to the one great end She
was vain to the last degree and in the heart
where vanity predominatos but little that is
worthy or excellent can exist.
Grace was well enough, however, as girls
20 she was good-tempered, partly from nat
ural bias that way partly because sho had not
much temptation 10 be otherwise. She obeyed
her parents wishes promptly when they coin
cided with her own; where the two were at
variance, she coaxed 70 determinedly that she
noon gained the day. at is impossible to say
no 70 you, Grace her father would remark /;
"you are such an incorrigible tease, that one
may a. well give up in. the beginning" Grace
lsughed-she had heard the same thing ever
since she could remember, and had acted upon
il, too and II terribly self wiIIcd person it had
made her.