The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-04-07
WESTERLY, r. l., THURSDAY, APRIL T. 1853.


: For the very means of subsistence, ex.
ertion became necessary. But what
; could she do for living, who had, in
her whole life, done scarcely useful
thing-who had been little better than
a dronc in the social hive : Nothing
Or, if there was small ability, there was
pride enough remaining to prevent its
exercise.
After her husbands death, which
followed shortly after the reverse that
stripped him of all worldly possessions,
, Mrs Lionel retired into the family of a
poor relative, who had been little
, thought Of in brighter days, and who,
/, although she did not want to receive
her, could not close her door in her
face. A sad spectacle she was. Shut
up in the chamber that was assigned her,
she never went out, and only met the
family she was burthening with her
presence, at the table, and then with an
aspect so gloomy and reserved, as to
throw chill over the feelings of all.
For short period Mrs. Lionel paid
a small sum for her boarding, but no
very long time passed before all her
money was exhausted, and she became
absolutely dependant upon the poor
woman, very distantly related to her,
whose only means of support was her
personal labor and that of her daughter
After the death Of her husband and
children, Mrs Wexford, who was left
quite as poor as Mrs Lionel, began to
look around her for some means of
securing an income for herself and
Agnes, whom she loved, now that all
the rest were gone, with tenderness
that equalled the sum of her love for
all. But, what to do, was a difficult
thing to determine. AS young girl,
her education had been very plain. She
could not, therefore, resort to teaching
in any branch, for she had not the re-
Iquisite ability. Sewing always gave her
Il severe pain in the breast and side, so
ehat, whatever might be her skill in
needle work, she was precluded from
resorting to it as means of obtaining
money.
6 | think" she said to Agnes, after
looking at the subject in every possible
light, "that there is but one thing left
for me to do"
"What is that, aunt ?" inquired
Agnes.
" Taking a few boarders. I could
attend to them"
"It will be very hard work." sug-
gested the neice, " too hard for you.
No-no, aunt, that will not do. Look
what slaves life Mrs Minturn has /;
Don't think of it,"
" l must do something, you know,
Agnes, dear; in little while all our
money will be gone. | have thought
OF everything, but my mind comes back
to this at last don't like the thought
of 1t, but 1t is right for me to exert my
self, and | pust do SO without a mur-
nur."
" Haven't you thought of anything
hat | can doi" asked Agnes, in a
cheerful voice. am sure that | can do
ometh ng," she added, confidently,
and L am younger, and have better :
ealth than you have" I
cannot think, my dear child" I
lrs. Wellford said, with much tender q
less in her voice, of your being ex- j
,osed to the worlds rough contact. |
ou are now too young " a
The contact you seem SO to dread I,
annot hurt me, aunt" returned Agnes.
10 the pure all things are pure. IF n
have in me right spirit, the world e
annot hurt me-"
But cannot bear the thought of AZ
icing you, in the very spring time of eS
fe, when all along your path should th
'ow up flowers to fll the air with per
Ime, chained like slave to the car Of A.
Dor. No, no, Aggy, it must not be in
can do all that is required. If fail,
IN it will be time enough for me to 20
III upon you for aid" of
Pride as well as affection reigned 10 ne
Q breast of Mrs Wexford. She could ad
It bear the thought of seeing Agnes in to
y kind of labor for money. She was gu
lly capable Of giving instruction in