The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-10-06


there were no IFS in the world, some strange
things would happen"
This Lydia Mason is no other than the Doc
tors excellent wife, who, according to him,
stands in the way of his wedding rs many
wives as solomon. | turned TO T.; but, oh,
Egypt Thebes, Harnac, and Luxar, We contain
not within your mysterious temples one fig
ure which can out-rival in calm Immortality,
cool indifference, his face az, slightly touching
my hand, he passed the usual compliments, and
moved on to be introduced to my aunt.
What could it mean He was the success
iul lawyer now did be mean to ignore all mem
cries and things connected with his eaIll
strugglesl Possibly so and for one mon
felt what Agassiz means by Ice Periods!
The old Doctor drew me along to
sofa, and soon reused myself enough to listen
10 his conversation it was all of I. His father
had been an old college friend of his, man of
unstable mind, who was unfortunate in every
thing if man could really be said to be un-
fortunate who possessed such son, (the Doc
ter is childless the noblest best boy that ever
lived, the kindest, most considerable OF sons,
land, though t. had never spoken to me much
of his youth, | knew it must have been so;)
mother, lovely woman, died when he was
mere boy"-he's the very image of her-poor
Ellen Byrne knew as a girl and the good
mans great blue eyes filed with tears as he
gazed proudly upon T., as he stood talking
with aunt. She was cousin of mine" he
added; and it was well be did So for began
to wonder if some Lydia Mason had not stood
between them, 30 marked was his interest
!" my cousin, and her boy inherited her spirit.
Educated himself graduated with high honor,
and had just commenced the study of law in
the office of Judge b, when the man in whose
hands the remnant Of their property was de-
posted failed, and left his father broken down,
feeble, purposeless, and energless, dependent
upon him tor support He gave up his studies
at once, and took the situation Of principal of
an Academy in -, we'll, somewhere in
your region, I'll be hanged if | can remember
the place, but somewhere on the Sound" There
was no need of.his remembering-I did.
" He staid there two years, when his father
happily died. Don't stare at me for saying
happily, child; | didn't prescribe for him; be-
sides, you cannot have lived in the world thus
long, without seeing that there are some peo-
pie in it who are evidently out of place Mr..
L. was one of them--so he happily died.
"Now, his son is a member of the New Haven
bar, one Of the most talented of his class, and
is here as counsel in the great case of Hig-
gins verSus Howe A noble fellow added the
good man, rubbing his hands; "you must make
his acquaintance, surely"
So he had ignored me to one who, it SEEM
ed, was his nearest friend Well, can be as
proud as Harold T, any day--so chatted with
the Doctor and H., who came and took the
seat on the other side OF me, and allowed him
to wind the crochet purse | was netting over
his delicate fingers, Il do wonder why he can
M Lar \ ND al -
was not designed for him, unchecked Once
/. looked over that way with glance that an
hour before would not have met for worlds
even now, it disturbed me for moment but
thought what right has Harold T. to stir my
blood thus? Have thought of him as my
master until the sportive title has become
real and ] am a slave to cover thus before
his glancet SO | glanced back like North.
ern iceberg; but only few moments after,
found myself yielding to the old fascination of
his so9es, rs he discussed Whipple's lecture of
the evening before, and, in reply to some re-
mark of H.'s, analysed the lecture and the
lecturer in his calm, clear way, melting out
praise and censure like god. How those
tones recalled the past Mine heart made pic
lures: there was the small parlor looking out
upon the sea-mother on the lounge with her
book and knitting-the two figures by the table,
one occasionally looking up from her drawing,
to answer some remark, with which the other
had interrupted his reading; and then that
voice swept on again. to the accompaniment of
the restless waters. Did he not remember it
too?
was reused from my reverie by aunt 8
voice
&C.; why, that is where you and your
mother lived awhile Elizabeth You must
have been there about the same time with MIR.
tn
looked T. coolly in the face second, before
replied, Eyes, aunt"
Before she could question or comment, T.
said, with half smile, Miss Lytton is no
stranger TO me have had the honor Of meet
ing her before"
The deuce you have!" began the old Doc
| tor but having a sort of instructive perception
| presume, that there was something beside
Lydia Mason in the way here, he very wisely
paused, and set to teasing H. about his boot
Aunt, unfortunately had not his foresight She
kept on" Indeed, and Elizabeth is 30 much
changed you hardly knew her. Don't you
think the change for the better We fatter
| ourselves it is" T. bowed, and prayed that
aunt might be attacked with bronchitis any
thing to stop her mouth, but she kept on. ave
think year or So with us, will quite overcome
her country manners-gve her quite refined
and elegant air"
"Pshaw, Mrs Sewal!" fell in the Doctor
ave don't want any air but natural one, and
the girl has that now Don't get any such
nonsense into your head, child"
| H. and T. both laughed, and | was glad
when they left, after aunt had politely invited
T. to "call again"
Nov. 17th-l ought to feel fiattered, sup
pose; for aunt, if do not greatly mistake her,
actually thinks ! may do for a wife for her
idle H. Whether H. has any hand in bring
ing her to take this view Of the matter, | can
not say; | have no disposition to inquire, Oh,
these match-makers
| Nov 24h-A whole week of rainy, dirty
foggy weather | doo't believe any one can
have patience with such weather-pot even the
Shepherd of Salisbury Plain, especially If he
had been shut up in the house with aunt Sew
| al all day. aye, and all night too, for uncle is
absent, and she has insisted on my occupying
a cot bed in her room, as q sort Of guard,
who sleep like stone But was obliged to
yield, under fear of seeming disobliging; and 80
| have been lulled to sleep every night, by kind
| Of doxology on HIS perfections ] am cross
and out of patience, and wonld welcome even
a slight shock of earthquake if it would shake
up aunts ideas, and give them q new direction.
| like H.; liked the way in which he defend
cd poor Fanny r. the other day who, TO say
the least has been more sinned against than
shining He took me by surprise. find, IN
der the crust OF fashion and conventionality, q
good substratum of common sense and !
would draw it out, and make the most of it. if
it were not for this ridiculous plot of aunt's
and kind of fancy ] have, that the gentle
man does, at times, think himself irresistible
| | wonder what makes most men fancy that
every unmarried woman il ready TO fall into
their arms, just like fly into cup of sweet
ened water. ls it because they are 90 much
like sweetened water Why canaot they have
sense enough to see that a woman NAV really