The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-08-17
RAVENNA, WEDNESDAY AUGUST II, 1858.

L shall not be dictated TO in my course of con-
duct, Miss Lelia but whatever it is. shall expect
you will initiate it. Your sister. am confident,
will do so. without any exercise of authority on
my part Your father leaves all household regu-
lations to me, and shall allow no interference in
my arrangements
She left the room as she spoke, with raised
head or rather raised turban, for her head, unu-
! sually small, enveioped in such voluminous
folds of muslin and lace, it required some discrim-
inaiion 10 notice the face, surmounied by such
tremendous turret. The sisters were left alone
and looked into each others faces for moment
without speaging-Leiias cheek burned with an
unusual colour, and her eyes sparked with excite
ment.
! Thank Heaven J. cried she that said moth
| ing really disrespectful to Aunt Phillis-but from
| you, Eimira, cannot withhold the expression of
indignant feeling. Speak TO me, sister. and say
/ you scorn such sordid views, and know how to ap-
preciate virtue itself. Say that you will unite with
me in paying both our uncles the respect and af-
fection that is due to them-that you will make
no distinction 10 favor of wealth or circumstances
| Think if our dear mother were alive, what she
would wish us to do, and you will never wound
the feeling of one who was dear TO her.
You are the strangest girl l ever saw in my
Life, Leila. said Elmira coldIy; you make as much
fuss about this old uncle if he made of gold:
dop't know what we shall do with hm-for I'm
Gle Banks must have the handsomest chamber, and
we must keep the next handsomest for company.
Then there is Cousin Phs' room and ours. The
other chambers are very decent, but they have no
fire. places. He will be obliged to be satisfied with
one of them. Cousin PhiIlis never will allow a
bed to be put in of the lower apartments
Has our father authority in his own house,
hold, that every thing must be referred to Cousin
PhilIis as you are pleased to call her! nsked Lei
ia, trying to speak calmly. If find Uncle Gle
ments' comfort SO entirely dsregald ded, l shall
speak to him and see that he is properly attended
to-
Father would as soon cutoff his right hand, as
contradict any of Cousin Phillis' orders, l assure
you' answered EImira. You are the only per-
son who ever dared to do it yet, and you will be
very sorry for it. She said before you came home.
sh e knew Aunt Lydia had spoiled you, and it is
true enough. You are exactly like her in thought,
word, and action a.-f.-.
Is .Oh! that were indeed like her. exclaimed
Leila, for gentler, purer, holier being, never
lived. All my virtues are hers, all my faults my
own. Let me never hear her reproached for fol-
lies or sins which the legitimate offspring of
my own heart t..-
Unable to repress the tears which this unkind al
Iusion to a relative SO tendetIy beloved and SO re-
Gently lost, excited, Leila left the room feeling
| mo, keenIy than she had ever done before, that
between her sister and herself there was not one
feeling principle in common. All that is neces-
sary to state of the previous history of these two
young sisters. may be explained in few words.
+ Deprived 10 childhood oftheir MOTHER they were
separated Immediately after her death, and placed
under influences as opposite as pole topcle. Aunt
Lydia, a maiden sister of Mrs. Manners. received
the orphan Leila from her dying mother RS bel
own, and as such she educated and cherished her
tillherdeaih making hers second time orphan,she
, returned to her father house. Elmira renamed
at home, under the care Of Miss Phills Manners
who assumed the charge of her brothers house
hold, with authority as absolute and undisputee
as the laws of the Medes and Persians.
, Mr.. Manners one of those good-natnret
men, who always avoid trouble and contention, ant
who have not moral courage enough to follow ul
D the principles they profess to admire. He believ
ed his sister of the best managers in the world
probably from the hustle attending all her move
Q ments and thought himself very fortunate in hav
n ing so discreet guardian for his daughter. II
regretted that Leila did not enjoy equal advanta
n ges, for Aunt Lydia was so quiet and unpresumin
and made SO little parade of her own good deeds
n and he was accustnm ed to the egotism and dis
). play of bis sister. he imagined that Aunt Dydi
J, was of those passive characters who exercise
but little influence in her own household. Had h
IS reflected little the great laws o: nature, h
a would have remembered that the most powerfu
influences are silent and often unseen. The ray
J. that illuminate the immensity of the universe, q
% silently as brightly execute their glorious mission
The dews that refresh the sultrinesse nature stef
J. silent and unseen from their secret dwelling
r and teach mankind uuostentatious chariy,a Bt
Mr.. Manners never reasoned from analogy, iudeet
he seldom reasoned at ALL and it is not strange ths
the uuobtrusive virtues of Aunt Lydia escaped hi
worldly observation True, when Leila returned
= he would have thought her very graceful, lovel.
and amabe. had not his acute-minded sister d,
covered SO many blemishes in her, and such supe
rior excellences in Elmira. He concluded,
usual that she was better judge than himself, au
her opinion was considered infalible.
:. Miss Phl,s Manners, alias Aunt Phills, ALT
. Cousin Phillis, would have been in the full swee
Of her glory, on the day of Mr.. Banks arrival, hf
not the expectation of Mr.. Clements visit cast
dark shadow before. 1t is not to be supposed, th
o. all her anxiety was disinteresed, or that it
eu the aggrandzement of her nieces alone, she W
- hoping, and toiling. and planning.
10 Mr. Banks widOwer, and as she had pass
her vernal morn and summer noon in maiden si
ss gIeness of heart, she resolved that the qui
TO tude of her auumnal should be spent in II
&c shadow of the myrtle bower. Notwithstand
her sincerity to her brother, and the truths her
i'm consulted mirror breathed of her whitening heaut
she fancied every one else must be laboring und
In nm nntical illusnn. and inaaoined hcrseE st;lI