New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-05-21


To the image Of her mother"
But leeting twelvemonth has passed since
the heart (that for years had beat against his
own was forever stilled, when Walter Lee
brought again a fair young creature to share
his widowed home. No father nor mother, bro
ther nor sister, claimed any part of the orphan
heart that he coveted and won. No expense of
pains had be spared to decorate the mansion for
her reception Old familiar objects, fraught
with tenderest associations, had been removed
to make way for the upholsterer's choicest fam
cies There was no picture left upon the wall,
with sweet, cad, mournful eyes, to follow him
with silent reproack Everything was fresh and
delightful as the newborn joy that filed his
heart
"My dear Edith" said he, fondly pushing
back the hair from her forehead, " there should
be no shadow in her pathway, but have tried
in vain to induce Nelly to give you the welcome
you deserve however, she shall not annoy you
shall compel her to stay in the nursery till
she yields to my wishes"
''Oh, no! don't do that said the young
step-rnother anxiously; sI think understand
her. Let me go to her, dear Walter and she
| tripped lightly out Of the room and left him TO
himself
Walter Lee looked after her retreating figure
with n lover like fondness. The room to him
seemed to grow suddenly dark when the door
closed after her. Reaching out his hand, he
near him. A slip of paper futtered out from
between the leaves, like white winged messen-
ger. The joyous expression Of his face faded
into one of deep sorrow as he read it. The
handwriting was his child's mothers 1t ran
thus:
"oh, to die and be forgotten. This warm
heart cold-these active limbs still--these Lips
| dust. Suns to rise and set, flowers to bloom,
| the moon to silver leaf the trees around my own
dear home the merry laugh, the pleasant cir
Gle, and not here The weeds choking the
| flowers at mp headstone, the several tresses of
sunny hair forgotten in its envelop, the sun Of
happiness go soon absorbing the dew-drop of
| sorrow! The cypress changed for the orange
ureath Oh, no; don't quite forget Close
| your eyes sometimes and bring beforr you the
face that once made sunshine in your home!
feel again the twining clasp of loving arms-the
| lips that told you tnot in words) how dear you
were Oh, Walter, don't quite forget From
| Nelly's clear eyes let her mothers soul still
speak to you. MARY LEE.
Warm tears fell upon the paper as Walter Lee
| folded it back. He gave himself time to rally,
and then glided gently up the nursery door. 1t
was partially open. little fairy creature OF
some five summers stood in the middle of the
floor Her tiny face was half hidden in sunny
curls. Her little pianofore was full Of toys,
which she grasped tightly in either hand.
No, you are not my mamma" said the
child. want my own dead mamma, ana l
am sorry papa brought you here"
"Oh, don't say that" said the young step
mother IS don't call me mamma if it gives you
pain, dear. | am quite willing that you should
love your own mamma better than you do me.
Nelly looked up with pleasant surprise
81 had a dear mamma and papa once, she
continued, and brothers and sisters, so many
and so merry, but they are all dead, and some
times my heart is very sad; have no one now
to love me but your papa and you"
Nelly's eyes began to moisten, and taking on,
one after another of the little souvenirs and toyi
from her panofore, she said, And you won'
take away this-and this-and this-that my
dead mamma gave me
Sc No, indeed, dear Nelly
And will you let me climb in my papa's lal
as used, and put my cheek to his, and kis
him, and love him as much as ever can, won
lyor;'
"Yes, my darling"
Walter Lee could bear no more his heart va
full.
What. Mary's child pleading with strange
for room in her fathers heart In the sudde
gush of this new fount of tenderness, had
forgotten or overlooked the claims Of their helE
less little one, God forbid Prom Nelly
clear eyes let her mothers soul still speak
SOU Aye! and it did. When next WALTZ
Lee met his bride, it was with chastened tel
derness-Nelly's loving little heart was press
closely against his own. He was again " b
own papa !" nor he did not ''quite forget"