The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-09-29
For the National Era.
A. DIARY.
BY MARTHA RUSSELL

|
No, not that album, loaded with gilt like an
Eastern slave, even though it be precisely
like the one on Lady Blessington's table, as
the giver, Mr.. H., assures me; but this one in
plain black, with only the design of the serpent
+. done upon the back 1t is plain and sub
stantial,o as old Mrs. A. was pleased to say of
myself; and when Harold T. gave it me, point
ing to the design, he bade me heed the symbol
we'll saying in that calm, grave way of his
that | lacked both wisdom and gentleness
" My master, r. should hardly have borne that
from any one else. But, perhaps, he was
right-right, also, when he said that women
could not exist without a confdantn denied
it then, and resented it as a libel; but now
after four weeks sojourn with these relatives
with whom it seems impossible to establish any
thing like relations OF confidence, begin to
feel its truth else should not be blotting the
blank leaves of his gift.
n b. will never own as much to him
| think will dedicate the book to Vacuna,
the goddess Of the idle doubtless many of my
salfconstituted advisers would think it very ap-
propriate Not that admit that have any
more of an inherent proolvity to what, in their
eyes, constitutes the Hsum of all moral evil y
idieneSs--than many others, but | am, unfor-
tunately, always doing those things which |
ought not to do, and in q way in which they
ought not to be done; and as Aunt Minick
said, when | saw no improperly in carrying
from Stewards TO her house small parcel,
containing ! few yards Of silk, "tAere is no
know am neither pretty nor graceful but
never have such saving consciousness of the
fact, as when with my mothers relatives.
wonder how much such remarks, uttered in a
tone of cold, critical COMMUNICATION, as: "Eliz
abeth is SO overgrown, 70 gawky-Elizabeth j,
odd she has no taste 10 dress !; her head is N
large; and, then, her feet She has not The
Sewal look at all, poor child ali Lytton!" sc.
my fathers alliance being the one "Blot in
the EscutcheOn,') have had to do with my
awkwardness. They ere not particularly cal
culatod to remedy the defect, fancy
Once felt all this keenly but | am getting
bravely over it, My head and my feet are az
God made them; and, as to my taste, let them
remember that have had no means of graft.
flying it before they deny me its possession and
as to lacking the "Sewal air" the slightest
childish memory that cherish Of my noble
father, is more to me than "the blood of all
the Sewals y
There There goes the dinner. bell My fin.
gers are inky, my collar the sixteenth part OF
an inch awry; if | do not stay to right It, aunt
will be sure to perceive it if do, ! shall be
the sixteenth part of minute too late at the
table, and uncle will look like an iceberg-be-
tween them both the room will be like Spitz-
bergen Elizabeth will be uneasy and diara,te
for a few moments then eat her dinner with
the self possession of Queen Vastiti of old
Nov iO-7"A word fly spoken is like apples
of gold and pictures of SILVER" we are told but
| phn hos colt S,ao M N q 81
withheld is not less precious
Had remembered this yesterday, should
have refrained from shocking uncle and aunt
with my heresies and saved myself long leo
ture on "womanly proprieties," and "woman's
sphere" this morning
Though some moments too late, was hap
PLY disappointed on entering the dining ROOM
for uncle was too busily occupied in talking
with an old gentleman to notice my tardiness
though the exquisite French time piece on the
mantel stared him straight in the face MIR.
H., aunt's nephew, had dropped in to dinner
| Query-What brings him here 80 often of
late An increasing appreciation of his aunt's
cmsiniere, or the laudsbie desire 10 keep him
self in practice, by playing of his European
Vaccinations on country teacher
| He certainly is handsome, and as aunt and
he sat there, both no carefully dressed, 80 SEEM
| ingly oblivious of the fact that rents and dust,
| lint and wrinkles missing buttons and hooks
and-eyes are part Of the evils consequent up
ON adams fall !" that il would have been an
nexpressible relief 10 me TO have seen speck
of dust on either Of then-aye to have proved
their affinity for "dust and ashes y like other
inortals, would have been willing TO encoun-
ter slight Sirocco, or that cloud which Chris
tian saw at the house of the Interpreters, even
at the expense of my new maroon merino, in
which ! fsncied was looking remarkably well.
N. greeted me with his bandest smile, and
uncle introduced "my nieceo to his guest, the
Rev. DR.. Smith. Uncle's manner of introdu-
cling me "a "my niece "a title which he evil
IDENTIFY considers sufficiently distinctive for any
reasonable young lady-causes some mistakes,
for his guests invariably address me AZ Miss
Sewal This old gentleman did the same, and
when set him right, he said:
| "Ah! aye, yes the daughter Of your sister
Elizabeth, Mr.. Sewal remember your moth
err, my child, when she was scarce as old a.
yourself She married, lot me see--a"---
"An editor said.
ave, yes, | think met him once or twice
during the sitting of the Association in this
city, some-well- twenty-five years ago.
How time does fly. He is well, hope"
81 trust So said, my eyes filling with tears.
But before | could gather courage TO 90 on
uncle had answered Cor me.
"Mr. Lytton is dead, SIR"
aIndeed!D said the old man, in tone OF
concern "Pardon me, my tssr young lady, ]
might have heard il but We old folks forget
But your mother--is she still in the cityW
"No, sir;n said /, calmly, for uncle's cold
tones had recalled me to myself; "my fathers
health failed soon after his marriage, and my
mother accompanied him to his native village,
where he died when was Ave years old.
Mother and have continued 10 live at the old
place, with the exception Of short residence
vt G., two years ago"