The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-08-25

Reginas besetting sin was ambition, and with
her she left @What shall it profit q man, if no
gain the ,phole porid and lose his own soul z"
and to Augusta, who had a naughty mind, she
said. Pride goeth before fall, and naughty
spirit before destruction :" to Maud, who had
a high temper she whispered, "a soft answer
turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir
up anger - to little Alice, who was poor and
neglected, and inclned-chld as she was-to
dependency, she said, Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth !" to Fanny,
who was an impetuous, imprisoned child OF
impulse, she said, I" He that ruieth has oDn spir-
ii is greater than he who taketh city, All
these the affectionate girls promised to lay to
heart, and act upon until they should meet their
teacher again Only Fanny said she hoped
their dear teacher would not treat them as
Lycurgus did the Spartans, and leave them
laws to be obeyed during her absence, and then
90 away never to return. A cloud passed over
the sunshine of Rosalie's countenance but after
a little hesitation she said, GAS sure as live,
dear girls, will return in the spring. And
soon after saying this, she dismissed all the
bright-eyed, hght-hearted children to their
homes.
Rosalie had been directed by her physician
to spend the fall and winter in the South. She
had an old, standing engagement to spend a
few months in Louisiana, at the house of the
Lauderdales, with whom she had kept up a
regular correspondence. But, previous to en-
bracing this opportunity of beneftting her
health by accepting the invitation, Resale
wrote to her step-mother, telling her frankly of
the feeble state of her health and the precari-
Gus tenure of her life, and of the order of her
physician relative to her removal to the South /;
but expi essing at the same time, her dread of
the inconvenience and trouble to which her i'll
ness and death at their house might possibly
subject her host and hostess There could but
one possible answer to such letter suggest
itself to the mind of Rosalie's affectionate step
mother-it was an answer in her own person
Accordingly, in about two weeks from the day
that Resale mailed her letter to Mrs Lauder
dale, that lady arrived at Shelton, stopping
only long enough at the hotel to write note
to Mark Sutherland, requesting him to break
the news of her presence to Rosale, and then
come and take her to his wife
The meeting between Rosalie and her step
mother was most affectionate and tender but
the patience of Rose and the self-possession of
Mrs. Landerdale restrained their mutual agi-
tation. Mrs. Lauderdale had come, in person,
to take her step-daughter to Louisiana, that
she might nurse and watch over her dorng the
journey. And as soon as she found herself
alone with Mark Sutherland, she said
"And you must let her go at once, dear
Mark She is iller than you think, and the
mornings and the evenings are already chill in
this bleak cline. Yes dear Mark, you must
let her 90 at once and if you cannot possibly
leave your political interests here, you may
confidently trust her to me ON the journey, for
love her as my own child, and will not leave
her, night or day and you can join us as soon
as you get through this busting and bother
some election"
"No, | will never suffer her to 20 without
me. ! will accompany her-attend upon her.
will never leave her again. Let the election
go. What is success to me, if | lose her You
do not know all that she has been to me-all
that she is to me-Mrs. Lauderdale | tell
you, if she should sink into the grave, earth
could not offer me u boon SO welcome as the
half of that gravel
few days after this, the whole party set out
for the South, and in little more than week
arrived at the beautiful home of the Lauder
dales. Lincoln LauderdaIe met and received
them with hearty cordialty. Upon the very
day that Mrs, Lauderdale had left home to 90
up the river and visit her step-daughter, she
had written to Mrs. Wells and invited her to
come to Louisiana to meet her daughter
law and perhaps her son. This was done by
the kind hearted little lady with the purpose Of
effecting a reconciliation between the long es-
tranged members of the family. And now, on
reaching home again, among the letters upon
her boudoir table she found one from Mrs.
Wells, saying that the Doctor had gone for an
indefinitely long absence to California, and that
she should be pleased to accept the invitation
of Mrs Lauderdale, who might expect her
about the middle of the month.
"And the day after tomorrow is the SIX
arrival of your MOTHER said Mrs Lauderdale,
looking up from the epistle. And then she
told them of her invitation.
Upon that very afternoon Mrs. Wells ar
rived The meeting between herself and her
son took place alone, by her request. 1t was
not known what took place at that interview,
except that she sobbed long time on his
shoulder, and that q full reconciliation ensued
To Resale her manner was very affectionste;
but Resale, from the time Of her reaching
FairpIains, failed very fast She now seldom
left her easy-cbair by the western window. 1t
was the pleasantest and most beautiful room
in the house, that had been assigned the inva.
ida room occupying the first floor Of whole
wing of the house, and with its east windows
looking far out upon the green alluvian that
stretched to the sandy beach of the distant
gulf, and with its west windows opening upon
beautiful garden, beyond which spread fields,
reaching out to the dark pine forest that stood
stately against the sunset sky. AT this sunset
window was her favorite afternoon seat; and
here, with her friends grouped around her, she
lad nd oh al
if more family, than ever or here, with only
her husband seated by her side, she would sit
with her thin hand in his, looking into his eyes
with such infinite, unutterable love and devo-
ton, as though she would transfuse all her
mind and soul and spirit into his being, to
strengthen him for his lifes trial and work.
Every mail brought him piles of letters from
his political friends and correspondents; but
they lay unanswered unopened, upon his sec
rotary, Sometimes she would inquire about
the prospects of the party; he could tell her
little, he thought little, he cared little about it !;
and she would fix her mild eyes in mournful
wonder upon him.
Soon the pleasant seat by the sunset window
was given up for the couch, and too soon the
couch was left for the bed, from WEIGH she was
never to rise again. Then it was, after her
confinement to her bed, that they approached
a subject that both had hitherto avoided dis
cussing together-her approaching dissolution.
She still spoke to him Of the good cause.-the
cause of justice, truth, and freedom. She. i'm
plored him to let no individual sorrow draw
him away from his labors Of love TO the whole
race Of man; rather to consecrate that sorrow
to their service. And still she inquired about
the prospects Of his election to the Senate.
She so much wished TO see him in the poses
sion Of place and power before her death
"Not alone for your sake, dearest Mark"
she still repeated; mot alone for your sake,
but for the sake OF humanity"
"Oh, dearest Rosalie, why should wish for
success When you have left me, what mo-
tive of action have left on earth 2"
"A motive higher than any my life could
supply you with--the service OF God, tho good