The Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1852-1853, 1853-12-14
"oUR HATTY."
by fanny FERN.

and when they wished TO carry out favor
/ lie scheme, could throw their arms about
the parental neck, flatter some, anil carty
the day, and then laugh at their Juvenile
foresight; SO their Golfers were always fill
ed, while Haty's were empty; and she laid
all these things up in herlittIe grieved heart,
and as she saw dupllcity better rewarded
than sincerity, began 10 have little iniidel
doubts whether the Bible, that her father
read from, was rca ly true; while Joseph S
"coat of manv colors" even Haunted before
her fearful eyes. All her sweet, childish
impulses were ch, ckcd and crushed; and
where the sweet flowers of love and conf
dence Should have sprung mp, the weeds of
distrust and suspicion took bitter root
She took no part in the conversation Of
the domestic circle. 'She was stupid, !"
they told her, and she had heard Till she
believed It was true. Sometimes, AS was
often the case. some talented person made
a part of the family sscircle. Hauy would
listen in her corner till her great wild eyes
glowed and burned like living Goals of fire
But there WAS one spot where none disputed
Hatty's right to reign; little, lonely room
in the top OF the house, that she had fitted
up in Ler own wild way, and where she
was free from reproof OF intrusion.
You should have seen her there, with
her little yearning heart half broken by neg
lect; doubtful of her own powers, and weed
ing such passionate tears that "shc was so
stupid, and ugly, and disagrceable," )" that
nobody can even love her. And she made
friends with the holy stars and heccy clouds,
and the brilliant rainbows, the silver moon
beams, and the rapid lightning. ana artistic
eve, to see her .soullit face AT the same l.
tallal, improvisatrice. There thr lctters fell
of, the soul was free, and the countenance
mirrored forth. Back in the family circle,
she was again "our Hatty,"
""hat young daughter of yours differs
very much from the rest OF your family Mr..
Lee" remarked an elderly maiden lady
who WAS visiting there.
Yes, ycs!" said the o!l man, with
shrug; "she don't look much like Lee; in
fact, she is very plain. She is a strany &c,
unaccountab;e child; likes her own compa-
ny better than anybody's eIsc; and don't
care a rush-lisht for all the knick knacks
oiber girls are teasing for. Aometimcs |
think she belongs to auo;hcr brood, got
changed in the cradle, or something"
GLOW does she spend her hours??" asked
Miss Tabitha
Il am sure don't know-wife says she
has hide den at the top Of the house,
wh"re she sits starGazin5. Qleer child
that Hatty! plain as ii pike staff" and Mr..
Lee took up tn, newspaper, and put his foot
on the man;tL .......
Miss Tabi,ha was con(oundcd. She hsd
an uncommonly warm heart for an old maid,
She had never been a parent, she wished
she had, just to show son!e people what II
nice one she wou make. She inwardIy
resolved to know more of ''our Hatty."
"Tap, tap" OF the door of Hauy's little
dcu-wbat on earth dill it mean? She ho
ed they did not mean to take it away from
her; and with guilty, frightened look she
hopened The door
Miss Tabiha entered
"Are YOU vexcl with me for coming
here, child? You don't look glad to see
ne"
"No, no." said TIatty, putting back
mass oftanglea b ack haj'; "but it j, so odd
that Jou should want to come. Nobody
ever wanted to sec me before"
And why not, Hatty." ..
"W Il, don't know" she said, with
touching meckness and simplicity, "uolcss
it is that | am stupid, anil ugly, and disa
grecable."
"Who told You that, Hntty?"
can Of them down stairs, y said she, "an1
| don't care about it, oAy-only-" and
the tears rolled down her cheeks, sit is SO
dreadful to feel that nobody can ever love
me-"
Miss Tabitha looked rather strangely, and
muttcred "HnmphW -......'.
"Hatty," said sine, "come here. Do you
ever look in the glass?" ......
"Not since a long while," said the young
girl, shrinking back. ....
"Come here and look in this little mirror
Do you see those large bright eyes of you're?
Do YOU see that wealth OF raven hair, that
skilrul hand might render a beauty, instead
of tangled deformhy? Do you see those
little, supple limbs, that little care and
training might render graceful as the
swaying willow? There is intelcct on
your browj soul in your eye; your
voice has thrilling heart tone. Hatty,
you are gen, in tile rough! You cannot
be ugly; but listen TO me- You have un-
derrated and neglected yourself, my poor
child. Nature has been no niygard to you