Spirit of the age., 1853-05-18

her years, and the more cOntemplatIve lSa-
bel was, therefore, the companion best suited
to her hours of retirement. 1t was with the
hope that the ever sunny mind of Kate
would dispel the shadows that of late had
been observed to pass over the spirits of
Laura that the two were placed together.
But change awaited Laura. The sweet
feeling and sIumbering energies other inner
nature were about to be awakened, beyond
the power of gloom TO impair.
One afternoon she sat beneath the shade
of tree deeply absorbed in the contents Of
book when she felt an arm suddenly thrown
around her, and, turning she beheld the face
OF Kate, all radiant with smiles, fixed upon
her own. Your mother is home, Laura.
See what have brought you /" and the sym
pathlsing girl placed letter in Laura
with trembling fingers Laura broke the seal
and read as follows
Ny DEAR LITTLE DAUGHTER Il am
home at last, and very impatient to see you
You must be ready on Friday morning,
when your papa will come for you.
How you must have grown. am anx-
ious to see how you have improved in looks
and manners.
Il hayea present which I think will please
you, but shall say no more Until you
arrive Your loving mother,
MARGARET LEIGH
Laura sprang from her seat, and finging
her white arms about the neck of Kate, She
kissed her in the wild excess other e gladness.
cbo lain nd
= and then shall see mamma. Oh, it seems
very long time since was home. won
der if ma dresses as splendidly as she did
and if she will go out and receive company
as much as ever, and she muSed moment
but only moment. twas not an occasion
for unpleasant memories. She talked onl,
/ of her mothers kindness, and of the man.
comforts and luxuries she had always SUI
1 rounded her with But the next mornin
u she said to Kate, as she was assisting her
i prepare for the journey
G. | want to please mamma, but am afrai
d I shall not. | shall be all the time fearfl
j. of saying or doing something she will thin
r. is not genteel or lady-like. Perhaps, to-
Is my dresses arc all questionable, and she
Or so particular
v Poor child Such fears nearly destroye
the pleasure she felt in the prospect of +
wv turn to the home where she had witness
er so much willing slavery to form and fashio
m, Mrs Loring saw her depart with deep am
ira ETY.. She knew Laura would act true to t
le- feelings and principles of her nature, and S
feared Mrs. Leigh 5 worldly ambition fort
ri child child T9Ptah Banssf her tq gsmoye her
IN. views would be rigidly carried out.
When Laura entered the city, instead
being driven, as she expected, to the ho
non she had left more than two years before
= hack, which conveyed them from the rallr
s $50 station, drew up to hotel: Ihero was
time to reply to her questions OF SurPr
now She was lifted out, and led in through
Was was oreat hall, amid people hurrying to and
md and then up several flights OF stairs wi
eoE I waters, and porters, and dodgers lostle
y ~ gainst them, while their ears were Tiled
" q confused number Of sounds. AT le
u;or Laura found herself ushered into a sinai
n,r9 ,anr9 elegant parlor and the first object she
oain- distinctly was her mother seated IN III. 4
! . sbo ous chair. Confused, agitated and al
cont i'll from fatigue and excitement she ru
, 10 forward and threw herself into her mot
;son arms, and burst into tears
,oO 'oUno Why, Laura, my dear, what alls
- nan How red your face is. Do you cry De-
:. 'nS nc Won are sorrv to see me 2 Such were tt
I;uIt nrcssions of Mrs. Leigh as she raise
folly child. ana NlSSea ooi nel o"i "'I am verv
P''O Glad to see you, but am warm and
"a v,u and a this great noisy place makes my
~ ~ nm. ache badly and Laura pressed her h
'a;ptod her throbbing temples.
IL -;u ~ well, it's quiet here. Lay Oft your
o.i,, WI, ~ and compose yourself. Here is fan.
49,, nv dear, your hair eurls as beauht
W. ';..oa ever. and how tall and graceful yot
ulprits, grown nave i,OO 'S0" -''O-
m that in all MY travels.
Oh '"1' Il am Glad you are pleased, m
said Laura, in a choking voice.
clad to see her mother look smiling a
-, woro fled, but the remarks she made wer
voot W = q Of. a nature to make her happy She felt
ond desire to lay her weary head on some
- a"1 lv bosom and weep, and she though
.,,oreIs ,,Iao and of Kate, whose parting embrace
5IaJ Lor her vet, but her mother the belngWf
ueu a, lo' have been ever her closest friend,
1ar a nor so stately and formal, she felt as Ii
5 no1 pa : nrosencc ola stranger, and her hear
''e1 " - : ready to burst with the weight ol
sn;r;tloss @ crowded back upon it. Rotresnm
!, p \" tSon ordered, but Laura could taste not
ny. sno '" s"m her mother, perceiving that she "
gu, sn0 on1 indisposed, advised her to lie down
9mu' "mad au auJ very gladly accepted the offer
60 or ;ovous looking young woman was SUNNI
oa 49, 50ro5 attended her to small room Partl
. wTnue'ou .. 81 ened and as soon as she was left
, y ~, .Sa M threw herself on the bed, and ind
= poI', ON 60 fit of weeping, after which she san
% p. % Vows When she awoke she was consclo
10 @ Kate ing, close by, the feeble cry OF an
N sick as Feeling greatly refreshed, she
: e"I ON, ON ~ ~ preached the door aud peeping, IN
- doos not she remembered having passed
- ~ her way to her own, she saw the
.bo would man Just mentioned, holding in
e1v ,;r0o nm delicate babe of three or four mor
II;os NJ % of her came softly forward, and gazinI
',Iv, ottacbcd to and tenderly on the pale little
/. frop, that ed
n;raS ,sS"' Her Her is it your baby The pale
= ao Kote's man answered, between a smile
'e do hA" No miss Nv own dear