Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-07-25
LITERARY MISCELLANY.
For the National Era.
n 0 L w 0 0 D /,
BY ALICE CAREY.
CHAP. IL Concluded.

two or three days. and yet no dld not Recognise
me. felt the mingling Of anger, and shame,
and pride, fash through my cheek, as, oowing
with sort of satirical Difference, Withdrew.
True he had not seen me in my bonnet except
in the night, until now--and | might have
found other alI-suficient excuses for his mat.
tention to me-but could only see the naked
truth, which was certainly ugly enough, and
notifying enough The very dog that lay in
my path looked hateful to me, as with aristo-
cratic assurance he maintained his position.
did not once turn or look toward the house
il might have sunk into the earth, or burned
up and at the moment should have felt
neither pain nor pleasure in the scene.
"There was path broken along the lane,
which the funeral folks had made, but dis
dained to tread in it, and made my way right
through the drifted snow. II pleased my mood
to trample down whatever opposition could
"A thousand contradictory resolves made
during that short walk would fall into
my proper position, and never think Of any
thing but tending the dairy, and comparing
calico dresses with Lucretia Wilkinson and
now said was head and shoulders above
her, and would not stoop to mate myself with
her, or the class to which by nature she be-
longed. There were immortal longngs in me-
and in some way they should be gratifed-
when or how did not stop to inquire. did
not know how hard it is for even Genius to dig
its slow way from the base to the summit-to
snap asunder all natural ties, defy its own igno
rance and the opposition Of the thousand
starved but cultivated aspirants that tread it
down to the last
alt was almost night when | reached home
Nobody was expecting me, or glad that was
come; apparently even Hetty, whom Martha
had taught, while was gone, not only to milk
COW, but also to say mother seemed weaned
quite away from me. The child was of more
pliable clay, and Martha felt what was true,
that with me out Of the way, she could mould
her to her will.
g Hetty told me Of her new requirements,
adding that mother was going to teach her to
make quilt out of thousand pieces, and
asked me if | knew how to make such a one.
| said no, aud didn't want to know and that
if she would try to master her spelling book,
she would do wiser thing. Naturally, was
anxious that all possible educational advanta-
ges should be afforded my poor sister; but
Martha said, in her coarse way, nothing could
ever be made OF her, and my father remained
passive sat down, without removing bonnet
or shawl, for felt as though ! had no home,
there nor elsewhere, and Martha moved about
without noticing me. If her work were out of
doors she remained there, inseDsble of the
cold if it were over blazing fire, flames
seemed her element. Heat nor cold, death nor
love, nothing moved her but in the same pas
sionless way she went about
at was growing dark in the cherries room,
when my father and Parson Goodman came
in--the latter to solicit contributions, in the
way of clothes or money, for q poor family in
the neighborhood, and my father to have q
brier, which he had thrust deep In his finger,
picked out.
+" Martha gave him great brass pin, which
she took from her sleeve and told him he could
best extricate the thorn himself She did not
inquire whether it was the left or the right
hand, nor did she see how the oczing blood
filed all the aching cavity between the broken
nail and the finger, but passed from the room
in search Of some contribution to the Parsons
budget.
@1My good young lady he said, addressing
me, haven't you something for these poor
people, l had little TO spare, knew, but
remembered an outgrown dress, and curious
shilling, which had had for q long time
Msrths returned with bundle as with
drew for my little store. could find neither.
of the articles sought and was obliged to
say had nothing. Martha, as after ward
learned, had contributed not only the dress, but
the shilling, taking to herself the credit, and
leaving me TO appear selfish or careless.
My father YVES standing in the fast fading
light essayiDg his best to extract tho thorn
with the pin. How dainty y exclaimed Mar
tina, taking the dull instrument and tearing
the brier from the quiveripg flesh, as she would
have torn it from the tree on which it grew !;
and the Parson with the bundle, and my father,
holding the bleeding finger in the other cracked
and toii-hardened hand, went out Of the house
al heard Charley walking TO and fro in his
own room--that il in the part Of the garnet
where his clothes hung on pegs-where his
bed was, and whore stood an old trunk, con-
tanning few dollars and few books. could
not sit quictly-my thoughts were all pertur-
bation-and with step unsteady and hurried,
j went out into the air
Mr.. Goodman was 10 his carriage, about
driving away, and my father was just handing
in q bag Of oats or potatoes OF corn, don't
know which, but heard the Parson say TO
him, can take it full, Mr.. Halstead' The
parsonage was half mile away in the vicinity
Of the grocery, the tavern, and the post office.
Of pleasant evenings, it was my custom TO
walk there, though IN expectancy Of nothing
moro than the weekly paper. IL occurred to
me then, TO ride thther with the Parson and
10 walk home, but Mr.. Goodman set OF at
brisk trot before was near enough to arrest
his attention.
II was not disposed 10 be bsfled however,
and, wrapping my shawl about me, walked for
ward AZ would have walked on the May grass.
1t was quite dark when reached the ofice--I
had seen nothing except my shadow in the
moonlight moving along the snow beside mo-
hsar& nothing but the whistle Of the north
windz%and, with feelings little soothed was
Turning homeward, for not even Q newspaper
had been given in answer to my quest, when
the halfboyish, halfmanly, but altogether
handsome face Of DR.. Roberts smiled on me
through Me dark
aHs beegsd leave to delay me a moment,
and, having made bis inquiries, offered me his
have been rude. The lights sbone brightly
from the windows about us--few persons were