Butte record., 1854-03-25
Fern Leaves.

twenty other names, but that was the
only appellation I ever heard. 1t was
"Get out of the way, Hatty,n 81 dare
say Hatty broke that vase; or lost that
book" "Don't come here; what a
fright you are, Hatty!" till the poor SEN
sitive child almost felt as if she had the
mark of Cain upon her forehead. She
had brothers and sisters, but they were
bright, and saucy, and bold, and cum
ming; and when they wished to carry
out a favorite scheme, could throw their
arms about their paternal neck, fatter
some weak side, carry the day, and then
laugh at their juvenile foresight; so that
their Golfers were always filled, while
poor Hatty's was quite empty; and she
laid all these things up in her little grie-
we'd heart, and as she saw duplicity bet
ter rewarded than sincerity, began to
have little infdel doubts whether the
Bible that her father read out of, was
really true; while Joseph's coat of many
colors flaunted before her fearful eyes.
All her sweet childish impulses were
checked or crushed; and where the sweet
flowers Of love and confidence should
spring up, the weeds of distrust and sus-
picion took bitter root. She took no
part in the conversation of the domestic
circle. "She was stupid" as they told
her, and.'she had heard it till she believed
it true. Sometimes, as was often the
case, some talented person made part of
the family circle Hatty 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 reigu; little
lonely room at the top of the house that
she had fitted up in her own wild way,
and where she was free from reproof and
intrusion. You should have seen her
there, her little yearning heart half bro
ken by neglect; doubtful Of her own
powers, and weeping such passionate
tears, that she was $50 stupid, so ugly
and disagreeable," that nobody could
love her. And so she made friends
with the holy stars and fieeey clouds, and
the brilliant RAINBOW, the silver moon-
beam, and the swift lightning; and an ar
tistic eye, to have seen her soullit face
at that small window, might have fan
cied her some Italian Improvisatrice
There, the fetters fell off, the soul was
free, and the countenance mirrored forth
Back in the family circle she was again.
"Our Hatty."
"That young daughter of your differs
very much from the rest of the family,
Mr.. Lee,' said o maiden lady who was
visiting there.
eyes, yesf' said the old man with
shrug; ''she don't look much like Lee !;
in fact she's very plain. She's strange,
unaccountable child likes her own com
pany better than anybody's else, and
don't care rush-light for all the nick
nacks other girls arc teasing for. Some
times I think she belongs to another
brood; got changed in the cradle, or
something"
"How does she spend her time :" said
MISS IdDetua.
s.I'm sure I don't know-wite says
says she has little den at the top of
the house, where she sits star-gazing.-
Queer child, that Hatty plain as a pike
staff" And Mr.. Lee took up his news
paper and put his feet on the mantel
Miss Tabetha was confounded She
had an uncommon warm heart for an
old maid. She never had been parent
she wished she had, just to show some
people what a nice one she'd have made
She inwardly resolved to know more of
"Our Hatty
Rap, tap ! on the door of Hatty's little
den--what on earth did it mean She
hoped they did not mean to take that
away from her /; and with a guilty, fright
ened look, she opened the door.
Miss Tabetha entered.
care you vexed with me for coming
here, child You don't look glad to see
me!''
'No, no ~ said Hatty, putting back a
tangled mass of black hair; ''but it's so
odd that you should aoaut to come. No
body ever wanted to see me before.n
Sand why not, Hatty :"
"Well, l don't know ~ said she, with
touching meekness and simplicity, Sun
less it's because I'm stupid, and ugly,
and disagreeable."
'.Who told you that, Hatty 2''