The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-09-14
For the National Era.
H 0LLY-W 0 0 D
By ALICE CAREY.

HOLLY-W 00D.
BY ALICE CAREY.
CHAP. V.
The next time rang the bell at Miss Hal
las house, | was shown directly to her
~ where | found her reading aloud for
uattv who stood combing her long, black hair.
Slo smiled as | entered, but her eyes were
..-.,a1aing with tears. Mary was reading.
= The f,rfth act of " Antony and Cleopatra
- Tosage descriptive of the remorse Of Emo
E,,frs who has left Antony to follow the for
ties IF C@3ar. Her just appreciation of the
' 49,, added greatly to the effect of the
sr5. when that C@sar's soldier, entering,
tx hin
Hath after thee sent all thy treasure with
Us bounty ovorpius: the messenger
Cane on my guard and at thy tent is now
Urloa ing Of his mules
and be replies:
- give it you"
AID afterwards continues:
OF s,e lone the villain of the earth,
:rlfss! an so most. o, Antony,
T5ou nine of bounty, how wOuldst thou have paid
" better service, when my turpitudo
I.ou dost so crown with gold"
Mary closed the volume, and, smiling, put
her ara about the neck of her sister, as she
ai:
DIM. cry, Hstty there is many an Emo
tubps in the world, ready TO forsake Antony
fr Casar. OF course, | don't advise you to
k.sD an eye to MIR. Screwhard; his treasures
~ ell beyond this world"
Hay drew away, evidently displeased,
t5.ugh she said nothing and the quiet house
sscTer, entering the next moment, informed
h.r in a confidential whisper, that good
lroh.r vas below, and desired private inter
yeT with her. And she added, aloud, "He
seems to be in an unusually elevated and SOL
orn frame Of mind, and that be regretted that
he Lad no time to talk little with poor
ertor Ike herself The very sound of his
7yice vas as good as hymn to her; and when
Be eslied her a poor, hell-deserving sinner, OF
ssything ike that, she felt her speretoosl ma
tftultered more than she could say"
I'll dare say" replied Mary, looking at me
tee meaning her words did not convey to the
hgGsekeeper, 4" / feel as if it would arouse my
.rrst, if he should say anything of that sort
.me2
aDear child" said Mrs Graves, ashanti
ok him to come up and make pious exhorta-
tvn, that will lead us from the material to the
rperetooal He sees 80 much furder into the
iIer tlan an old blind body like me. And,
wpng her eyes, she added that she had tried
T. d. good in her own little way, but, after all,
SEE feared she had only been seasoning for the
Ere
Don't say So my good mother" replied
Mary serious now; "you have done thousand
tiag5 which know of, and how many more in
secret. that have made blessed marks in your
immortal nature. Il is such lives as yours that
preach to me most eloquently-humb!e and
uaoltrusi7e piety, that goes, as it were, pluck
Ing tares in the nighttime, and modestly re-
fecang its loneliness in the by-paths of duty,
Etare it bears eyerlastingIy the crop You
nay teach me, my kind friend, to put on Christ
e goa have done Would to Heaven roy feet
TcTe worthy to be planted on the level with
yCgTs2
Suddenly, aware Of the enthusiasm, she
stopped and, hiding her face in the old
Vouan's lap, gave way to passion of SORROW.
She did not see the halftriumphant glance
ya!ch Reity gave her, as, smoothing her curls,
she descended to join Mr. Screwhard, her
l5',n t.embling in anticipation of the triumph
h'e'. SSeet dreamer, enjoy, while you may,
he rapture Of copqueror's mood"
When Miss Halstead dried her eyes, she
trCu2ht from a secret drawer a handkerchief
Of foe linen and a piece of gold money, and,
pa,ing ere in thu hand and the other about
tho neck Of the old lady, stopped and kissed
her cheek with almost flial devotion.
can wear this to meeting great many
tines she said, holding it far away from her
eycs and adEiring the fneness of the texture,
and when die, it will do to bury me in"
% that will never last" replied Mary,
eheeriuly; q" | shall have to give you dozen,
yct-what are you thinking about?"
Inc cid lady Strengthened up, pinned the
kcIch.of ever her bosom, and inquired if We
thought 1t becoming to her.
Mary arranged tho folds little differently,
and asserted that it was perfection; upon which
he lousekeepar said she believed she would not
lay 1t aside-she might not need it for many
!e-is--she had act'iy known women a dozen
years older than herself who wore staye and
nbands on their caps.
Yes, and lived the longer for it," answered
Mary and, she added, {" | have known women
CIDER than sou to marry and keep house."
suppose" answered Mrs. Graves, otis no
EARN tor an old lady to marry, if she likes
q. Iuu' Is 20 keeping house, any one who has had
ue r'gh' domestic nurter can keep house.
uon g. tnnk there is any failer of my ability"
NOT whit" answered Mary; ain fact
you are smarter than you used to be-"
wen, child, | must go and zee about your
yea sald the good woman, speaking quite
ccGIeerigiy, and smoothing her handkerchief
ieel SLrenthsned and Dirderous, as it were
l mink Brother Screwhard's influence comes
op to the ohambber.D
49,. LIKELY enough" said Mary, smiling the old
satircal smile.
ana the hOusekeeper departed, with the
weight OF a dozen years off her shoulders.
Half an hour after, when she served the tea
noticed that she dealt Mary double portion
Of sugar; for her heart was warmed, and its
goodness must manifest itself in some way
and, though Mary could not drink the tea. che
lett the intended kindliness, and smiled. And
'.G such little acts and words as have record
e9 VIC are drawn together, and life beautifed
sad love made perfect.
Let me see, where was 2" said Mary
When the tea things were removed, and we wer,
enee moro alone with that good companiona
Die tllend," bright fire.
Charley was gone,D answered, "and yo'
were midway between your old home and you
.e| one having just parted from Parson Good
man and Lucretian
An, yes, yes" and shaking back the lon
masses Of hair which Hetty had left loose, sh
'O.k Up the thread of the story:
Ny thoughts had been wrenched from tn
S ~. which had for days past intensely alb
I =, them, and | saw not as | walked towar'
ml. hiehards's, on the grassy border Of the lane
sne'her the day went out in purple or scarle
~; The red peach flowers blew in my fac
y'n every wind, and the swallows twittere'
q lhey sailed low to the ground, and yet ap
P,enended nothing of the beauty of the time
remember seeing GROW walk slowly alonI
W CT the damp black ridges of the newly
fOTed held at my right hand, and Of clappinj
10y hands to fright it away, though it could d
~ narm just then, and of watching it as it lift
81 Itself on its long black wings, and sailed slow
y, and crying as it sailed, toward an old limb