Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1854-02-24

and halting in their progress up the hill Of
knowledge but the guide was patient, and
the goal seemed nearly won. And in the
quiet, summer days Marion sat in the libra.
ry, and gaIed on the grave, earnest face of
her teacher, and took to her heart something
that grew with her youth, and strengthened
with her strength.
Was she not afaithful pupil? For she
conneda lesson more than he had given her
to learn. se ~
But what has this to do with "Mysterious
Knockings % A great deal with those who
believe that "as the twig is bent the tree 10
inclined !" for the Marion Field in the pic
ture. is the same mischievsus girl who
mimiesd the slumbers of the old house.
keeper. 10 be sure, her long curls are now
twisted back, and four years have given her
y more natureappearaace; but there she
Is, listening to the first magical sound of
"Mysterious Knockings.' efsr
We must &c. back little. rr ..ss -5r
Two pleasant years glided by, and Wal
lace Hampton ceased to play the part Of
teacher to . half-srained girl, and went
forth into the world to find field Of action
more suited to his abilities and Marion
stayed in the old house until she fairly
loathed the saiet village with its everlasting
stiffness. She could not help feeling that
she was capable of something better than
making up such unreasonable quantities of
ruffied pillow cases but Mrs. Field delighted
in these inexhaustible stores, and although
she never had daughter, she had always
been preparing for somebody's wedding.
Who was to be the victim it seemed impos-
sible to tell but the old lady had certainly
worked herself up to the conviction that .
marriage would come upon her as unex-
pectedly as a housebreaser in the dead Of
night, and with this prophetic feeling it be-
hooved her to be in readiness.
During the long winter evenings, Marion,
when quite child, sat reading to her grand
mother s.The Children of the Abbey or
"The Mysteries of udolpho; p and this duty
was anything but task. Sometimes, By way
Of antidote, Mrs. Field would request passa-
ages from "Young's Night Thoughts" or
"Paradise Lost;'' but Marion soon found
that her auditor was very apt to nod over
gloomy philosophy and sublime descrip-
tions; and when her grand mother had
been fairly read to sleep, she would draw
forth the enticing volume with renewed
zest. 3vs--u s-a.zr aa-
And there they would sit in the plea SAINT,
curtaincd room; the winter wind moaning
witkout-the old lady asleep in her arm.
chair-and little Marion quite absorbed IN
her novel. ~ ~ eT -,
Then came those pleasant days that she
loved to think of, even now, when she sat
with Wallace Hampton in the library, and
conned whole volumes of ancient lore vol
umes that Mrs. Field considered far inferior
to her own substantial receipt book. When
her teacher left, the place became dreary
blank ; and a feeling of utter WEAKNESS en-
sued, while Marion looked about in vain for
soulc eACltement. .s
What tame, quiet set their neighbors
were How perseveringly the women kit,
and brewed, and baked, and tended baby be-
tween spells, until the spirit of degeners.
tion seemed fairly satisfied with its domin-
ion there, and contemplated its disciples
with pleasurabls feelings! How the very
clergyman from the pulpit encouraged this
degraded conduct by such quotations rs,
"WIves, be in subjection unto your hus.
bands, !" GA virtuous woman is abeve all
price, followed by dissertations upon the
vanity OF adornmens, and the utter wildness
and impracticability of ever aspiring to any
higher statien than that of respectable
domestic animal, until Marion, animated
by the restless spirit of mischief, lopgsd to
stir up revslt. -.
At length, however, her desire for
change seemed likely to he realized. In
tho first place, Marion, to her great sur
prise, became an heiress. A maternal aunt,
after whom she had been named, and whose
only acknowledgement of the compliment
while living was an infants set of coral,
died, and left her neics sum of money,
which to the country people appeared really
enormous. Marion's love Of excitement
was grati6ed Immediately having, with
some difficulty persuaded her grandmother
to agree to her contemplated Improvements,
she went to work at the old farm. house
with all tho energy of an active genius.
How often had she and Wallace talked
OF conservatory to be entered from the
very room in which they studied how Of
ten had been planned the arrangement Of
every howor andsihrub and, new thar he
was expected back, with ell his clerical
honors fresh upon him, how pleasant il
would be to surprise him with sight of the
conservatory, a. the Empress of Chin. lad
been surprised at the erection of Aladdin's .
Palace in single night? The old farm
house was almost turned into fairy region,
and Marion contemplated her improvements
with no small degree Of complacency : But
the roc's egg Was still wanting TO render it
complete. bsef 3apaa3 .sut
Before Wallace arrived, came the ssMys.
tsrioas Knockings - and no wonde er that
the wandering spirits, who seem to have
plenty Of leisure on their hands, should have
devoted themselves to the task of waking