Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1854-06-01
ii Is c Z LII A N "
"TnEY SAY"
BIT MRS. E. TIL PUTNAM.
{" Those who murder fame,
XII more Than life destroyers.n y

\
-sAyAoE's STR THOMAS ovERhuRYs
Were We endowed with as many hands ss
Briareus, it might be well worth the whiee,
to turn the pages of the unwritten histotss
Of the world, aud see how many repptatioEs,
! have been furnished, Scared, blackenad, ut
timately destroyed, by that preface, /" The1
Say"
Who has not seen regulations that werf
like those butterflies which travellers teE
US are found in the mild luxuriant cline b.
Africa, with wings of FURNISHED green. fecbts
ed with gold, Of the clearest blue, edgec
silver, of purple, aud yellow, aud crimson,
with gossamer tracery Of lace, but which
are Of SO delicate nature. that in singll
rude grasp, si!:aeir beauty dissolves to DUST
To-day, | found among ny keepsakes %
olden time nicely folded paper, containing
a curl Of soft, brown hair, which had laipj
uudisturbed for years; this awoke such q
train of associations, that cannot resist the
impulse of telling a story, which shall be-
woven from be threads Of this same curl
Over against the grounds of stately;
mansion in the village Of Cashmere. is low
cottage, Of the simplest appearance YET
from the efffct Of the few cultivated plants
on either side ofthe path through the yardl
aud tile trailing honey suckle that rIades
the little stoop. reaching gracefully over the.
narrow windows. the hun BILE home presents,
no unenviable aspect to the traveller, thought
less likely to attract thought, standing. Id
shadows Of the Lofty shrrhhesie3 that
bound the neigh boring estate This osttege
was the home of the widow Gray AMI her
only surviving chifi-a young girl just step
ping upon threshold Of society, half sErinkF
ingly. as If oppressed with conseied sness
Of poverty, and folding her scauty mari lie Of
hope about her to conceal the throbhiEgs Of
a failing heart A memory still fingered
with Sophie Gray of time, in the .ar-oif
DAYS of childhood when her home was rich
ly appointed and her attire was more
than comfortable; where servants carried
her in their arms and told tales From the
pretty pictures Of her story books till she
was lulied to sleep, to awake in her own a.
partment, that seemed 20 her now like the
bower ola fairy queen. SO strangely did il
contrast With her present chamber with
barred rsfters, between the cre7iees of which,
with the stars And il was this memory
which made her more timid before the face
Of the world for being first noarisbed a
a.licate plant in the conservatory. she could
the less eisily acquire the life AID habits OF
the humble flower that is doomed to bloom
INTENDED in the shadow of the stile
But even now. very rich was Sophie ID
her marvellous beauty, ID tue sweetness Of
her temper, and the natural grace Of bef
manners in these gifts, none in all the vii
lage was more lavishly endowed
Her gentle words to all, based upon the
broad principle that sufsreth long aud is
kind, won her many friends, some Of whom,
notwithstanding her kindness, flor a very
Sister of Charity was she in Cashmere J
were too human not to envy her grsces ia
contrast with her own. Many 4 fashionable
girl Of the congregation, on the Sabbath
Morning. glanced at Sophie, as she sat back
in the shadow, under the gallery with the
look which plainly betrayed the inward
murmur. /. Had | only the face and air Of
Sophie Gray She can wear a nine penny
Lawn. cape Of the same. and chip hat, %
better advantage than |, with all my staaied
elegance Of attirep But Sophie. meek ard
amiable, never prided herself upon Der "a
periority, whatever il was never looked a..
suredly about her with the air that would
seem TO challenge admiration. Aud tlisuSh
she possessed remarkably 6ne voice for
singing. no persuasion could ever induse her
to overcome her difhdenee. and exchange
her seat beside her mother for q eonspieu.
Gus place 10 the choir.
Wearily bad the poor girl struggled, anid
privatiOn and toll, 10 acquire an education ;
for beneath her unassuning exterior, her
I. heat beat high to the impulse 10 elevate
herself upen the standard Of true expsllence.
/ For this. her mother, also, had sent out fall
freighted hopes, sparing nothing Of her lin
tied means-the result Of her untiriDg labor
10 aid 10 her dsrling's advancement And
-clden erss te the fond mother we're these
times, when Sophie won the praises Of her
clsks in the village school
Il was now her aim to become fitted for =
teacher, and As concluding preparation,
she resolved to enter herself pupil Of The
academy, which was 70 Be opened anew Al
the clsse Of the summer vacation, By . ysung
man With the Recommendation Of hSving
lately graduated at - College, with the
highest honors,
The advent O. she csllegian was quite az
event in the usually staid country place. II
was rumsred, before be came, thai be was
the son Of a very wealthy citizen Of distani
city. whe had conceived the idea that il VaI
necessary his son shsuid learn fer himself
the value ef the meney he spent, and accord
ingly had recommended him, in the 6rst SCI
Of the apprenticeship, TO take upon himsel
tae onerous aud honorable task sf teseker