The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-08-10
For the National Era.
H 0LLY-W 0 0 D .
CHAP. III.
BY ALICE CAREY.

late flowers went frss and then the leaves so
that the boughs were mostly black and bare,
few hardy vines only relieving the general
sombre aspect CT things, when through the
busy streets, oeaa clear, frosty twilight, took
my way to the house Of Mary Halssead. Il il
q melancholy thing to see, in great city, the
coming OF winter-so many poor, houseless
wretches stare you in the face, in bold impor-
tunity for aid-so many manned and broken
spirited men and women, orphaned of hope
stretch their hands for charity, shivering ard
shrinking from the pitiless blast-snd SO many
little innocent children, that with baby CLEO
should be making the household merry, follow
rs with their hungry eyes
o, how often gees up the bitter cry from be-
fore the doors of opulenoe, and even from the
porches of the churches Ny God, am for
saken!n
The windows Of Miss Halstead's house were
al illunined by the lights within, and, a.
remembered the beauty and position Of tie
mistress of the fine mansion before me, ID
seemed that her heart should be thankful and
grateful but, after all, how little real happi.
ness has TO do with bricks and mortar, with
pieces Of gold, or with the worlds praise or
blame. If there be not some one heart whose
beats echo back Cur own-eome Emile that
klndles at ours-some voice that softens if we
be ncar--all the glory Of the visible universe
fades dim as the dust
Bright as the laurel r, it cannot shelter the
aching brow 30 well as the humblest cabin
roof where love makes its abode
Mary met me- with a face beau,ing with
joy, and, ss she took my hand in hers, whis-
pered that she was come that night to the
pleasantest chapter of her life. Mr.. Screw
hard, who eat playing q psalm tune on the
piano. answered, to some remark of mine about
the cold night, that there would be no winters
in heaven. As he spoke, the cry of child in
the street came painfully TO our ears. Hetty
put down the purse en- which she was knitting,
and ran to the door. Here dear, give her
this, !" said Mary, banding the girl some money
and without troubling herself to inquire into
the wind TO tho thorn lamb,n exclaimed Mr.
serewhard, examining tho carved work Of the
piano. So and 50 differently, were differen,
natures moved by cry of distress
When Hetty returned Mr.. Screwhard said
her face was as the face Of an angel, coming
as she did from q work Of charity; and when
she blushed and turned aside, be continued
I" could almost wish myself that poor child
in the street, that thou mightss tend and min.
lister unto me-"
40 didn't do anything" exclaimed tho
modest girl i only broushs the child to the
fire, and gave him scmo supper and Mary's
money"
If thy sister hath the gold Of this world,
thou hast the ruby of wisdom" continued the
young man, closing his eyes, as if in happy
contemplation Of her excellence-the while be
dallied with the gold buttons Of his wrist.
bands.
And So for the present we leave him, and
Hetty too, knitting quietly, and listening to his
hghtest word as to an oracle. Did he heed
that listening so well as the step Of Mary,
trsad;ng past him in silence? We shall see
The FIRE was bright, the rich curtains drawn
warmly together in the pleasant study Of Mas
Halstead, whom, reeuming cur seats, the story
began, thus:
"a long winter evening was coming in, and
only those who have lived in a lonesome old
country house know how long such evenings
are. The same monOtonouS round must weary
ont any life that. has no intsrcs. in it, nor out
side Of it, and confess had but little. per-
formed the tasks which fell to me- bat with
Loavy hands. spcke only VIXEN circumst&D-
ces required it, for no one felt sympathy for me
in my cherished dreams, and cared little to
talk of other things. There was no hustle
about the preparation of supper, no lights and
hushed and gloomy dinner was served before
the night, and we never had supper a. all. My
father read the Bible when things were most
genial; but for the most part no sharpened his
razor, wearing look that was half resignation
and half despair
"Doke generally lay on the floor with tho
dog, proposing.and solving curious problems,
such as, how many pounds Of meat q man could
eat and not burst, and which he would choose
il all the good things in the world were set be-
fore him, aud he could only have one But his
usual conclusions were, that if he were rasn
he could cat any amount Of meat which he
could get, and not burst either; and that if al
the good things in the world were SGT before
him, he would choose them all Sometimes
Martha took up Hetty, and for her edihcation
told her that industrious giIls got rich, and
lazy girls starved to death tina. good girla.
when they died, wer. to heaven, and bad girls
went TO hell; but she never told her how she
must be industrious or what che must do to be
good, or avoid doing to avoid punishment. She
never kissed or petted the child in any way
never illustrated wrong and right conduct by
pretty stories, suoh as children love to hear,
but, having repeated little parrot talk--a
specimen of which have givsn-dismissed her
to the dark, lonesome gairet. A strsightfor.
ward, hard, uncompromising woman, was Mar
tina, my stepmother. The sun had been down
an hour and cloudy and windy and ehecrlcss
the night was setting. We were all there !:
Doke stretched before the ERE, and talking TO
himself, for he had no Listener, on this wiso /:
6 If was sick, and going to die, and anybody
would bring custard pie and offer me, don't
you believe would get up and eet it, Well,
/ believe would and If it was rs big as the
sky wouldn't cut il, nor give anybody any of
"Hctty sat quietly il dark corner, saying
nothing for all her childish glee had been
subdued, and Martha sat upright, saying moth
ing, and doing nothing, and looking at nothing
NV father came In aud told US the wind had
blown down one Of his fsest orchard trees.
Well answered Martha, 'if It's blown down,
let il be blown down-if you were 10 mourn
over it q year, it would not set it up sgain, and
make it bear fruit / know it said my
father, and shrinking into the obscurest COR
ner, be mourned for the applc.tree in silence.
aThe winds moaned through the woods, the
crickets chirruped in the hearth, and the dogs
across the hills bsrked, one to another. r
leaned my head on my hand, thinking of my
hard fate and in thought making it harder, if
possible, than it was in reality Charley went
In and out restlessly, and locking ct me,
tn0ugnt - tn0uHu no Wouiu oPoeAs a. Aoss
said, Well, Charley, what Is it!
There was general stir in the household,
10 unusual was it for any Of us to speak in 3
cheerful manner, as tken did. Anything
good to eat exclaimed Doke, rising from the
floor. Martha turned in her chair, Hetty
smiled, ana my father said, what are you
talking about childrcnl as though we were
behaving very badly. Charley came c.ose 70
me, and said, in a whisper, Suprose you get
your shawl and bonnet and we 90 sotnewhere'
II was soon ready, and We walked ont to
Rsther. For some time We stood irresoiute for
tho night-wss cold and the wind higt, and we
scarcsiy knew whittier 70 bend our steps 10