The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-11-16
: And are they dining together with the folks

|
"No, they went right away to the house, and
| didn't stay for to hear your speaking; and that
was when he lost that ere thing, when they
went for to go to the houses" and he pointed to
| the picture, which had not vet examined
"Well, go back, you losing your din
ner " but he informed me that be had been
eating pretty much all day, and that with a lit.
tie good stuff for to nibbe on, mean time, he had
run away for a moment for to bring me the lit
tie Bible
| When l thought he was gone, he came back
| to say that there was a mighty smoke in the
| kitchen at home, and he specified the quality
were about to take their dinner at the house,
land not in the woods, with all us common
folks"
is there no other demonish thing you could
utter ?"
81 do know what are demonish things fos
| TO be uttered"
When | was sure of being quite alone, I'M
closed the gold clasping of the velvet case
| held, and though had seen but one glimpse OF
| the original, / recognised the likeness.
1t was easy also to recognise the awkward
| ness and embarrassment of the situation in
which Mr.. Richards had been caught. | could
imagine how hateful in his eyes the cider-bar-
| rels, the tables of gingerbread, the pals OF
beer, and the gourd dippers, had all become.
could almost hear him say, Heaven help US y
an exclamation which he sometimes used in
cases of the most desperate nature, to have
been caught by his proud and naughty lady
love, the leader of band of rustics, and appar.
emily the admirer and protector of a milk-maid
he was COMPOUNDED and ashamed for / must
own that his prediction for gildod shams
could never be all subdued. He was man to
bow and smile his way along the more cultiva-
10 IF nd Il oh oh,
structions. And he lacked, too, the courage
which is apt to mate itself with the otherwise
unfriended
And this was my triumph / took the flow
ers from my hair. and crushing and breaking
them from all their beauty, sowed them out
upon the winds Of Heaven / felt that was
done with flowers-done with everything but n
long wrestle with despair.
How the gaiety of the scene Knocked me, and
! almost wished myself the humblest rustic on
the grounds, that | might be mated with some
simple plodder, and ent and drink and be con-
tent No one came to see whether it were well
or Ill with me-no one missed me-and why
should they? / was more than ever divided
from them, by new and terrible experience,
which few of those amongst whom had grown
up were capable of comprehcnding. Ii was
near night many of the older people were gone.
and others were preparing to follow, for only
the young folks were to remain in the evening
for 1t was not supposed in those days that
mothers could partici pate in the enjoyments of
thor daughters and the entertainment con-
cluded with plays and dances, it was OF course
improper for married folks to remain. IL was
near night, as | said, when my father appeared :;
he had been searching everywhere for me- he
said, and thought likely had gone home to
wait on the visitor that was come
| said | had waited to recover a little from
headache, and that | should probably remain
till the conclusion of the fun.
. 1t seems to me YOU do look IA little pale,
Mary" he said "but YOU may as we'll be mer-
nv while you can" And he took from his peck
ct bright-red apple, which he gave me as
though | were yet child and having inquired
if L had heard from Charley from any of the
many people that day, he took his way home,
mindful of the evening work.
| cared nothing for the evenings entertain
ment, but | made it an excuse to myself for
remaining | dreaded to be seen returning
alone; | did not feel at liberty to return at ALL
Surely, | thought, Mr.. Richards will himself
appear; for, knowing how anxious under SINH
lar circumstances ] should be, could not think
Of him as Indifferent. When such shadow
shall reach such a point, | said he will come
but tho shadow crept steadily on, and passed
the mark, yet he came not the sun went down,
and he came not fires were lighted about the
grounds, and the trees were illuminated with
Jumps yet he came not. For hours | had sat
in the same position, neither moving nor at
tempting to move; and when Mike appeared,
and said no was como, at the desire of his mas
ter, to take down the pavilion, and remove home
whatever was his on the grounds, and il became
necessary for exertion, ! found how inadequate
l was. When | attempted to stand, my vision
grew indistinct, and faint and sick sensation
weighed me to the earth j could not walk
could scarcely stand the world seemed sliding
from beneath me.
When / recovered little, | asked him to find
Martha who ] was sure was not gone home
Presently she appeared, and, seeing nv pros
trate condition, dashed gourd full Of cold wa
ter IN my face, and afterwara shook me pretty
roughly, saying that, in her opinion, fainting
tt and fool fit were pretty much the same
thing. She hoped | was not going to have
spell of fever, or anything like that-she didn't
know who in the world would take care Of me.
She would be glad, she was sure, if the Lord
would afford her any opportunity of doing good
Of which she could avail herself; but the dear
knew her hands were full and no money, even
if she needed money, (which she did not-she
had FIVE hundred dollars in her own pur.c,1
would hire her to take care of sick woman.
She hoped the worldly-minded Mr.. Richards
would not be so inconsiderate as to thrust me
on to her hands. but she always expected it
would come to that, sooner or later she never
supposed | could stay away long. If any wo-
man wanted to know what trouble was why,
she might just step into her shocs-nobody to
save step for her, nobody to care. And she
lifted me TO my feet, and tried by sundry push
es and thrusts to make me stand and walk but
= L. J = I---
dispose of me, she went in scarch.of the Rev.
Mr.. Goodman, who pronounced il as his opn-
ion that my unfortunate condition was to be at
tributcd to some inscrutablc Providence; but
that / was the object of divine wrath was alto
gcthcr likely. But my af1lcton, if of long con-
tinuance, would afford high Christian prvi
lege to Martha.
The excellent woman answered this comfort
ing assurance with groan, to which Mr.. Good
man responded, and ended by saying, :" the
Lord loveth whom he chasteneth, sister"
Why this blessed consolation was withheld
from me, | know not; and why my geratcr Attic
ton but showed forth the divine wrath while
her sightcr one evidenced love, could not un-
derstand and when ] suggested this inability
ON my part, my horesy was confirmed, and the
discomforting comforter left me abruptly-he
didn't see that he could do me any good. and,
beside, there remained much land yet to be pos
sessed. In palmer words, he was gathering up
the fragments that nothing might be lost He
had already many baskets full, enough to feed
"half the hungry villagers" suggested Martha.
Daughter, daughter, thou hast a marvellous
inapttude of Speech" said the preacher, frown-
ing ~ should be worse than an infdel, If
provided not first for my own household. Let
us strive to understand the things that make
for our peace" And, with some pious cjacula-
ton having special reference to me, he went
his way, mindful of the fragments, suppose
.,,J N,rtbo N apo1oov for la.y ,no 49, ~ ~