The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-09-21
VOL. VIII.

| felt quite sure that Timothy read my heart
as he would an open page. Had he not rslin-
pushed his proposed purchase on my account,
and had be not talked of marriage and settle
ment, for the purpose of awakening feeling
of insecurity in the bosom of MIR. Richards
When Mike brought the carriage to the door,
| reached to relieve him of his flute He gave
it me, smiling as be did 80, and speaking, in a
low tone, some words, unimportsnt and COM
monplace and which / felt to be designed
rather for MIR. Riehards's seeing than for my
hearing q e.
| was half ashamed to admit it to myself,
and yet liked the young man better than |
had previously DONE a
| As to the sincerity of some part of his CON-
munication was not long In doubt for in the
course of few days he actually became the
purchaser Of fifty acres of land adjoining Mr..
Richardss
He had resolved to spend the evening of his
life in the seclusion of the country, be said,
and he rather inclined to think he should
enter into some benevolent project. He could
not decide in what way to give scope to his
natural charitableness Of heart. Sometimes he
inclined to the project of an orphan asylum !;
sometimes to an institution solely for the lame !;
and again, of building theological seminary
Some little circumstance, he doubted not
tive course. Meantime, he proposed to employ
Doke as guide, and make explorations about
| the neighborhood, with view to a matrimo-
| NAL connection.
| Mr.. Richards WAS greatly annoyed by these
nonsensical avowals; for though he avoided
any allusion to our engagement, and said moth
| ing of his plans for the future he evidently
disliked to find me listening to the projects of
| Mr.. Timothy Shne, for whom my liking in
creased, after he became the proprietor of
neighboring estate, and perhaps the more that
he afforded me an opportunity of using what
power had. | ought to feel very grateful to
him for his disinterested benevolsnce know
not how my game of life CHANGED to interest
him, but it did; and he lost no opportunity of
playing into my hand 1t wouldn't all do
however, the success have met, such as it is.
| is chiefly owing to him. Beneath his indolent
manner, and unembittered by the satirical sur
face, there was a flow of the kindliest feeling.
He made no ostentatious display of good works,
nor did he 90 out of his way to find distress
but he did good as occasion required | did
not forget the circumstance of meeting Mr.
Richards in the garden, and rested upon it on
assurance Of deeper interest than [ had pre-
viously known he entertained for me.
We had scarcely conversed apart for mo-
ment since the arrival Of Timothy. Our en-
distant way. neither sought nor avoided an
interview for, to confess the truth, feared
for the stability of the hope INDUCED, and,
while my uneasiness did not amount to actual
suffering, was rather glad Of the protracted
| suspense.
He often took occasion to say, in the pres
ence of Our guest" Have you attended to this
or that domestic affair 2" 30 placing me on a
level with the other domestics Of course
had no redress, for the most subordinate posi-
ton was better than any other the world
would be likely to assign to me-
| had entered his house with the honest in
tent;on Of becoming a common servant NV
natural superiority to that position, nv ambi.
ton, and the speedy proposal of marriage
which Mr.. Richards honored me with, had
rendered my condition most unsatisfactory to
myself, and, as felt in the eyes of our neigh
bors, unenviable Where | lived, or in what
capacity Martha cared little, 80 that troubled
her not; and my father, good, simple old man,
thought me quite capable Of choosing my own
way of life, and guarding myself. Every day
| resolved that my position should be made de-
tnitive, but thousand circumstances kept
me mute. Was | not very ignorant and i'll.
bred, and was not the situation of servant
maid in so respectable a family as Mr. Rich
ards's quite equal TO my deserts He was 80
much WISER than J, 80 much in every way my
superior, | feared to assume any simple right
which he chose to withhold If offended
him, what would become of mo- The farm
was insufficient for the needs of those at home !;
and, since Charley was gone, regarded re-
turn to the old place as the greatest evil which
could befall me. Conscious of rectitude, why
should regard village gossip? In the end, my
honor would be INDICATED; and 30 in one way
and another lulled the sense of outraged pro-
priety and waited till Of themselves circum.
stances should right me. But more than all
reasoning, and more than all fallacy weighed
my love for Mr.. Richards.
And yet, after ALL it sometimes seemcd that
my destiny was beyond my shaping. One
evening, when had been sitting longer than
usual, listening to the flute of Timothy, and
watching Mr.. Richards who in a near field
was affecting to assist Mike, my fate seemed
to have found its crisis
MIR. Shue had put down the flute, to tell me
the story of o ring which he drew from his
finger, and placed in my hand, perhaps for
effect, just as MIR. Richards opened the gate.
returned it hastily, for glance showed me
that Mr.. Richards was displeased; and limo
thy so far from replacing the ring on his fin-
ger and continuing the story, slipped it in his
vest pocket, and abruptly changed the subject
I" | hope tea is ready" said MIR. Richards,
addressing me. He saw it was not and knew
it was in advance of the hour-I said come
thing to that effect, to which he replied, that
if would keep my pleasures subordinate to
my duties, it would be well for me.
1 made no reply, but withdrew, secretly
resolved to separate my duties and pleasures
from his. A very dignifed and womanly
procedure should be mine; so thought, as |
assisted Rose about the supper; for | could
not allow Mr.. Shue to see me other than obe-
dent though well knew he had defined my
true position and awarded me all respectful
consideration.
saw him from the window as laid the
cloth, cutting flowers in the garden, and felt
surprise that he should give himself SO much
trouble, for to stoop was even painful to him.
He had his own motive, however, and took oc-
casion to present them to me, aside, as it were
and yet when he knew he could not be unob-
served. | accepted them with the manner OF
one who had received an inestimable favor
for what woman does not like to pique her
lovsr-and, having accepted, placed them in
my bosom. | would be revenged in some way
for his insolence; for So under the oircumstan-
ces, his conduct toward me was / would not
speak of my design, but / would leave the
: house that night.
When we have resolved upon anything, we
experience sense of relief; and / did not
affect all the indifference to Mr. Richards
. which manifested A sort of artificial buoy.
ancy kept me up; snd when, after tea limo
thy called me to procure glowworm for him
for had remained apart, | obeyed with alac-
rity.
MIR. Richards was apparently absorbed in
the newspaper; and when brought the glow.
worm MIR Shue said we would remove to the