The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-08-31


For the National Era.
H0LLY-W00D.
BIZ ALICE CAREY.
CHAP. Iv-oontinued.
Sleep would not come to me. In vain
| tried to make quiet pictures as Of sheer
browsing In the shadows, and of meadows with
brooks linking over the stones, and cattle go
ing toward the thickets across dusty hills
where the blue flies droned lazily in the sun
shine. All would not dol could see but the
picture in my heart.
How fast the hours went by, and how soou
the cock crew out for daybrcak The shadows
were whitening IN my room, when sights and
sounds and pictures grew indistinct, and tired
natures sweet ressoreru held mo fast *
The calm assurance of happiness that was
TO 90 mine forever, made the sleep deep, for
heard no noise of AKA or oxen lowing, of the
household astir, or the breakfast things till the
mirthfui voice Of Rose called me, saying il was
ten O'Clock. The light ahone clear and bright
through my chamber; the snow which had
fallen the preceding evening was melting away.
and like it seemed my joy. Something BODIED
me ILL., despite the sly humor in the merry face
of Rose. As arranged my hair at the glass,
she made gesture of Impotence, for she wait
cd for me to descend with her but seeing the
edmonton UNDECIDED, she said, with some sat-
istaction in her Tone You will have your
pains for nothing; Mr.. Richards has been gone
this two hours; 50, missy, wind up your hair
any way, and come down--the breakfast will
be cold if you wait loDgsrn
You cannot know how with these careless
words the ice closed about my heart 1 cared
little whether the coffee were cold or hot, and
yet was ashamed to betrsy any emotion, and
remained braiding my hair calmly without in
timating any interest in what che had commu-
nicated. She was too shrewd, however, to be
deceived, and my too great caution betrayed
me-
"You may stand there and braid your hair
ever go fine, she said, and pretend you don't
care straw where Mr.. Richards is gone, nor
what be is gone for but you want to know oil
the time; and you don't care how your hair
looks, that's more.n
"You are not quite right Rose, . said, kind
~. III care less about my hair than as though
were dressing it for ball, certainly bat
am not wholly Indifferent either to that nor
yet the sudden expedition of Mr.. Richards
Where has he gone, and what efter?
III, ~,
no way Modified, nand suppose he has gone
after his nose; and if you want to know more,
you will have to wait till he comes back, and
he didn't say when that would ben And hay
ing raid this, she slipped away leaving me to
conclude my toilet at leisure.
| consumed but little further time though
neither appetite nor inclination urged me to
descend; and as the table, praised the coffee
and the bread, thanked Rose for her kind re-
membrance Of me, excused my late rising on
the plea of inability TO rest we'll in strange
room, and fingered, affecting to eat, for half
An hour. / was glad 60 much of the day was
gone, and could not suppress the wish that it
were all away. | knew not why should feel
uneasy and restless-there was no cause said
to myself 1t was scarcely probable Mr.. Rich
ards had gone where should neyer.see him
agaiu-indesd, his movement had been the
most natural thing in the world, for it was his
habit to ride to the neighboring city almost
daily. If had inquired the previous evening,
all would have been smooth but in spite of
all this, | could no. be thoroughly satisfied.
went from room to room, and from one employ
ment to another, trying to be busy; but ell
was like drawing water in sieve,n could
not cheat myself into being happy Somstimes
was half resolved to 20 home, and begin the
labors | had proposed to myself; but really !
had no pretext for doing 60, except an instinct
i've impression that could not be reasoned down.
Rose kept about the work, without consult
ing my pleasure at all; in fact, she found few
occasions for speaking She could not readily
bring herself to acknowledge me as her supe-
rior for, as she had said, her father owned as
much land as mine; her education, so far az
school-teaching went, was equal TO mine and,
indeed, her advantages in ell ways had been
much the same. She had known me all her
life, and why should take precedence of her
in anythinga And yet conscious of inferiority,
she could not wholly avoid Difference | as
eumed little; indeed, did not feel sufficiently
sure of my ground; so we inhabited the house
all that day-neither equals, nor yet mistress
and maid. And that day was, in some sort, .
type of all the days we were together.
As the day wore toward the close, my un-
easiness amounted to suffering tried to be-
heve myself cold, and went near the fire for
comfort and when discovered that fire was
mos my need, went into the air, half persua-
ded that the house stfed me. But go where
i would, felt like an alien, and not ct ell like
the mistress Of the White House.
Seeing Mike spading In the garden, joined
him; and in listening to his plans about vege-
tables and flower. beds tho shadow which OPP
pressed me lifted . little. He seemed to take
it for granted that should see the corn ripen
and the pinks bloom; and this strengthened
my falsering faith, just as to keep all in readi-
ness for an expected visiter seems to enlarge
the probability or possibility of their arrival
aAnd have you seeds sufficient for sowing?"
asked Mike simple question, and yet
asked because it bore, though remotely on Mr.
Richards.
Mike replied that he had not seeds enough,
nor half enough; and, resting one foot on bis
spade, be continued, with puzzled expression,
aI have talked with the master about it. but
he don't seem to care whether there ia gar
den made, or not"
That is strange replied; there is moth
ing 30 economical as garden. But you had
better work, Mike, after your own fashion, if
he don't advise you; he viii be pleased when
he finds how proftably you have labored ~ for
for 9 moment; it seemed that in his interest
MIR. Richards was somehow involved.
1fwouder,n resumed Mike, after brief col
loouy with himself, Elf master don't think of
selling out, and going back where he came
fom?"
Il seemed to me that Mike snd Rose, and all
were combined to destroy my
peace; and, almost wishing | had it in my
mower to infiict some chastisement on the boy,
I incurred with rs much indifference as could
assume, the. ground of his suspicious.
He gave me little satisfaction, however, in
forming me. simply, that every ono said he was
going 70 sell the place that in fact, he was
not rich enough to buy and pay for It and
that where there was 30 much smoke, there
must be some fire.
felt that the boy reasoned correctly, and
making some observation about the improba-
bility Of the rumcr, chiefly to strengthen my