The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-11-04

graceful, IOrelSn tCONins S!rl among the Ma
lahidc girls, teaching one Italian and another
singing. showing the rules of perspective to
third. and explaining the meaning Of ar
chi;ccturc to fourth, she never asked her
name nor dreamed Of her condition, but treat
cd her as the Hibbe.. world in England do
treat govcrncsscs-with silence and contcmpt.
passing her tv as something too low to de-
mand the rights Of courtesy. Estcla, fright
ened at Mrs lIibbert's iron severity, prayed
that her rc;. name might not oe toid-a
PRAYER Mrs. Malahide was only too glad to
comply with. Once, indeed, Mrs. Hilbert
conhcSccndcd to say:
'lou seem to have rather superior kind
of fGo,crncss there, Mrs. Malahilc,' in an
acid tone, that seemed to end the matter and
ask no confirmation. So Mrs Malahlc
made no reply. and the matter vas drorpcd
E>tclla sat among the children like Young
Malonna-wih such prolicality of gcner-
on> ci,nc-ho.h of love and mental wealth.
both of earthly gifts and intellectual adj, alta
c"s-she was so fond. so devoted. SO happy in
the .iov Of others. SO penetrated with love that
even Mrs Hilbert watched her with strange
kind Of interest. as If a new experience was
laid out before her. Jessy clung to Es:clla
like sister, happy only in her socicty, and
seemed to feel for the first time i n her life
what was the reality Of affection: and Paul
treated her now a, princess. now as child,
now with a tender reverence that was most
heantifu! and touching, and now with certain
manly pctulancc and tyranny.
Jc>>v grew palcr every dav she was thin.
and had Transparency to her flesh painfully
eloquent. her slight hand showed the daylight
almost clearly through. and her ewes we're
large and hollow-thc white of them pearl
co.ored and clear. She complained little /:
suffering no pain. and diving awav, one scarce
" knew why. There was general look Of
fading and show of la>>itu,Ic and weakness. as
Il lie was slowly evaporatinc: a< if she were
resolving bach to the elements which had me:
together for brief season in her. She was
living. she often said. from desire 10 die :
for the wan; of a motive of lifc,-shc had
nothing to live for
Ms. Hilbert nurscd her daughter as any
>uc', woman nursed fading girl-with con-
>cientiousness. but with hardness doing her
duty but doing it without a shallow of tender
ness She had Tie best advice that Bl lichton
could afford, and Size tooa care that the med
icnc> were given at the exact hour pre-
>cri!,cd.
Fruit and good hooks were then in abun-
lance; bat all wanted the living spirit.
On E>tclla fell the weight Of consolation.
and no one could have fulfilled its duties
better 1t was the sprinc-timc now. and she
would 90 out into the field and lanes. and
ing home large punches of forget mc-nots:
and rrimcroscs, and daisies. with SPRAYS Of
The will rose and Of the honeysuckl e /; and
She sang to the diving Girl. and sometimes
brought her skc.chin. book and skctchcd
the cu>aoms OF Italy, the palaces Of Genoa.
ana the glorious water streets of Venice ::
ard she would sit and talk to her Of Italy,
and tell her all that would most interest her.
being most unlike the life Of home. And she
would tell her anecdotes o.. Italian history,
and wild stories of Italian romance: and
when they would talk Of gravcr thinss-of
the poetry of the Old Church. of its power in
TIE past, of its marvellous union Of wicked
ness and virtue; and they would speak Of
the angels of God: and both felt that one OF
them would soon be face to face with the
Great mysteries of the fntnre, ard soon know
of what nature were the SET rets Of the world
TO come. And all Of poetry. all Of warmth.
of glorious vision, and high soulcd thought
all OF the golden atmosphere Of religion, in
which art and spiritual purity and poetry
and love were twincd as silver cords set
round with pearls, all that lshtcncd ,!csscy's
death bed, and seemed to give voice 10 her
own dumb thoughts. a form to her unsha;,e,l
feelings, E>tcl!a shed there.
1t was impossible that even Mrs. Hilbert
cou!d continue Indifferent to the beautiful
young woman who gave peace to her diving
child: and though the fact of Miss Esta. As
she was called. being her di>owncd ncicc Es-
:cla. never strlck her something that was not
a. all confessed admiration. hut which after
wares size believed t. be natural instinct.
drew her nearer and nearer to the .irl. and
made her a: last love h,r with sincerity. i;
not with warmth. md when JcS>v grew
palcr and weaker hour by hour-whcn every
one saw that only few n.orc DAYS stood Ike
dusky spirits between her and the quiet f,-
turc-whcn E>,c!la's prayers were for peace:
10 longer for the restoration which had be-
come a mockcry when >lccplcss and has
! gard looks spoke Of the shadow of death that
was s,ridin: on-then Jessy taking Estclla's
hand and laying it in her mothers, said:
Mother, YOU have another daughter to I'll,
I my place. E>;e'!a your neicc and my sweet
sister in consolation, will comfort you whc,,
am gone, aud will take the place in your
: heart where have lived 1t was too solemn,
, a moment. then, for Mrs. Hilbert to fall bach
into her old fortress Of pride aud hardness.
Z By the side OF her diving child she became
/, wcmanly and Christian although even then
, the >tru.ric was hard one, and Tic effort
; cost i.cr dear. She bent over E>t,lla. kncel-
i,... Il .,l NJ anI >a.:in.r ,lau,.: