The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-08-09
WASHINGTON, d. c..
For the National Fra
tlFANOR SOUTHMAYD'S WARDSHlP.
BY MARTHA RUSSELL.

nd ---O~N
envy. nv Margaret? Not Judge b. and his
.rreeabe wife, though they are charming
.,,,le combining the wisdom of maturity with
the grace and freshness OF childhood, nor their
.ocompIished niece, Miss Lizzie Seymour, a
lively girl, who is to be the bride of William
Spmmerfeld in the spring, nor the CTS, nor the
~ though Miss Ada H. is both poetess and
artist. nor even the Hon. Mr.. d., but the
r,,o Widow Drummond and her lame boy.
They are here often, and it is beautiful to see
m. tenderness with which the brusque Mr..
R;rolow watches over them. They are the pets
Of h. whole family, and little Jem is not to be
= Gchimney sweep" or "Pope," but an artist,
and arrangements are already made for him to
enter the studio of Mr.. A. If money could
rarchase for him the genius of Raphael, Mr..
Bipelow would endow him with it at once; but
nv Guardian is wiser He talks to him, by the
bour. of the sacredness of art-of its high ideal
aims-of the earncstness and faith, the purity
orbeart and life, which it demands-of the long
and srduous struggle against selfshness and
weakness and temptation-foes overcome only
by that steadiastness and patience which is
born Of faith in God, until the boys great eyes
dlaia. his chest heaves, and his lips become
compressed as with the deep inward resolve to
achieve all this or die.
Al. this guardian Of mine is a rare teacher
when he chooses Last night he opened the
Bible, and read to the boy, with that perfect
in,onation of his, the story of Christ's tempta-
ton on the Mount.
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word which proceedeth out of the mouth
Of Coll he repeated, as he closed the book.
"Esnember that, my boy, and you cannot
wholly fall
had read that story hundred times-I had
heard it read as many, perhaps, but | never be-
fore appreciated its deep significance; and my
ewes filed with tears, for am l not an orphan,
crippled Of soul, if not of limb ?-and who has
ever taken the trouble to explain it to me? Is
woman mission on earth of so much less con-
sequence than an artists ?-the mother and
moulder of men of less importance than the
career Of a dumb statue or the painter of q
dead saint?
What has been the real end of my fashiona-
BE education, but to teach that man does live
BY bread alone, and more especially woman,
and that the excellency of wisdom consists in
securing that bread, and all that it implies, by
wealthy marriage? Who ever said aught to
ne OF spiritual wants To be sure, went to
church every Sunday with my schoolmates, had
the weekly religious instruction, which taught
ne that was spiritually child of Satan, with
no affinity with goodness, yet made TO promise
% "renOunce Satan and all his works, the
Tomps and vanities Of this wicked world" while
all the other six days we're devoted to their
worship.
Is il strange that the "knot-grass has over
run my heart, that / am proud and ignorant,
ashamed to speak to these people? / am like
shy bird, catching the crumbs thrown out for
sPet Selling them with an eagerness that is
wholly new 10 me, and yet feeling all the more
hungry and dissatisfied with myself. Were /
poor and an outcast, these people would care
Tor me; but ! am " Miss Southmayd the heir
ess. and my guardian says
I" trust YOU find yourself comfortable, Miss
Southnayd?" or, Have you what funds you
need! Please make your wishes known; you
know you are at liberty to draw on me for ali
you want" Would that l were it would not be
i~ money thought And the quiet sister gu
sannah follows with
Eleanor, dear, don't take that bread, l
ihak the flour is not of the very best-these
biscuits are better; or, "brother Fred, don't
eve Miss Southmayd that piece of steak; it is
little over done; as if money and steak are
NE only things in which | can possibly be in
trrestea!
hebecca does help me; but q new person is
+" her great thing; she will not see my limit
"l'iS' besides, she is at present greatly absorb
MI q. IN astronomy, and is casting her brother
"'4 horoscope, with view to ascertain the
to,a1lhiy OF his becoming President of the
~ ~ n"el States, If he goes West, as he intends.
lIA gentleman has returned to Andover,
SSlere-but here comes Rebecca, with a most
uUiVrous face
:" hat IS the matter, child"
VA my noSe-my nose! Dear Eleanor,
""lA The gods that you have not the family
u0se!'
but what Of your nose 2" / cry, laughing,
'4a important feature retained its usual
"i.The Prominence.
""a. oil 1t? 1t stands between me and the
No., |,'a''"'aHs concert tomorrow night. You
- - AIo~ that Uncle Peabody is below, come
~ iiAe NE home with him. Aunt has sprain-
-. @hc.e' and he wants me as sort of
, H. man plaster / suppose. He always
- me, because | have the Higginson
,bs ,o you were wishing only yesterday to see
W 0" DRIFTS IN the country"
u.-5es' know; but they give Beethoven's
''hphony, the Heroic Symphony, to- NOR
~ night. But she adds, with a Frightening
~ 'L5 whole face, if there will only come a
la, 1Iu snow storm, the roar of the pine woods
Beethoven" ''"'0 VIII NC AinoS' equa' "
p.at ~e' down, and was introduced to Uncle
dry! a line, hearty, sensible farmer, who
Tia, 1"'her, much to my amusement, more
which ; :. made allusion to that family feature
ssss hebeccas particular cross to pos
W. ra us Southmayd," said my guardian, as
IN oTr o rom the table, friend of yours was
Yo,s VIiee today, a Mr.. Elliott, from New
Id..iIe Will call here this evening"
AVA u ol our beach wanderings at Rock
cng a -larsaret and did the silliest thing
lite To no..:Ollshed; but my guardian was too po-
genIs no,iee 1t, or my stammered reply, that the
b, Ian 10, was . friend of my fathers"
keen , ..o1 So old Mr.. Bigelow. He fixed his
and g! eyes on me, with significant grin,
IN One 81 ~" moments. after, took occasion to say,
aore d \. those whispers which are so much
60 ,suhct than a full tone
loiy c0 1rOullu these people, Here's Mr.. Pea
be rorr. ,e 70 take Hagar down to that misera.
a rsa village, to freeze to death and Just
Want oF O%eglhning to think you might do, for
ganmon . GIeuer, to play quiet game of back
haze ~, 'lls fellow must come and we shall
AID loTo o'.uhs but quotations from Tennyson
disurb;nSso songs They ought to be indicted for
%IT'olag the peace /"
father ;g the gentleman was q friend of nv
EI6o,, 1!1' he added; "just as thought
lin. H. uid call, and was very glad to see
islow =. Is the same genial, good-humored
Ike NJ. ever, and have not felt so much
ID VIII VI, oia self these many months, as
eard;are chatting with him. l fancy my
slrn.;"Ii and the good Snsannah were quite