The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1855-04-06
MISCELLANY.
"A Daughters Devotion.

a Daughters Devotion.
The head of the house was buried. and
the widow and daughter resigned them.
selves to grief. In all the great rooms be.
low stairs was the rich furniture parade,l,
statuettes of exquisite lovelness, that never
before felt the touch of rude fingers; paint
ings, tautcils, marble tables, mirrors. and
the dear domestic luxuries that had been
halowed by love SO many fond years.
The ruthless hammer beat all day.
Throngs crowded the great stone entrance,
silks and satins, and feathers, and beautiful
faces fitted in and out. Towards night a
plain carriage drew up to the side-door,
where the servants had always found erress.
Two forms shrouded in black moved slowly
from the house and entered; one of them
with the gestures of absolute despair.
Ihe next day misunderstanding man
called at the poor home which had been of.
fered the dependents, till they could main
tain themselves. He placed box on the
table, asked for the young lady, and, sub
dued by her pale, sweet face, spoke in very
low tones:
"My dear young lady, will you accept
these from one Of your fathers friends; they
may be invaluable to her as family relics :
or, If you choose to sell them, you NAV
command a handsome sum. We canno,
allow you to make sacrifice Of all YOU
held dear"
After he had gone, Helen sat for many
moments, her white hands folded, and lids
dropping. All day she had held the pas
sive form Of her hcart-strickcn mother.
Selfish the latter certainly WAS. even in her
overwhelming sorrow, and Helen suffered
thrice the anguish Of broken hopes, in wit
Messing her uncomfortable agony. But,
bravo girl, she would not despoml. She
pressed the hot tears back witt, her trcm-
bling fingers, as she murmured, "Poor mo-
ther, cannot wonder at her grief; brought
up so tenderly, she cannot, must not live in
poverty. She shall at least Imagine that
she knows no want"
Helen had changed her jewels into gold.
furnished a small room with some degree of
elegance, paid the rent for Il few weeks in
advance, and had still moicty of money
i'll her purse.
Cheer mp, dear mamma" she said, "wc
still have friends. You shall not want.
have even the opportunity Of procuring yon
little servant, who will come to assist you
night and morning. A man will bring the
coal up to your door, and myself will be
your dressing maid. You will have no.
thing more to do ,llan you ever had, and
you can finish your beautiful embroidery"
The still elegant woman looked up with
pcnsive smile.
"Ah but my child, you will have no
one now to accompany you to and from the
academy; you will not even have Il car
riage: your poor little feet will be blistcred
with walking"
A flush of delight mounted to Helcn's
chceks-her mother did not then even sus.
pect that their means were wholly with,
drawn, and she need not communicate hcr
plan-her daring plan, that it would give
her so much pain to unfold.
She had tried in vain to find employment
as teacher. Youth, iucxperience, beauty
delicacy Of frame, were all against her
:. Passing one day, with her green veil down
through narrow street, she was arrested
. by notice at q haberdashcr's window Sew
eral girls were wanted to learn llair-work
ing. Good wages would I've given, etc. )
She entered, was engaged, and immed
ateIy set herelf down to this vocation. Il
was terrible trial to her-ay! and you
may call itaristocratic pride, prejudice, what
you wili-but tits terrible to one who ha.
been accustomed toyluxuries, whose coming
. and going has been tenderly watched
whose feet have never known less rude pres.
than the tllornless flowers on. the rich man.
halls--it is bitterly terrible, and thrice ter
rible, for such aone to bend to%the sterr
,.behest Of manual toll. @ i