The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-04-25
Catherine lie

tsMother! dear mother! do lay aside your
work and take some rest, you will fatigue your
self to DEATH NJ .za !. f.z i
The mother lifted her heavy eye-lids, and
her eyes filled with tears as she beheld the deli
cate form of her daughter bending with un-
wearying assiduity over her embroidery at
which she had been employed for many hours.
'.You require rest even more than | do my
my child,' replied the lady ssYour face has
become SO thin, and your cheek SO pale, I do
not wonder your acquaintances scarcely recog
nize you Fz as -
'tOh no, / feel very well,' said the young
girl, drawing up her slight but elastic form,
sbut lay aside your work, if you love me,
mother, | will finish little Ellen's frock as soon
as I have shaded this rose-bud'' eli
'sYou lead toilsome life, my child! How
much does Mrs. Garnet promise to give YOU for
your mantlla?'''
Thirty dollars. To Be sure the materials
costtwenty, but even that will be very great
help a 8ae 5 =
at has cost you months hard labor"
eyes, but we shall find ten dollars most
seasonable assistance just now. If we could
only make up ten more 70 nay the doctor, /
should feel tolerabiy, well. Doyou remember
mamma she said, after a thoughtful pause,
'tmany, many months ago, beforehand here
a slight shudder shook her frame-sbefore our
misfortune, do you remember how much Mr..
Ashton used to praise my paintings?"
Remember, love! do ever forget what re-
lated to you? Irecollecthe said that the ssfoun-
tain,' and the "yiew Of the bay were much
better executed than many pieces sent to the
exhibition" &"#'
z 'And you know he sold piece resembling
the fountain for sixty dollars, and the gentle
man who bought it professed to admire mine
equally as much. | kuow,'' she continued,
blushing, "that there is vast difference be-
tween admiring the works of an amateur, and
one who paints for a livelihood, but if I could
get twenty, or fifteen, or even ten dollars for
my pictures, | might perhaps be enabled to
take lessons in miniature painting" ..-~.
"The life of an artist would be very trying to
one so delicate and enthusiastic as you are, my
dear, " sighed Mrs. Lee" and yetnot more so
than the one you lead at present" s--
ooh! should love it above all things,
mammal! Madame Gaudet tells me that she
makes two thousand year by it, and with a
fourth of that, how comfortable we might be
in the sweet little cottage over the way! 1t
almost seems like glimpse of paradise to
think of. How charming it would look with a
plenty of vines and white curtains, and books
and pictures, and"
Here she cast her eyes around the small,
scantily furnished and dimly lighted chamber,
which formed their only apartment, sighed, for
she felt the uncertain nature of her airy fabrics,
and was silent.
A long pause ensued, for thickly coming
thoughts thronged the minds of both Mrs.
Lee was thinking of the entire change which
two short years had produced in her circum-
stances and feelings. Two years before she
had been the indulged wife of devoted hus-
band-the fashionable and indolent mistress
of a stylish establishment, and the careless and
indifferent mother of the lovely girl on whose
exertions she was mainly dependent for hel
daily bread. She thought of the sudden change
from aff1uence to poverty which had taker
place on the death of her husband, and ther
of the many conspiring causes which gradually
reduced them to utter penury. Her mind then
reverted with a pang to the conduct of her &C
quaintances, whose cold commiseration had
gradually changed into perfect silence, and
But the mothers heart throbbed with thank
fulness, when she thought of the noble, self
sacrificing spirit which her hitherto neglected
daughter had shown in the hour of trial, when
she remembered the patient untiring assiduity
with which her gentle Catharine had minis
tered to her wants, and the fortitude which had
supported her amidst all her own personal
trials and inconveniences, these things filled
her heart with thankfulness But as she
glanced towards her daughter, and thought
how soon these bright eyes would dim, and
that delcately moulded frame emaciate under
the continued pressure of anxiety and toll, her
own eyes became 50 dmmed with tears that
she was obliged to put away her yet unfinished
work.
"Come, dearest, we must both 60 to rest
now" ....--v
"Oh, yes, do, dear mother, am just putting
the finishing touches to my mantilla. l will
follow you directly ..-...
The mother rose and approached small bed
in one corner of the room. .-.
"What an exquisite subject for your pencil,
Cathaline!' said she
The daughter was Immediately by her side,
and there they stood those two weary and toll
worn women. gazing on being whose lowell
ness seemed as gham of sunlight in that desc
late and wretched apartment. Wrapped IN
'he deep unconscious sleep of happy childhood
her rosy cheeks half shaded by the cluster
ng curls of .'paly gold," and her ba!my breath
coming quickly and regularly from between
he rich and half open lips-lay beautiful
;hild, apparently about five years old, her face
md form bore no traces of the penury which
eigned around. t was evident that no blight
If poverty or sorrow had fallen upon her.
Weary and toll worn as they might be, strugg-
,llng for the bare necessaries of life, Ellen's
omforts and privileges had been held inviola-
lie, and many personal comfort had Catlfarne
deprived herself Of in order to procure enjoy
nents for her infant sister. z. .
Faint and exhausted, Mrs. Lee soon aftas6ell
sleep, but Catharine, engrossed with her ambl-
ous schemes, remained wide awake, until she
ad finished both her own and her mothers
,ork. Kneeling at the foot of her sisters bed,
he poured forth her feelings in the heartfelt
of earnest suppGcation, then STOPPING
3r few moments she bent over her sister to
ress her lips and inhale her sweet breath, then
ealing noiselessly tobed by hermother's side,
le was soon wrapped in slumber as sweet,
~, ~ o1,i hoI