The Ottawa free trader., 1855-06-09
The Daughters Devotion.

The head Of the house was buried, and the
widow and daughter resigned themselves to
grief In all the great rooms below stairs
was the rich furniture paraded, statuettes Of
exquisite lovoliness that never before felt
the touch Of rude fingers paintings, .tdute-
Wls, marbles, mirrors, and the dear do
mcstic Injuries that had been hallowed BY
love so many fond years.
The ruthless hammer beat all day
Throngs crowded the great stone entrance,
silks, satins, and feathers, and beautiful faces
fitted in and out. Towards night plain
carriage drew up to the side door, where the
servants had always found cgrcss and in
grcss Two forms shrouded in black moved
slowly from the house and entered one Of
them with the gestures Of absolute despair.
The next day a business looking man cal.
led at the poor home which had been offered
the dependents, till they could maintain
themselves. lie placed box on the table,
asked for the young lady, and, subducd by
the pale, sweet face, spoke in very low
tones:
"My dear young lady, will you accept
these from one ofyour fathers friends they
may be invaluable to you as family relics !;
or, il you choose to sell them, you may com
mand handsome sum. We cannot allow
you to make q sacrifice Of all you hold
dear"
After he had gone, Helen sat for many
moments, her white hands folded, and lips
dropping. All day she held the passive form
of her heart stricken mother. Selfish the
latter certainly was, even in her ovcrwhelm.
ing sorrow, and Helen suffered thrice the
anguish of broken hopes, in witnessing her
uncomfortable agony. But, brave girl, she
would not despond She pressed the hot
tears back with her trembling fingers, as she
murmured, "Poor mother, ! 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 n small room with some degree of
elegance, paid the rent for few weeks in
advance, and had still a moiety Of money in
her purse.
"Chccrup dear mama," she said, eve still
have friends. You shall not want. | have
even the opportunity of procuring you lit
tie servant, who will come TO assist you
night and morning. A man will bring the
coal up to the door, and | myself will be
your dressing maid. You will have nothing
more to do than you ever had, and you can
finish ycur beautiful embroidery"
The still elegant woman looked up with a
pensve smile.
"Ah but, my child, you have no one now
to accompany you to and from the acadc-
my you will not even have u carriage, your
poor little feet will be blistcrcd with walk
ing"
A flush of delight mounted to IIelen's
cheeks-her mother did not then even sus.
pcct that their means were wholly withdrawn
and she need not communicate her plan-hcr
darling plan that it would give her SO much
pain to unfold.
She had tried in vain to find employment
as teacher. Youth, incxpcriencc, beauty,
dclicacy of frame, were all against her
Passing one day with her green veil down,
through a narrow street, she was arrested by
a notice at haber-dasher's window. Seve.
raj girls were wanted to learn hair working.
Good wages would be given, etc.
Sho entered, was engaged, and immediate.
ly set herself down to this vocation. 1t was
a terrible trial to her--aye! and you may
call it aristocratic pride, prejudice what you
will-but II Is terrible to one who has been
accustomed to luxurics, whose coming and
going have been tcndcrly watched, whose
feet have never known a less rude press than
the thornlcss flowers on the rich mans halls
it is bitterly terrible, and thrice terrible,