The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-10-04

clasped together and small red book lay
amid the folds Of her plain calico dress
Netta!sprang up aifrighted as she heard the
door pushed open; and her cheeks glowed
crimson as she hid the book in her pocket
But as she saw her father; her cheeks palsd
again and the tears gushed into her eyes. A
tear trembled in the fathers eye as he saw the
worn features Of the fair girlish face, and the
thinness of the slender form attired IN coarse,
i'll fitting costume. 'Netta,' said he kindly as
he went up to her and laid his hand on that
small head with its mass OF golden curis'
Meta are you sck?' A low moan was her
only reply. Then he said again. Meta, my
child. you are pale and sick. Tell me what
/ is the matter.
| Then the fair fragile girl looked up at him
with those deep blue eyes, half fveiled by droop-
ing eyelasLes those deep blue eyes SO like
those of her dead mothers which had been
so often uplifted to his. Then she wound her
thin white arms about his neck, and said in
low trembling tone, No papa, l don't think
Im sick, but am weak that can scarcely
stand on my feet. Oh, papa and she sobbed
bitterly.
After amoment's silence Mr. Clay said, Go
up into one of the parors and lie down on the
lounge. Do as | tell you. Meta, hereafter
Yes, papa said Meta, at the same time
shivering with terror. but don't tell me to go
there! She will beat me if | do
Beat you, Meta! Who will beat you
darling.' asked he tenderly.
Meta hesita'ed a moment and then said
tremblingly-.Thev said they would beat me
to death even, if l told you of it. But Mrs
Clay, mamma, l mean, and Lena, whip me
cruelty every day
What for, Netta?' said he in calm tone,
though his eyes flashed fercelv.
4 don'tknow papa she replied childishly;
yesterday went into the parlor to look at
my mamma picture and l stepped on an OF
toman TO see palmer. and then Miss Lena came
in and boxed my ears hard; and told ne to
90 out; and Miss Lena's mother came in and
told me never to come up there again But
oh, did want to see mamma's picture so bad,
and, before | thought, told Miss Lena it was
my papa's parlor, and that | had a better
right there than she, and then they whipped
me and shut me up IN the cellar closet
| The red blood rushed in fiery tide to Mr.
Clays cheeks but he restrained himself and
said calmly, You should have told me this
before, Meta
Don't blame me for it, papa said Meta
imploringly. They would have killed me;
and besides did mt think YOU would care
Miss Lena said you did mt care anything about
mother. And | thought you didn't papa. for
you never come AZ talk with you used TO
There hasn't been any BODY to love me since
mamma died, has there?' and the blue eyes
lifted up to his were very earnest.
The father gazed mournfully down on the
psie sweet child he held in his arms and as
ne remembered all his neglect of her for two
years. he almost shuddered And in that one
moment of silence the image of his dead wife
seemed to raise up from the far country grave
in which he had laid her and stand before him
And the dead blue eyes. just like those of the
child, gazing up at him, had a saddened lool
lingering in their depths, and the dead lip.
wore reproachful expression. and spiri
voice seemed to say in low upbraiding tones
Hast thou forgotten the pale child left as ar
only remembrance?' The father sighed a:
the sad vision faded away and he bore the
pale little Meta up into one of the gorgeous
parlor. and laid her by the glowing fire on
pillowry lounge, where she could see swee,
girlish face cleaning out of frame-the face
of her dead mother.
AS Netta laid there in the luxurious still
ness, the soft eyes in the picture seemed like
!; angel eyes. and the red lips wore a seraph
smile. and the golden hair seemed like crown
of glory.
Albert Clay only twenty two when h.
married gentle girl with winning ways. TeI
summers Annetta Lee blessed him with he
love and then faded from earth, leaving on,
little girl-Netta-to cheer his loneliness.
Two years he lived alone in his stately man
sion with Meta and his widowed heart. Blu
after a long communion with himself he re
solved to marry some lovely amiable woman
to be mother to his little girl who was ter
: years old. After carefully studying the char
! acter of his female acquaintances. lie founl
) none among them gentle and amiable, 81
sympathysIng with him. the wealthy widow
er, SO idoiizing his motherless daugh ter, a.
) the beautiful widow Clara Appleton. Anc
her only daughter-Miss Lena-a beautifu
!, girl of fourteen. loved Meta SO dearly-al
! ways with her at her school. never happ,
away from her-oh. II was all so fascinating
l that the rich Mr.. Clay married Mrs Appleton
! and took her and Lena from their small cot
, tage to his stately mansion.
For a few months the utmost Difference wa
paied to Mr.. Clay's slightest wishes. and littl
Netta was petted more than ever she was al
! ways richly dressed and kept in the parlors
j. and when visitors paid fashionable calls. til
e beautiful Mrs. Clay would point TO her an
: Lena, and say-'My two darling daughters
1 especially when Mr.. Clay was present Al
o went on as well as marriage bells, and Nj
e Clay congratulated himself on possessing sui
hcient sense to have selected such Lowell
wife from the multitude of maidens, ladies
l and diseonsolate widows. and schemin
e daughters who had crowded his path .tnic
e as leaves in valambrose,'
% But after while there began to be changs
p Mrs Clay and Lena did not always wea
Z, sweet smiles. and the intonation of the
~ voices was not always the softest; and some
how Meta was not as joyous as she had bee
5. at hrst her face was paler and salder, an
e she was Tar more plainly dressed, and not 5
much In the parlors- Thus matters went OF
ID and NJ. Clay,xnr saw his mothsrIsss q;