The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1855-05-17

urged me to come and pass some time
with him, that had no doubt but his
delight at seeing me would be equal to
mine at meeting with him A few
weeks more, and the busy fingers of
mother and sisters had prepared my
wardrobe, and the great trunk was
brought down from the garret and stuffed
till its brass studded frame would hold
no more. Probably no experienced
stranger, starting for Europe, ever took
half the number of" wearables" that l +,
in my simplicity, deemed far too limited
But the great gala day came, and with
its departure | left nay home for the
wilderness of New York.
1t was late when | arrived aS nv
cousins house, handsome brick dwell
ing, which, with some little land adjoin-
ing, he had inherited. had never seen
it before, and to me it was as beautiful
as palace. An old Quaker aunt kept
house for him, and by her 1 was well
coined with a cold formaliiy l did not
understand yet wearied as | was, did
not give much thought about the subject,
but ate my supper in silence, cheered
by the news that my cousin had gone to
ofhciate at wedding, and might not be
home until eleven. .-ta
Already it was nearing ten, and I
unused to such late hours, begged ID be
shown to u bedroom. / shall never
forget how icy cold the room was to
which | was attended. Large and
cherries, filed with sombre furniture,
it was SO different from my snug little
chamber at home, where the sun laid all
day and where water seldom froze The
sheets as | touched them, seemed like
ice; l had not dared to approach my
feet to the polished stove hearth below
stairs, and l suffered exceedingly. How
ever, l soon forgot all want of comfort
in dreams, in which the old farm house
and roaring fire were the chief object
of interest.
In the morning, and bitter cold it was.
| arose at my usual hour, dressed and
hurried from the chamber l found
my way to the hall. On the rack in the
corner laid an ample cloth cloak, which
| supposed my cousin must have thrown
off in a hurry. Surprised at the un-
usual stiffness, I tried the door from
which | had made egress the preceding
night. 1t was locked fast. Successfully
l tried every door within my range !;
alas I! there was neither ingress nor out
let, for the front entrance was also fast
ened in such manner that it defed all
my endeavors to move the lock. 1t
seems that my cousins house keeper
was one of the old fashioned sort, aud
never retired without fastening up every
thing in the house | question somewhat
whether she did not lock her bed eur
talns. ,l So. 4. -...
Three mortal hours did / stay shiver-
ing in my room on that eventful morn
ing, sOlacing myself with doleful glances
at the brick walls of dlstillery, and
running over the pages of Greek Lex
icon, which assuredly Was all Greek to
me---and nothing else. .-.,..
At length, o welcome sound the
bell rang, and I blue with cold, descend
ed to the breakfast room. There | met
my cousin, and for the first time in my
lite witnessed asham welcome. l did
not understand it then, do understand
such things better now.
My cousin tried his best to be agree
able, but l saw that disappointment
stood out all over his actions, particular
ly when / mentioned that had come
for long visit. But l soon got over
the unpleasant feeling consequent on
this discovery, and determined to brave
it out. Had be not stopped summer
after summer on my fathers farm Did
we not every six months send him some
favor in the shape Of the best winter
greetings, russots or Baldwinsi SO I
put myself on my dignity, awkward
though it was, and appeared as if 1 OBJ
served nothing unpleasant. OIL r. ..I
Wherever | went I could see that nv
relative was ashamed Of his tall cousin.
Now knew in my soul that I was good
for something l had the conscious nsss
ofintelleot no way inferior to his own.