The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-24
WaSHINGTON, d. c..
For the National Era.
IRIS, H A D D { N.
CHAPTER TX.

Nj X ), n u W.
CHAPTER TX.
-. P;rrold ard James Hadden stood, with
a., mates and cups, little apart from all
'k.,, at supper, and talked, with earnest faces,
-, Know No,hingism and the Know Moth
80, All that James was sorry for, he said,
:, that his mother had such an unsccount-
~. nr4iudice against them; for he wanted to
=. .lam. The best men were there, such as
,.bor Fletcher and DIR. Murray. They were
carving everything before them, and there was
.,ne;bing grand in that he would leave 1t 10
b. Ada, that ISL if there was not! tie
r..l 100 their coming together by their Or
,;,,t;ops-tens here, hundreds there, thou
IA, urou thousands in the whole, putting
o,roy from between them all the old petty bick-
s,,scs and party differences, and calling each
-, R,otber. Did she not think that was a
md thing too? Ada smiled little, shook
b.- head a little sighed little, but did not
e,.sk not until he repeated the question,
then she told him she believed there were op-
,o.p, parties still, the same as ever. The
Know Nothings were one of these; so that, if
they had their fellowship for the brothers, she
tsr4d they had also their aninOsities, their bick
erors. and cabas, against others who had an
su, right, the same dicine right, to their
Kindness and brotherly offices. She was sorry
70 believe this, she said she thought it sad
that there should be so little real peace here,
L. 10
BIS AIDE, in their quiet graves! Did not Cousin
James think it the saddest of all things, sadder
sthousand times than death ?-that was, than
death would be, if people came to it as they
ought, with pure, reconciled, loving hearts? Did
he not think il was?
Yes, James did, he said, with his eyes bent,
and with moisture in them. But then he asked,
Ike Que bewildered and afraid, what was there
up mess, he knew but he was here in it, and
hal got TO take it rs it was. He would be TWEEN
ty-one in a few days. He must decide some way.
lie must vote some way, when March came.
He l9aged, he confessed, to join the Know
Nothngs! for nearly all the young men he
liked best, and thought most of, had joined
them: and were so full of their secret glee,
that they could hardly stand still a moment.
it, he said lie felt as if somewhere near there
was beautiful Paradise, which they could en-
ter, and he could not. 1t was exactly like that
he fell; and he would leave it to Ada, if there
could be anything very pleasant in that.
Ada sad gently that if he were to enter,
he would find grossness, illiberal and ungener-
Gus action and passion there, as he found them
elsewhere. "The trail Of the serpent" would
be there, he would find, if he were to shut him.
self in there, the same as it was in all our
earthly gardens, ever so fair. The only thing
for one to Do, she thought, was to strire to do
right, in ones own soul, with ones own hands
and lips; to be led by ones own convictions
Of what was Ranly and consistent; not simply
by ones personal sympathies and Ekings; not
by any array of trappings and badges, any
merely impulsive attraction towards the mys-
ieries whose insignia these badges and trap.
pings are. Did he not think the same?
Yes James said, with long breath, Yes, he
did; bat the difficulty was to know, when "even
doctors disagree" which was the manly and
consistent course. lie, for his part, believed
N the old story of two genii, or spirits, one
rood, the other evil, Juggling at the souls and
TIE feet of every man, woman, and child, on
this earth. 81 do, Cousin Ads!D he repeated,
boxing up from his plate earnestly into her
face.
Shall ! tell you what l believe in ?" she
asked, smiling at his theory.
eS, | want to know. | want half of your
sPoaee cake helping himself out of her plate
%" want to see it it won't taste better than
mine. What is it what do you believe in 2"
" believe in two beautiful influences, prin-
epies, Tor sprits, If it will suit you best to call
them 50, named Impulse aud Wisdom, or Prin.
cple, ~ people oftenest say. If we put one hand
cut to Impulse, to be led. locking the other close
against Wisdom or Principle, we go into all
Aanner OF erratie paths, getting all manner of
Jruses and discomftures. But if Wisdom has
cur other hand, she knows the way, as Impulse
does not, alone. She directs Impulse, tells her
what paths TO enter, what TO shun she knows
al Inc fruit along the way, what Impulse shall
sniher for MS, what she shall leave hanging"
see!" interrupted James, with a bit OF
Ads cake raised half way to his mouth, so,
WISDOM is about, the ardor of Impulse
which, without her, does such mischief, serves
aseAcelently. Good i like this | like your
rake too. Taste this cranberry tart of mine
1 DON'T want it. | want the rest of your cake
I thnk 1t tastes the better for having been in
you; plate, near you, a while. SO, best Ada, il
sc let Impulse go, taking Principle alone to
ureet US, | fancy our lives would be as hard
Tnu' and formal, AZ Il we were so many old
nSriSees. Ugh! but you are pale, child
slaht let you stand here, talking. We've
oOlA eaten all we want; let's 60 out this way,
70 the back parlor, to the piano. | want you
~ r sing that Lament Of yours, The Scottish
"m'TS Lament that is it. The sounds will
s's-l IN there upon them, and do them good,
-e ADDED, while they were crossing the hall
anu as he placed the stool for her, he himself
s4ng' with ala Inpretending but touching ex
Preston
1ah ''"nlr cam gate. and rsads me when il cam
"''hout ma'e-a eve without larrh"
1t lakes the Scotch for songs. Do you kno~
!.hlng equal 10 this, Ada, in all our English
pDeGy bird without q mate-a eve with
az ~ smb' You sing it, and the whole song
e e'-iost like an angel, IS here 1t is; w
n Junu it-as l often think you are" He va
Facing the music, and, after looking at her, Il
'Io~ whether it was all right, he stepped bacl
t lille saying. as he threw his hands togetha
Tenlld him" must stay back here, and wall
'ue noof. suppose, while you sing it. And
DI always d. when you sing) to be kneel
.,,g uo~n cless a. your side, where can toucl
s ,oo clothes, and ses you. l will hear it Sc
oolne day. I'm bound to, would now, il
T No with the prompdngs Of Impulse,
. "''a0m would shut her lips, and take neS eye
"y' minding her own affairs
On s., we Lamnlas tide had duned The birken tree
4 ~ Nalrr-Sde. ma. wife vas blest like me;
rlah and iva sweet BARNS were round m
r. ia'en ava sim the "a @ The year,
s,oi s ada; and the distant, plaintive sound
o'eT The large company like the breath o
l-T''a happier and more blessed life. "Ada.
o,bar Naa was whispered from one to an
beyond this, not q word was spoken
grtae ea' many, singly or in pairs, or in littl,
n0,lS as they had stood together at supper