Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1856-01-24


'Oh, how elegantr exclaimed Rose. The
hair-dresser left the room, and the dress was
tried on. Rose surveyed herself in silence for
a few minutes, and then exclaimed-sWhy
does Mrs. Bennett always make my dresses
so high in the neckl 1 am not an old woman
yet, that want to be covered up TO my throat
Here, Nancy turning to her maid, you and
this girl must alter this. 1t is too provoking.
Now, shall be detained at least half an hour.
How could you be so stupid!' she said, ad-
dressing the trembling Fanny.
The dress was taken off, and Fanny and the
maid proceeded to alter it. The delicate
trimmings were ripped off, and an hour passed
away before the dress was finished, the young
lady grumbling and scoding all the time
At last, she was dressed and, as Fanny
closed the street door, the church clock struck
ten. Her home was two miles distant, and
dark clouds now obscured the sky She hur-
ried on; large drops of rain fell, and soon a
heavy rain soaked her thin garments But
she felt it not, so anxious was she about her
sister. At last she arrived home, and paused
at the shop to buy Ellen some of the fruits
she had so longed for. She placed her hand
on the balustrade TO ascend the long staircase,
but stopped and leaned her head on her hand
An indefinable sensation of dread stole over
her. She wiped the perspiration from her
brow. 1t must be that / am so tired she
said 4 do not know what als me- | am
afraid TO go up She waited another mo-
ment, and then slowly crept up stairs. Her
hand rested on the .door-handle, but again the
chill OF fear made her shiver. She opened the
door, cast hasty glance at the couch, and
then, with one wild scream, sprang forward,
and fell insensbe beside the bed.
Well, Rose, have you had pleasant even
ing!' said Mrs Norton TO her daughter, on
her return home late at night.
Rose made no answer for some moments,
and then said fretfully, No, have not. l
wish had not gone'-and her eyes filled with
tears, which she endeavored to conceal from
her mother.
Why, my dear child, said her mother, in
surprise, 'what is the matter!'
That little Fench girl was the belle Of the
evening. She had all the best beaux, and as
for your friend young Merser, he had no eyes
for any one else
Is she so very beautiful, then, or so ele-
ganty dressed, or what is her peculiar at
traction 2
She is not beautiful at all, mother; that is
to say, not regularly beautiful. She has large
dark eyes, and brilliantly white teeth, and
possesses what the men call great fascination,
do not know what they mean; but she had
a crowd round her all the evening, and every
one w1s full of her bon mots and intelligence
'Well, well, love-, said her mother, sooth-
ingly, lit is not worth your fretting about
Fretting / am not fretting, said the
proud beauty, as she dashed the tears from her
eyes.
But for all her assertion, she burst into fit
of weeping as soon as she closed her bedroom
door. She tore off her beautiful dress, and
threw it on the floor, and wrapping herself in
loose gown, threw herself on the sofa
There, neglected on the ground, lay the costly
dress-;he dress that had delayed poor Fanny
the dress that caused human heart 10 ex-
perience the bitterest Of pangs-that of dying
alone, without one kind hand TO close our eyes,
and drop tear over our remains.
Have you any vacant rooms in this build
ing TO let, sir 2 asked pale-looking young
countryman of the proprietor of the shop on
the first floor of the building in which the sis
tiers lived. q want room, and was told that
you were the agent for this building
Il am So sir What kind of room do you
wish for1 have several rooms to let at DIFF
ferent prices
"Wel, let me see them ALL | have some
money saved up, and good trade. am
promised steady employment, but wish to be
as economical as possible
Very fair, sir. Come this way, if you
please ..
They went from room to room, until they
mounted TO the attic.
There is room, said the agent, 'that for
the present is occupied, but | do not know
whether it will not soon be vacant. Two sis
ters live there, and one of them, take it, is
not long for this world. Her sister, poor
thing, takes the whole charge of her. They
have not paid up their last months rent, but
am 10th 10 trouble them. They appear 10 be
honest, industrious girls, but they must pay
up. The owner of this building is stiff man
about money matters. He makes no allow
ance for sickness, or any other trouble, but
must have his money when it is due. BY the
by, | have not seen the well sister go out this
morning Let US knock and see what is the
matter
They knocked, but no answer was returned
; Again raped, but no sound issued from the
room. Il am afraid there is more trouble
here,' said the agent, looking at the young
man. 'Let us go in
They opened the door. Fanny was on hel
knees, by the bed, her face covered with hel
long hair, and one of her sisters hands pressed
10 her lips. She moved not. nor spoke, bu