The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-03-29
T e p H AL F-C AST ]
an eolO eSab.rniss's gnle.

"We know what we are, but we know not
what we may be-" US my quaintly-clever niece
and namechild, Cassia, would say. And truly
who could have thought that /, q plain gov
erness, should in my old age hpye become
writer Yet, for the life Of me, 1 cSSfnot invent
a plot--I must write nothing but tr5th. Here
i pause. recollecting painfully that in, my first
sentence / have sinned against truth Sy chti-
tling Cassia "my niece and narnechild," !" when.
strictly speaking, she is neither the one nor the
other. She is no blood-relation at all, and my
own name happens to be Cassandra. / always
disliked it heartily until Mr.. Sutherland called
me- But forget that must explain n
little. Mr.. Sutherland was--no, thank Heaven /!
is, very good man; a friend of my late father,
and Of the same business --an Indian merchant.
When in my twenty-ffth year, my dear father
died, and we were ruined--a quiet way Of ex-
pressing this, but in time one learns to speak
so quietly Of every pang: Mr.. Sutherland was
very kind to my mother and to me. remeni-
ber, as though It were yesterday, one day when
he sat with us in our little parlour, and hearing
my mother calling me Cassia," said laughing.
" that always put him in mind Of certain
Indian spice. "In fact" he added, looking
atfectionatcly at my dear, gentle, little mother
and approyingly-yes, it was approvingly, al
me-a in fact, I think we three sitting thus
with myself in the centre, might be likened te
nlyrrh, aloes, and cassia." One similitude was
untrue; for he was not bitter, but sweet as
summer" However, from that time he always
| called me Cassia. l rather like the name ; ant
latterly it was very kind Of him To- There
! am forestalling my history again!
When I was twenty-five, as I said, first
went out as governess. This plan was the
result OF many consultations between my
mother and myself. A hard thing was my
leaving home; but found could thereby
earn a larger and more regular salary, part o
which being put by, would some time enable
me to live altogether with my mother. Sucl
were her plannings and hopes for the future
| AS for my OWN But it is idle to dwell
upon things so long past. God knew best, ant
1t all comes to the same at the end OF life. l
was through Mr.. Sutherland that got my frs
situation. He wrote my mother hurriet
letter. saying he had arranged for me to eDte
q family, concerning whom he would explain
before my departure. But something hnderet
his coming it was public meeting, renem
Der for though still q young man, he was hcl,
in much honour among the city merchants
and knew the affairs of India well from earl
residence there. OF course, having these dutie
to fulfil, it was natural he should not recollec
my departure; SD started without secin
him, and without knowing more of my fntur
abode than its name, and that Of my employer
1t was Yorkshire village, and the gentlema
whose family was going to was Mr.. L
Poer. My long journey was dreary-Go
knows how drearyl in youth one suffers s
much and parting from my mother was an
time sufficient grief In those days railway
were not numerous, and had to journey
good way by coach. About eleven at night
found myself at my destination. At the doc
a maid-servant appeared; no one else it We
scarcely to be expected by +" the governess.
This was new and sad looming home
me- was shown to my bedroom, hearing, Q
passed the landing, much rnstling Of dresst
and " squttling away little feet. 4 though
to apologize for that odd expression, which,
think, l learned when was quite a child, au
used to 90 angling with my father and N
Sutherland It means o sca,npering off in .
directions, as shoal Of minnows do when u
/ throw pebble among them asked il i
family were gone to bed, and was informe
). aNo;" so arranged my dress and went doy
stairs, unconsciously reassured by the fact, Ii
!, the house was neither SO large nor 80 aris
y cratic as my very liberal salary had at first
clined me to expect.