Volcano weekly ledger., 1857-02-28

Poor thingl She spoke the truth. She
was too happy to be employed by Mrs. Hen
shaw
Well will excuse you this time. All, l
think you said, when we engaged you. that
you could teach Italian"
Yes, ma'am," replied Ellen, looking more
cheerful.
Lucy is to learn shall expect you to
teach her without any increase of pay. /
cannot afford to give any more"
Poor Elen's face fell. She had anticipated
that the increased employment would bring
increased salary
" If you object, of course must find some
other teacher, who will include Italian. at no
more than your present salary" said Mrs.
Henshaw
What could Ellen do? Her mother was
very sick, and needed all the comforts she
could give her Of course, she was "tOo
happy" to teach italian without further re-
muneretion, as Mrs. Henshaw said she could
not give her any more. l happen to know
that on that very day Mrs Henshaw dis
charged a coachman, who was not handsome
enough to suit her, and hired another at an
increase of wages which would have support
ed Ellen and her mother for a month.
When Ellen returned home that night
she had been to five or six houses first, and
walked at least twenty miles-she found her
mother very weak, and doctor who was
called in, could give her no hope. Her
mother, he said, could live but few days.
She had to practice the quadrille that night,
as she had promised Mrs. Henshaw But
could she play that gay music in the house of
of death, and disturb the slumber-perhaps
the last earthly sleep-of her mother? The
very thought shocked her.
There was no alteration in her parent
when, with heart, OF so sad and heavy, she
set forth upon her morning walk. The gro
Ger saw how sad she was as she passed his
door He had heard, during the night, of
her mothers sickness. He, too, was sad, for
the child that had broken its arm was dead
Better not tell her now" he thought; " she
has her own sadness"
".You are full ten minutes behind your
time, sad Mrs Henshaw, pettishly.
"I am very sorry, but my mother is very
sick-dying, the doctor says" replied Ellen,
bursting into tears.
"Dying?-that is unfortunate. But you
should remember the value of punctuality.-
Well, do not wait any longer. Lucy is dying
to begin her quadrille."
| am very sorry, ma'am, but / could not
run through them last night when my mother
was so ill.,"
"Of course, l consider that, but you
promised me. A young lady Of your occu-
patton ought to keep her promises at any
sacrifice"
II could not disturb my mother" said
Ellen, appealingly.
"I excuse you this once, since your mother
is dying, but don't let it happen again. You
are. at least, ready to commence Lucy's
Italian this morningY"
"Unluckily | forgot to bring my grammar
suppose Lucy has one
"Mr Henshaw says he can't be at the ex-
pense of buying books for you to teach Lucy
with He expects you to furnish them"
Ellen, of course, had to say that her books
were at Lucy's service. Thus her life was
passed. All the ladies whose daughters she
taught were not so unfeeing as Mrs. Hen
shaw, but none of them had any sympathy
with her situation, and every one was fully
as exacting.
That evening her mother was much worse
The neghbors said that, during the day, she
had been deirious. Was it her duty to dis
turb her with the gay notes She thought
not. 1t would be better to lose the situation
than forget her duty as daughter. The
next day, Mrs. Henshaw heard OF q govern
ess who not only taught Italian for the same
terms as Ellen, but Included German Also
Ellen was therefore, dismissed. She did not
care much for she could now stay longer in
the morning with her mother. She spent
now all her time at home in soothing the
death-bed of her mother, hardly allowing her.
self any time to sleep. So worn out was she
by continual watching, and so occupied with
the dread anxiety about her parents health,
that she did not notice the departure of the
kind grocer, and that another man, gruff and
repulsive. had taken his place.
Her mother died in about week, and
Ellen began to feel the loss Of her friend
She was all alone in the world. A letter
sent to her rich relation had brought back a
cool response recommending her to work
hard and keep a good character Work
hard In few days she was delirious with
a fever, brought on by exhaustion and grief
When she recovered, all her pupils had pro-
cnred new teachers. Then there was all the
work of procuring new pupils to be gone
through. Advertising took away all her
slender finds. The only place she obtained
was soon lost, for her employer made dishon-
orable proposals to her.
One cold November evening. an east wind
was making every one feel uncomfortable, and
most of all Ellen, who sat shiyering in her
desolate room, bending over the place where
the fire ought to have been, and trying to