The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-11-05

May, there's no chance of change, is there2
said Spoken. "Live as long as you will, yo,
will always have this warm room, and this cas-
chair, and this fine place-hey
Don't know; it's queer to be here"
When you are gone," said he" and we al
must 60 some time-somebody will be here il
your place. Do you think so ?"
on may sit yourself"
81? 0 no, on no account. What made yor
think of it?"
" It's very comfortable" said Phillis a.
did but think you loved an easy chair. Harr,
loves it when I'm not in"
20 yes, yes, the chair, of course, the chair
So you'll leave Harry the easy chair"
DO you mean like the mother left me tn,
oox with money, when she was dead?"
swell, yes"
That's thing I'd faiu know" said Phillis
a paper was the way mother gave me the
box, wasn't it 2"
~ dare say it was but it is bad thing tc
write when people don't well know how. sin
cerely advise you never to write"
Z Nay, but there are some say ought t.
write. don't say who, because they, may be
would be angry, and you're all desperate kline
now to me-"
~ no, we are not-not at all-not in the
least. beg you won't think go and as tc
writing, you can't surely-best not. You have
not written, have you?
"No."
"And will not ?"
al dunna know"
- AT all events, am the only person who
knows how to write things like that which old
mrs. Many-your mother, as you call her
wrote Now promise one thing-I am sure
am kind to you"
=" don't say not" said Phillis Z" so is little
harry; they all say So"
but Harry can't write so promise, il there
is to be any writing, that l shall be the man to
dolt. Will you promise, Phillis2"
"Ay, ay; don't think to trouble anybody,
perhaps" said Phillis. "You be kind, and
the missus very, and little Harry, and all"
And there's another who has been kinder
to you than any one" said Mr.. Spoken, "and
that's Captain Graburn. All that you have
comes to you through the Captain"
"Noa, Sir, twas the old master writ a paper. "
but the Captain got it first, and gave it all
to you" !
What for did he for don't know what
Captain you do mean"
Not know Captain Graburn? 2"
Noa. dunna know, Pm sure"
~, Phillis, you surely must know the gen.
had money and the castle, and ALL
II do remember something of fine gentle.
man, with hairs in his mouth, that came when
mother lay dead, and made Jokes at me-"
Alas, said Spoken to himself, "what a
trick for that jade Fortune to play himl" Then
he added, aloud, SWELL, Phillis, Pm sure you'll
keep in mind what friend to you have been,
and will promise to let me do your writing"
SAY, ay, ay," said Phillis, stupidity; and
turned her attention entirely to sucking an
orange.
Time went on, and each portion of it was
marked to most minds in England. The DAYS
OF that year were photographed as they passed
beneath the sun; they did not rise to be for.
gotten at their set their images became per.
manent as they went by.
Those who thought least of the heroic deeds
and stoutlysupported sufferings of that time
were the heroes of the deeds themselves. Their
simple valor, their good sense, their careful
enemy's fire, their matter offact purchase of
sausage, their patience under the privation of
rations of all kinds, their parade canter to the
charge of BaIaklavs, their nightly cigar behind
the bulwarks of the trenches, were unlike most
of the big words and flashing looks which came
from swelling hearts and eyes about them in
England. The patient valor of the men, who
rarely despond, and never despair" is like
trumpet to the souls of those who read of it !;
but the trumpet itself is unmoved, impossible
metal.
For instance-and we all have instances
there were Charles Graburn and his friend,
Frederick Palliser; the same who was playing
at chess with him at Birmingham, when he got
the first news of his succession to Harkstone.
They were in the tent which they had agreed
to occupy in common, leaving the other which
belonged to them to their servants and kitchen,
and they we're enjoying one hour of the day
Nearly everybody has to look forward to one, as
more comfortable than the rest of the twenty.
four. They had lain down on their beds, and
had heaped over themselves several old horse
cloths, which they had purchased one time or
another at officers sales-thus they obtained
the blessing of warmth young Palliser, also,
the day before, had been down to Balaklava,
and brought up pot-bellied Dutch cheese and
several onions, and had stopped at the best
brush he met with, and cut away good bundle,
which he had brought into camp amid much
ironical cheering. 1t was his turn, however,
now to laugh for his servant had added to it the
scanty allowance of 6rewood made for cooking,
and had boiled some strong black CT flee, good
cup OF which was being slipped, smoking hot, by
fort, an orderly came to the tent from the head.
quarters of their division, with the long
ed post from England, and, among others, gave
one to Charles Graburn. His companion re-
ceived more. Few men had left behind 80 small
a number of correspondents in England to give
and take the news as our hero. They were at
once deeply engaged in their packets. The
one addressed to Charles Graburu ran as fol.
lows:
"HARKsToEE CASTLE, Sd December.
"DEAR Sir: regret to inform you that Miss
Chinaway departed this life, in hopes of bet.
ter, yesterday at ll.45, aoahout iciU. By
these fortunate circumstances, you become sole
and indisputable possessor of Harkstone Cas-
tie, and all its sppurtenances; and as had
the pleasure to prevail on her, at the last sol.
emn moments, to let me put in the fire q will
which she herself, in extraordinary characters
and grammar, had lsboriously penned, think
myself doubly entitled to offer you the congrst
ulstions which I once before too hastily tender
ed. Nothing now remains but to come home
as soon as possible, and exchange your sword
for ploughshare.
"Dear sir, for self and partner, yours, most
PETER SFoEEg."
Charles Graburn read this letter twice, and
then looked up to catch his friends sympathy
But Frederick Palliser was buried in his own
letters. His earnest face promised no sympa-
thy for Charles, and he waited till his friend
should have leisure to hear him. His own
thoughts meantime were all in tumult Rich
again, lord of that strange old place, able to
indulge in all those plans which had tried often
to tempt his imagination, at the same time
likely enough to be deprived of all by q bullet
Or bayonet for the first time, be thought of
the dangers of war. He read the letter again
be blessed old Spoken he wondered what the
old heiress had written; he remembered the
first time he had been declared heir of the cas-
tie, and again he looked for an auditor. Fred