The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1857-02-19

ward the little one whose auburn, beac
restled in my arms. My husband look
ed pleased aud smiled, giving his sister
a gratfed lS5s; and l observed the
shadow of smile on her lips, but it ia
ded again as she glanced at Ellen
When the clock struck nine, Miss
Jane rose and led the children to their
chambers. bade them good night as
they w, mt out, but l noticed that Ellen
made no answer ...
The next morning 1 made a business
of going over the house, and examining
its convepiepces. The first step upon
the broad gloomy staircase, chilled me I;
but when, after visiting every room, sat
down ip the parlor again / was almost
discouraged. = Such dreory diso'dered
house, never saw. In every chamber
the curtains hung over the windows
like shl ouds, and the air was cold and
damp as dungeon. There was dust
on the walls, on the windows and furni-
ture there was gloom in every corn
cf. The parlor which might have been
made delightful room, seemed like
The furniture, as well as
the pictures, was covered with canvass
A locked bookcase stood in the recess,
and locked siano was by the wall
asked litde -.eA;S wbc had " pit close be-
side me all the morning, why this was
so.
g Aunt Jane doscn't like music" she
said ;-"and she keeps the bookcase
locked, because she says we must not
read books until We are older"
"And why is the furniture all cover
ed :"
"The parlor is scarcely ever opened, ~
answcaed May. "Aunt Jane wants to
keep it nice"
"Well, May" I said, ego now and
ask aunt Jane for the key of the book
case. want TO see the books"
She ran and quickly returned, follow
ed by Miss Jane, who delivered up the
key to me, with dubious kind Of grace.
81 hope you will lock the bookcase
when you have examined the books ma
am" said she. | don't allow the
children to spend their time in light
reading"
"What are they now reading :" ]
asked.
" They lcaan their lessons" she re-
Piled shortly.
She disappeared, and opened the
bookcase, which | found TO contain q
most excellent selection of books. The
best poets, the best historians, the bes,
novelists aud biographers were there,
making a library small, but of rich value
1t was the fist really pleasing thing !
had found in my new home, and | sat
an hour or two glancing over one volume
after another, and arranging them on
the shelves.
Suddenly, Miss Jane looked in, and
in moment her face was pale with in.
FOR there sat Ii tie May onI
the carpet. buried in an old English an
oGai Miss Jane took two steps for
ward, and snatched the book out of the
child's baud, threw it on the table, then
led ber by the shoulder out Of the room.
| was mute with amazrment at this
government at first; then l sprang up
and would have followed her, bad not
he fear of an outbreak restrained me-
"Selfish creature - l exclaimed, you
ire trying to make all these children
ike yourself-ruipipg them for all good
Or happiness in life. In Ellen's sullen-
,ess and coldncss | see the fruit of your
abor. Was Arthur Fleming blind
when he left his children in your keep
ng :" .ai 2. r'...n Il.
I saw no more Of the children until
Inner, when, by questioning, | learned
lba, they had been studying all the
morning with Miss Fleming. inform
I'd her that should sit with them in the
afternoon, as wished to see what pro-
gress thep were making.
The look with which she received this
announcement plainly indicated that
should be an upwelcome listener to her
lessons, and for a few moments my heart
so failed me, perplexed by her contempt
nous plances, that l half determined to
have nothing to do with the children,