The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-02-11

1
Words cannot describe to you Il
heart-loneliness 1 felt that first night
Alone, I sat by my little window, whic
looked out upon tall, dark church, an
a dismal grave yard, with its whit
tombstones cleaning in the ghostl
moonlight. / loved the view. 1t wa
more in accordance with my own dar
feelings than the cheerful interior {
my pretty chamber. All was light an
pleasant there. The large solar lam
sent its silver light over the crimso
couch hapgings, and illuminated tn
wall paper until the room seemed gar
den of living flowers. But liked no
cheerfulness. What right had I to b.
bright aud gay Was I not waif OF
the fair earth There was no one in tn,
wide world to love me would any ont
weep when 1 should be laid away in the
death-mould ? I asked the question
with bitterness. No, there were none
to love me I laid my head on the win
dow sill, and clasped my hands over my
eyes.
When I awoke, the sun was shining
warmly over my disordered hair, and
the little robins and sparrows were sing
ing pleasantly in the churchyard trees.
l reused myself, and making a hasty
toilet descended to the breakfast room.
The family had already assembled
There was row of strange faces at the
table; young gentlemen and ladies who,
like myself, were to attend the school.
I fancied they were ridiculing me, and
doubt not but they were, for one of
the young men repeated few words in
au unknown language, looking at me all
the while at which they all laughed
heartily, and turning their great prying
eyes curiously upon me. The young la
dies, evidently not regarding me in the
light Of a rival in the young mems affec-
tions, joined with them in the general
attempt of quizzing me.
bore this as long as I could, and
then from the depths of my fierce, wild
heart there welled up few bitter, with.
ing words, and 1 spoke them. The sur
prised company were silenced, but occa-
sionally they cast looks of covert scorn
toward me. After breakfast they spoke
no encouraging friendly words to me,
but conversed apart, in groups and 1
knew that 1 was their subject, by the
glauces which they bestowed upon my
shrinking sensitive form.
To one of my nature, this treatment
was CALLING in the extreme, and I made
up my mind to haste them all. Even
the little girl, the daughter of the peo-
pie who kept the boarding house, seemed
to take exquisite delight in torturing
me, asking spiteful questions about
my dress, contemplated studies, etc.
Alone, l went to the academy. No
one offered to go with me, no one told
me which way to go, they only set up
derisive laugh as I put on the green
silk, bonnet, which had cost my aunt
and village milliner. a weeks work to
remodel from aunt's old calash.
I knew where the academy was situa-
ted. 1 had passed it on my way the
previous day. 1t was large white
building with carved columns and sha-
dy porticoes, in the middle of a green
lawn, gemmed here and there with a
tuft of the purple frost flower. The
green in front of the edi6ce was throng-
ed with young gentlemen and ladies,
gay and laughing Was it any wonder
that wild, forest bred girl like me,
who had scarcely seen dozen faces out
Of her own family circle, should shrink
from the curious stare which, on every
side, assailed her? Sick at heart, 1
leaned against a shade-tree for sup
port.
Only one in all that merry company
understood my feelings. Heaven bless
her, wherever she may be She was
anne girl, little younger than myself,
With a pale, sweet and gentle plying
voice. She came hastily towards me,
aid her small hand on my arm, and
looking into my face, with one of her
glances, she said timidly, Par
Ion me, but you seem to be stranger
lere; are you going to attend the school?'
could have fallen down and worshiped
Ter for the first kind words which had
greeted my ear since my arrival in
Lansdowne. She bade me follow her to
he dressing-room, and there she took
IF my bonnet and shawl, and conducted
ne to the hall, where she showed me a
eat where I could sit until Professor
dontcalm should arrive and assign me
me.
There I sat in trembling suspense,
rafting for the great bell to sound the
ignal of commencement. It rang out,
t last, loud and clear. There was a ]
urried rushing of young ladies for seats I
hen stiffness, broken only by an occa-
ional whisper, and then steps in the
tide passage announced the coming of
he Principal. I did not raise my head
o look at him, even when I heard his J
eep sweet voice calling each young la-
y to come up separately, that he might |
egistcr her mama. and nronoaed couria I