The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-02-12


1t was the morning after the newly-married
pair had reached home, and, with childish eager.
ness, had entered the sitting room to prefer
some request to Miss Agnes, when Mr. Tyler,
for whose accommodation-the large stuffed easy
chair of the old Doctor had been brought forth,
suddenly laid down the copy of the New York
Observer, which he had been reading, and,
crossing the skirts of his new dressing gown
over bis knees, interrupted me with the above
query, following up the words with glance of
mild establishment from above his gold-bound
glasses.
Thus checked, began again, more slowly,
Miss Agnes "-but with no better sue
cess.
The glance of mild establishment changed to
rebuke, as he repeated, tapping with his fat,
pudgy forefDger, upcn the paper, to command
attention
Did you hear, child Is that proper way
of addressing your mstress-my wife Now,
try again!"
| glanced from him to my mistress, who was
busting some ornaments upon the sideboard,
which stood In the room she looked q little
Hurried, | thought, and was about to speak,
when he waved her back. Left to myself, and
knowing no reason why, if she was his wife, she
was not Miss Agnes still, again slowly repeat
ed the name, in tone scarce above whisper.
He pushed his glasses down as far as they
would comfortably slide upon his thick. fat nose,
and drawing in his chin, until the folds of fat
we're quite hidden behind his cravat, he looked
at rue over his full cheeks, with glance which
was no doubt intended to express not only re-
Duke, bat great deal of surprise and commits
GRAFTON for my state, while he mournfully waved
his head. as he said
81 fear we have here great deal of obsti.
macy or ignorance-perhaps both!"
Mr.. Tyler had, sometime in his life, edited
for short period a religious newspaper, and
be retained in his phraseology the dignifed plu-
raj with which he was wont to address his sub.
scrbers.
Miss Agnes stepped forward, with
any dear but he checked her with
counter /" my DEAR asd deferential wave of
the hand, as he aided
"Don't let this little incident worry YOU. nv
dear. We perfectly nderstand children-there
are few Of their tricks and subterfuges, the un.
happy evidences Of the carnal heart, with which
we are not familiar, it having pleased Divine
Providence to place US over them, a. various
times, in the capacity of teacher. Now, Zerlina,
come bere!"
He folded his hands, the backs of which look
ed like pincushions, across his knee, and looked
at ine iuh d monieht, as stoou Dy MS knee,
before he asked, pointing to Miss Agnes
"Do you know who that lady 2" E
/ had been frightened at first; now was
getting irritated, and, not knowing what to say,
l returned his look in silence, until he was
pleased to say
swell, We are waiting, and we know how to
manage obstinacy."
dyes, sir; tits Miss Agnes Lathrop, and she's
married to you, SIR"
every well, very WELL" lying back in his
chair, complacently, "we thought we should
succeed in getting a suitable answer, or an ap-
Proclamation towards one. Now, remember,
girl, as this lady is ry wife, she is henceforth
to be called Mrs. Tyler. We know nothing about
Miss Agnes" any more. She has merged
her being and name in mine. Mrs. Tyler-do
you think you can remember"
g / viii try, sir"
81 think, my love-" said my mistress coming
forward, and timid!y laying her hand on his
to blame in this; that is, wish to say" she
went on, as he turned himself slowly in his chair,
and looked at her, that l taught her to cali
me Miss Agnes and this change is so recent.
| am sure Lima will try not to forget"
He gave her look of the most unctuous
fondness. Ah you are sure. We have not
the slightest doubt of that, my dear. Your
art!ess nature is go easily convinced, and trust
you are right We have no desire to mar this
this"--the reverend gentleman looked round
the room, as if in search of the proper word
"this suspicious marriage morn, as we may
say, with anything disagreeable. Therefore,
we will only give this child lesson, and dis
miss her."
He took Bible from the table near him, and
turning to the chapter which relates the fate of
the ll-mannered children who Knocked the
prophet, on account of his badness, said
i" Go to your room, and read that four times
over, and remember the fate of children who
were disrespectful to their superiors."
When came down to dinner, found new
arrangement Hitherto Hannah, being more
like friend than servant in the family, had
taken her meals with Miss Agnes and me.
Now her place was vacant, and my plate, in.
stead of being laid pext Miss Agnes's, was far
down the side, out OF neishborhood, as it were,
of the Others But It was not out OF the reach
of Miss Agnes's kind hand. Seeing that Mr..
Tyler sent back my plate with nothing upon
1t but soUe potato and piece of bread, she
reminded him of his oversight, as she supposed
it to be, by passing'it back for g piece Of the
nice boiled fowl before him. He had loaded
his plate with chicken and the various vegeta-
hles and sauces, and was raising his well-flled
silver fork Ia part of nay r.istress's new plen-
ishing) to his mouth, when she preferred her
request Re dropped his fork, and with it his
under jaw, and sat gazing at US with an ex-
preston of pity an grief at our ignorance!
Doubtless it was such a one, he supposed, an.
gels might wear--aad as his actual knowledge
of them must have been gained from those
dropsical. headed ideals common upon old tomb
stones he might 40 have been far from right.
pnt tba 10 OK III RI
lowed by these words:
Z" Is it possible, ny dear, that you can have
fallen into the pernicious mistake-we can call
it nothing less--of permitting that child to eat
meatf"
Miss Agnes iooit.d confused, flushed a little,
then recovered her,elf, and said, gently
a" may have been mistaken /; | am very ,g-
norant, l know bat papa used to think chill
6ren that are growing fast needed animal food"
Again he bestowed upon my mistress that be-
nignly commiseratSye look, followed by smile,
which, upon a layrlan's face, might have been
considered slightly mirthful, as he said
" A notion very common among the profes-
sional men of his age, but one which we are
rather surprised to hear you advance, my dear,
as it has been SO completely exploded by the
modern science Of dieteties. Vegetables and
farinaceous substances, generally, are the only
Ioou III ior cnlicren, or even ADULTS. But
habit is strong he reached for the drawn
butter as he spoke and flooded his plate. owe
may indeed, We Eiuet - always regret, my
dear, that we were not educated on tnis simple
rational plan; and we always make it a mat
ter of duty to approximate to it as closely as
we can, when severe mental or physical effort
has not exhausted the system. But this sub
iect will only add another to the delightful and
instructive paths. Of knowledge, along which
we hope to lead your Augustus, who, we are