The true Democrat., 1857-03-03

ill.tempered, but she now appeared to be quite an eXaMple of sweetness.
 They had warned my father against govern esses; they had more cause to warn him against themselves feel ashamed to write it, but cannot record anything but the truth. Ere fifteen months had elapsed since our heavy day of mourning and sorrow, Louisa Rupert had become my fathers wife-the second Mrs. Dixon.
 The first person to whisper the rumor to me was Charlotte, one of our long attached ser wants. had thought 1t odd when, in January, Miss Rupert left our house to pass a month, as she said, in distant watering place. She had a married sister living there. a Mrs. Arowsmith, but still 1 wondered that she did rot choose a more genial season. Three weeks afterwards papa also left, and then Charlotte told me what people said-that they were gone to be married.
 iIow angry I was! with Charlotte. Had she told me was gone to be married, could not have been more indignantly dishelieving.
 "Charlotte, how dare you assert such a dis graceful calumnv?"
 Dear Miss Jane," she answered, "vou are the only person who has not foreseen it for some months past. fear you will find it true"
 Alas I did. A letter came from my father, setting all doubt at rest He ha just married Louisa Rupert. He said he hoped the step would conduce to the happiness of us all, and that he had entered upon it as much for my sake as for his own.
 Happiness! For my sake! am not natural lv passionate, but storm of passion, of agony, shook me then. It was not because Louisa Rupert was exalted to authority over mel thought not of that; but that he should so soon bo,, f1ro lowered himself to take another wife in such unseemly haste! 1 cannot describe the wretch ed feeling that oppressed me, and it is not fit I should. It seemed as if the shame of the act was reflected upon me.
 1 had thrown myself on the sofa, sobbng with all my might and heart, when some one touched me on the sleeve and spoke. "Jane, how foolish you are!'
 It was Lionel Rupert-a ine-grown hand some youth of twenty, sunnv-te tempered as the day, and merry hearted, rare favorite in Te versham. He was first cousin to Betsev and Louisa, and, since the latters residence with us, had been frequently at our house. My fa- ther liked him.
 1 sat up and srove for calmness, rather an moved that Lionel shonld have seen me giving way so, for he had propensity for ridicule and joking. However, he did not ridicule me then.
 If l were you, Jane, should show myself more of a man than to sob like that"
 You don't know the cause! You don't know the-the shameful'-I hesitated in my choice of word, and then brought out a bad one" news l have heard this morning.
 "l have heard it," he replied !" But all your sohbing and distress will not mend it."
 Where did you hear 1t, Lonel?"
 "Oh, all Teversham las heard 1t; and Char lotte rushed to the door, full of it, when she saw me coming"
 "Oh, Lionel?" cried out, in my grief as had once before cried out to my father, " if l had but died with mammal"
 '' If you would bat abstain from talking nonsense!" retorted Lionel. You are too old for it."
 "Of course you cannot enter into my feel, inss, or take my part" was my resentful an Swer " As your cousin, you naturally regard this marrige with favorable ev, Had t chosen to marry papa in mamma's lifetime, perhaps you would have seen no harm in t''
 Louel laughed, and bent on me his clear bright eyes, in which 1 read sympathy he would not suffer his tongue to utter "Jane, I'll bring an action against you for calumniating me. You know my sweet cousin Louisa was always my bete noire. Betsey's an old dragon, but she is better than Louisa Had been Mir. Dixon, 1 would have espoused the ancient ap- plewoman at the corner rather than her."
 At the end of week they came home. had schonled myself into calmnesS. I could not receive my father as useI to-I could not; for he ieeli of reverence, the respect and venrratlon due to parent from a child, had left my heart forever. He must have noticed the difference, but he said nothing, and went out [ for a stroll down the village. l was cool to Mir, Dixon--too cool--but was not insolent; a true friend in Tevessham had given me ju- dcious Christian counsel and was really striv- ing to profit by it. But when Mrs Dixon went up stairs to take possession for the first time of the bedroom and dressing room which had been my dearest mothers ran up to my own chamber, and sobbed aloud in great sorrow Papa brought Lionel back to dinner 1 think now, though it did not strike ne then, that he feared the family party, that frst evening, might be awkward, and deemed it not amss 1 to ask a stranger to it. Lionel laughed and talked as usual, and began telling them what had transplred in the village during their ab- sence.
 In the midst of it, Phillis threw open the drawlng-room door, and spoke. Dinner is on the table-sir'' She hesitated between the
 
 mothers time, she used to make the announce ment to her; since, she had always made it to mr; and now she preferred to make 1t to her master, rather than to her new mistress thanked the girl in my heart, but don't know what that new mistress thought Charlotte stood in the dining room as we went in. I ad- vanced to the place at the head of the table A tter mamma death, no one had occupied it ! rt han tath had desired me to take it, which had done ever since. 1 had no rude intention to Mrs. Dixon in taking it now: 1 decl. Ire it had never once crossed my mind that that seat must be mine no longer. 1 was thinking but of Charlotte that she need not have troubled herself to come ! in for only Lionel Rupert, it not beirg customa- " for her to help to wait, except when there was company. 1 bent my head down towards the cloth, expecting my father to say grace, but there seemed delay. and looked up Stand ing by my side. waiting for me to vacate the seat was Mrs. Dixon, and in the same moment Charlotte came up and whispered:
 Miss Jane, Philis has put your seat here | to- day"
 darted from the place as if hornet had >tung me, and went to the side seat where Louisa Rupert used to sit. Had I committed d crime, l could not have felt more wretchedly confused snd guilty. My throat was choking, my cheeks were burning, and glanced across the table at Lionel, to gather what he could think of me. gathered nothing, for his face was turned towards the lights of the chande- Her, and he began telling of new-fashioned one, just introduced at the Hall, which had come slidirg down on the floor, in the midst of an evening party, narrowly escaping the wig and head of old St. Aceon.
 Dinner passed of pretty we'll thanks, be- lieve. to Lionel, and the maids quilted the room. Papa cracked some filbers and handed them to me.
 "Thank you," said, I will pass these to Mrs. Dixon"
 Keep them yourself Jane. I will crack more for your mamna," was the reply, with an unmistakabe emphasis.
 II prefer not to take any, papa" l answer ed Mrs Dixon can have these" And my emphasis on Mrs. Dxon'' was quite as forci